Would a septic system turn you away from a rental?

[SandrA9810]

I like the place, I like the landlord. But after showing the apartment, i asked about washer/dryer hookups as there would be room for it. She said that they were on a septic tank, and that would just add way too much water to the system. I've never dealt with septic, only sewer, and I know there's more precautions to take with septic to keep everything working smoothly.

Even if I don't have to pay for any problems that arise, I would still have to deal with the issues of it. It's 4 one bedroom apartments, and after looking online, the lot size seems extremely small for the recommended size leach field.

With apartments, you never know how much people are going to pay attention to things. I just couldn't imagine living someplace with a sewer smell. I'm not sure if it's well water or city water (water/sewer/garbage is included in the rent). I've read stories of bad septic systems coming back up into the well water.

Can some one please tell me septic systems aren't that bad in apartments?

 

[beaucoup]

I like the place, I like the landlord. But after showing the apartment, i asked about washer/dryer hookups as there would be room for it. She said that they were on a septic tank, and that would just add way too much water to the system. I've never dealt with septic, only sewer, and I know there's more precautions to take with septic to keep everything working smoothly.

Even if I don't have to pay for any problems that arise, I would still have to deal with the issues of it. It's 4 one bedroom apartments, and after looking online, the lot size seems extremely small for the recommended size leach field.

With apartments, you never know how much people are going to pay attention to things. I just couldn't imagine living someplace with a sewer smell. I'm not sure if it's well water or city water (water/sewer/garbage is included in the rent). I've read stories of bad septic systems coming back up into the well water.

Can some one please tell me septic systems aren't that bad in apartments?

Wouldn't turn me off as a renter at all.

Septic systems are designed for the size of the building & the # of bedrooms / people living there.

Our 4 condo units were on a septic system. Each building had its own.

I don't see a problem. We just didn't have garbage disposals. Wasn't a problem. Never did anything differently either. Condo had it pumped regularly.

 

[beaucoup]

What in particular worries you and why? Its perfectly acceptable system & used often. Only one place I've ever lived was on sewer.

 

[tlbwriter]

I wouldn't worry about a septic system in a house. I grew up with one. There's no smell at all. However, there are two red flags in this particular situation. First, it's an apartment, so you are subject to everyone else's stupidity. There are things you simply shouldn't do with a septic system, and if one of your neighbors does one of those things, you will suffer. Two, the fact that they can't handle a washing machine is problematic. Sounds like their system doesn't have the right capacity for their needs

 

[phorsenuf]

Having a septic system wouldn't bother me, had one for 11 years. Not being able to have a washer/dryer in my apartment, that would be the deal breaker.

 

[clh2]

I've loved in a house for 18 years, and have septic as well as well water. There are 3 of us living in this house. When our our washer/dryer needed to be replaced about 5 years ago - we definitley purchased a HE washer. That was a no brainer - with septic.

My concern would be - are there hook-ups for laundry? Or is the landlord discouraging you from using the hook-ups? If there were hook-ups - I would use them If there aren't hook-ups - then they simply are not there.

I do not agree with the comment that septic systems are sized for the # of people living in a place - where I live - they are sized for the # of bedrooms - you can't predict how many people will ever be living in one particular house or apartment.

 

[goofyernmost]

Having a septic system wouldn't bother me, had one for 11 years. Not being able to have a washer/dryer in my apartment, that would be the deal breaker.

 

[SandrA9810]

The landlord was thinking of putting in a laundry facility, like a shed in the back of the house.

The house is a 1920's home and I'm sure it was not made as an apartment building. I don't know what the original bedrooms were, or how old the septic tank has been in place. She mentioned the neighbor ran a pipe from the house to the back corner of the yard when they put in a washer/dryer and apparently floods the corner of the yard. It's a big dirt field behind the homes, so it's not like they're flooding a neighbor's yard.


I remember my grandparent's house, the washer/dryer were added later on, and there was a pipe that ran from the house and came out to a vent in the yard. We were on sewer water too. It was on the side of the house and that's where the line was hung for laundry. I also remember that as being the only place the grass grew well. Never thought twice about it before now, but it never seemed to hurt a thing. As the water was only in our yard, and I guess not enough laundry being done to cause a problem.

 

[denisenh]

The landlord was thinking of putting in a laundry facility, like a shed in the back of the house.

The house is a 1920's home and I'm sure it was not made as an apartment building. I don't know what the original bedrooms were, or how old the septic tank has been in place. She mentioned the neighbor ran a pipe from the house to the back corner of the yard when they put in a washer/dryer and apparently floods the corner of the yard. It's a big dirt field behind the homes, so it's not like they're flooding a neighbor's yard.


I remember my grandparent's house, the washer/dryer were added later on, and there was a pipe that ran from the house and came out to a vent in the yard. We were on sewer water too. It was on the side of the house and that's where the line was hung for laundry. I also remember that as being the only place the grass grew well. Never thought twice about it before now, but it never seemed to hurt a thing. As the water was only in our yard, and I guess not enough laundry being done to cause a problem.

