A condo owner in British Columbia has been told to pay nearly $55,000 after his tenant allegedly flushed cat litter down the toilet, causing major plumbing issues.
According to a recent ruling from the Civil Resolution Tribunal, the issue started around New Year’s Eve in 2023. That day, residents living below the unit reported sewage backing up into their bathroom.
Soon after, water also began leaking into another condo underneath them.
Plumbers Couldn’t Fix the Issue
Plumbers were brought in but could not fix the problem from inside the affected units.
After removing sections of the building’s pipes from the parkade area, they found a large amount of cat litter clogging the plumbing system.
The strata council later learned the clogged pipe was only connected to four condos in that part of the building.
Investigators also found out that the tenant living in the fourth-floor condo owned three cats and kept a litter box in the bathroom.
The residents in the units below said they did not own cats and had no reason to use cat litter.
The condo owner, Manjit Minhas, admitted there had been plumbing issues affecting the lower units but argued his former tenant should not be blamed entirely for the damage.
Still, the tribunal decided that the clog likely came from that unit.
Under the building’s bylaws, owners are responsible for damage caused by tenants living in their condo, especially when the issue originates from their unit.
The water damage turned out to be serious enough that some neighbors had to temporarily move out while repairs and cleanup were being done.
The strata filed an insurance claim, paid a $50,000 deductible, and later tried to recover those costs from the owner.
In the end, the tribunal ordered Minhas to pay a total of about $54,569.
That amount included the insurance deductible, interest, tribunal costs, and fines connected to the tenant’s actions.
The strata had also tried to claim another roughly $30,000 for extra repairs, legal fees, and additional fines, but those requests were dismissed.
