Who pays for clogged sewage? Tenant or landlord?

[TheBeeKeeper]

We pay for cleaning the main line each spring, but still have at least once a year a clog that requires calling a plumber.
So far we've paid for it, but I don't know whether this should be the tenant or landlord responsibility.
The clog is usually way down the pipes, further than we can reach with our 30 feet auger.
We've asked our tenants to start using Scott's 'septic safe' toilet paper, and it's improved since, but the clogging has not  beed totally eliminated.
We have similar issue in our house, in the same town, but more rarely , maybe once every 2-3 years.

So what would you do? Who's responsible for paying for unclogging? Assuming it's not obvious what has caused it (we had tenants who flushed wipes that were labeled 'flushable'. had to tell them there are no real flushable wipes)

[Drifterrider]

In your case, because you know it is a routine requirement, I would think the landlord should pay as routine maintenance.

If it were an oddity that was caused by the tenant (children flushing toys, etc) I'd make them pay.

[Spork]

I feel like there is something else to this story.  Either the tenant is flushing something ridiculous (cat litter, paper towels, etc) ... or there is another underlying plumbing issue.

I've had several houses.  I've had 2 with septics.  The only time I've ever had to do "routine augering" -- there was a serious plumbing issue.  Have you run a scope in there to look for roots or a cast iron pipe with a rusted bottom or ...?

[Bigsacks]

If it is just normal shit going down the toilet then you pay......I have had kids flushing toys, the tenant pays those bills.......

[justajane]

Could it be feminine product related?

Otherwise, if it's just toilet paper, then I think the landlord should pay.

[Spork]

These were my pipes that needed an annual augering.  That slit along the pipe was what used to be the "bottom".

[Drifterrider]

Those look like very small waste pipes.  Perhaps that is one of the problems.

I do know from experience that some toilet paper (charmin) seems to cause more stoppages than most other brands.