I remember the smell of the cellar at my grandparents house. I loved it. It wasn't until I was an adult, and then some, before I realized that the ditch dug around the perimeter of their cellar was a dry well into which all the laundry water drained. They had septic.
I miss them, the house and their stupid septic.
I would never own or rent a house with septic because it would be something additional to worry/think about.

 

[Mama Who]

If septic means no w/d hookups then yes, I'd have a problem with it.

 

[phorsenuf]

The landlord was thinking of putting in a laundry facility, like a shed in the back of the house.

The house is a 1920's home and I'm sure it was not made as an apartment building. I don't know what the original bedrooms were, or how old the septic tank has been in place. She mentioned the neighbor ran a pipe from the house to the back corner of the yard when they put in a washer/dryer and apparently floods the corner of the yard. It's a big dirt field behind the homes, so it's not like they're flooding a neighbor's yard.


I remember my grandparent's house, the washer/dryer were added later on, and there was a pipe that ran from the house and came out to a vent in the yard. We were on sewer water too. It was on the side of the house and that's where the line was hung for laundry. I also remember that as being the only place the grass grew well. Never thought twice about it before now, but it never seemed to hurt a thing. As the water was only in our yard, and I guess not enough laundry being done to cause a problem.

I don't think you can drain grey water like that. I'd check with the housing codes on that one.

 

[java]

We have a septic system and Yes I have a washer dryer that runs almost constantly. So far so good - we're 12 years into it.

Now not having laundry facilities in my rental would be a deal breaker for me. The laundromat is no fun. particularly if it's far away.

 

[englishteacha]

I have a septic system with my house. When we moved in the washer wasn't hooked into the septic system-it drained into the basement!! Our quick fix was to drain it into the yard with the sump pump water, but come winter we needed to hook it into the septic system so we wouldn't turn our driveway into a skating rink. With a house and a septic, I wouldn't be concerned, but with an apartment, I would worry that somebody would do something dumb and cause problems. That, and like a previous poster, I wouldn't ever live somewhere without a washer! (I can live without a dryer, but the washer, that's a deal breaker.)

 

[SandrA9810]

I don't think you can drain grey water like that. I'd check with the housing codes on that one.

It's the neighbor's house, and it could be seen from the upstairs window. I don't know codes around here and not going to stick my head into that one. It's just what she showed me as to why they haven't put in a washer/dryer set.

I'm finding it's a hit or miss (mostly miss) for an apartment to include hookups. Most provide facilities onsite, but few include the hookups. I'm starting to reconsider the make or break point of an apartment.

 

[SandrA9810]

I wouldn't worry about a septic system in a house. I grew up with one. There's no smell at all. However, there are two red flags in this particular situation. First, it's an apartment, so you are subject to everyone else's stupidity. There are things you simply shouldn't do with a septic system, and if one of your neighbors does one of those things, you will suffer. Two, the fact that they can't handle a washing machine is problematic. Sounds like their system doesn't have the right capacity for their needs

Those were my first concerns. I don't do a lot of things that are listed as warnings for septic systems. The more I think about it, the more I realize that my grandmother did things like they were on a septic system, rather than being on city sewer. So I'm used to those ways already, and I try to be a little greener.

And from looking up online, the yard space just doesn't like it's adequate enough to handle the house load. So who knows if the tank is large enough. Although they might just pump it more often to prevent problems.

 

[momof1princess]

i've always lived in houses with septic systems, so that's not an issue, but the fact that you can't have a washer & dryer puzzles me. i've lived in my house 11+ years now, with a septic system AND a washer & dryer, and never had a problem. as a PP said, perhaps the septic system is too small for the building. that's the only answer i can come up with.

 

[tvguy]

As a renter I would have no concerns, if there's a problem, its up to the landlord to fix it. And in most states, a landlord would have to fix something like that immediately.

Never seen an apartment with a washer and dryer in the individual unit, usually they do have a laundry room.

Also never seen anyone with a septic system that had the washer (or shower/tub for that matter) go into the septic system. Always drained either into the yard, or in my inlaws case, into the swamp behind their house, although they did have to bury a pipe completely through the neighbor's yard into the swamp. But it is Texas.

 

[phorsenuf]

Our apartment came with a washer and dryer. Most here do, or they have the hook-ups.

 

[SandrA9810]

Most in Florida as well, even the smallest of apartments had one. I don't understand why it's not common here. The laundromats are really expensive. It's about $3.75 a load to wash and two wash loads dry in one for a $1. That's $15 a week on laundry with just clothes. It'd only take about 4 months of laundry to equal the cost of buying a used set.

 

[tvguy]

The Condo we rented had a place for a washer and dryer. But apartments here usually have a Laundry room in a common area. But I suspect very few apartments in California are in areas that still are on septic tanks.