Film developing and Landlord (damages on tub/chrome)

[nlubis]

Hi guys,

I've just received this notice from my landlord:

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It has come to my attention that you are utilizing your bathroom for developing film. The materials used for this process can eat away at the chrome and also the finish of the tub.

If this continues and damage occurs, you will be monetarily responsible for refinishing of these items when you leave….

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Is this true? (I don't use the tub, but the sink 😀).
Does anyone have similar experiences?
Any information is appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[Leigh Youdale]

What sort of second-rate fittings has he provided in your bathroom? He'll next be complaining that the byproducts of your digestion are ruining the porcelain finish of the other bit of gear you have in there.

 

[x-ray]

If the tub is porcelain then there should be no problems. Developing trays were porcelain on steel fifty years ago. My dad had a set and they held up very well as long as there were no chips exposing the steel. Developer. stop and fix are no more caustic than most cleaning agents. Drain cleaner is much more caustic than any of the above. The biggest danger is staining the floor or leaving dried fixer on the fixtures which would be tough to remove. Remember hs is your landlord and he will use this as an excuse to keep your damage deposit.

 

[wgerrard]

Ask the landlord to be specific about the damage done by specific chemicals. I.e., does he know which chemicals you use and can he substantiate the claim that they damage the tub and its fixtures?

Take a series of closeup photos of the tub, noting the date. Place a copy of them with the lease on file with the landlord. If he claims damages, pull out the photos and look.

But... don't worry. As a renter, you are already financially responsible for damage like that. The landlord's assertion doesn't change the state of play.

 

[Keith]

Ask the landlord to be specific about the damage done by specific chemicals. I.e., does he know which chemicals you use and can he substantiate the claim that they damage the tub and its fixtures?

Take a series of closeup photos of the tub, noting the date. Place a copy of them with the lease on file with the landlord. If he claims damages, pull out the photos and look.

But... don't worry. As a renter, you are already financially responsible for damage like that. The landlord's assertion doesn't change the state of play.

I agree, definitely take photos now ... I'm a renter but I also understand that a lot of property owners have stuff damaged by careless tenants.

Protect yourself with detailed images and there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[t.s.k.]

+1 on documentation. The more detailed the better - with timestamp. You may even be better off printing the images now as well just to solidify actual dates the images were taken. Keep any receipts too.

Just be careful with the sink too btw. That notice you received doesn't imply that you could be held responsible for the tub only. Everything is fair game in their eyes. I hardly doubt that film development is ever considered "normal use" for residential rentals.

I'm just curious what kind of tub and sink materials are we talking about?

 

[sepiareverb]

Yep. Pictures taken today will come in handy. Though, pictures taken the day before you moved in would protect your deposit.

I ran film in a bathroom for a year and a half in college, and then ran film and printed in a bathroom for two years afterwards and saw zero effect on any of the fixtures. I can attest to stop bath eating away at steel or galvanized metal, but so does the water in many parts of the world.

 

[Jack Conrad]

It has come to my attention that you are utilizing your bathroom for developing film. The materials used for this process can eat away at the chrome and also the finish of the tub.

If this continues and damage occurs, you will be monetarily responsible for refinishing of these items when you leave….

Oh yeah? If I were you, I'd like to know who the dirty rotten narc was that ratted you out. 😡 Nobody screws with my meth lab... I mean dark room.

Next it might be, "It's come to my attention that you are utilizing the living room by knitting with knitting needles and they may cause damage to the Berber carpet if used inappropriately.

If this continues and damage occurs, you will be monetarily responsible for a whole house re-carpeting when you leave…." Your Land Lord 🙂

 

[maddoc]

... a song from "Dead Kennedys" come to my mind ... 🙄

 

[nlubis]

Thanks everybody. I agree photos and an open discussion would (hopefully) clear things up. I've only been renting for 4+ years, by next year I might have to pay for the whole room! I agree it is open for interpretation and I should get the clear picture, since they raise the issue.
I knew they were changing the AC filter, but I guess they took the opportunity to look around.

 

[Brian Legge]

Our tub was stained by something dev relates - stop, rodinal or hc110. I set a tank on the edge of the tub once when someone wanted to use the bathroom. Next day, there was a stain where the tank was. I haven't had issues on the sink. I assume different materials though I can't be any more specific than that.

I'm not saying you'll have a problem - just that it can happen.

 

[DNG]

Thanks everybody. I agree photos and an open discussion would (hopefully) clear things up. I've only been renting for 4+ years, by next year I might have to pay for the whole room! I agree it is open for interpretation and I should get the clear picture, since they raise the issue.
I knew they were changing the AC filter, but I guess they took the opportunity to look around.

Not really,
landlords will replace carpet and other things that are regularly replaced on a "Refurbish Plan" they have as building maintenance as time passes. My landlord replaces carpet (for example) every 3 years. We just had a our water heater rebuilt, NC to us...
IF, you have fiberglass tubs, Chemical stain will be a bigger issue.

As far corrosive liquids harming metals.... Make sure when you dump them, that you have running water in the sink/tub at the same time to dilute it right away. Or you dump them in a larger container and pour them down the sink in concurrence with running water..... Don't use a "Acidic Acid Stop Bath", Use running water instead for about a minute.

Many bathroom cleaning products require Playtex gloves, But, the landlord doesn't have warning letters for those... right?

 

[Tom A]

The only time I have seen color stains on tubs and sinks was with Rodinal and Tri X. Bluish stain that are difficult to get out unless you hose it down instantly. Not a big problem as it was in various hotel's and motel's. Never went back and stayed in the same place anyway!
Fix will harden and "calcify" and it is really messy to get out. use a funnel in the drain when dumping it and running water - rather than pouring it in the bowl of the sink.

 

[abumac]

... a song from "Dead Kennedys" come to my mind ... 🙄

Me too. 😎

 

[wgerrard]

Come to think of it, has the landlord or an employee actually seen you pour chemicals into the tub?

Bottom line, though, is that you're responsible for any damage, whether it's caused by photo chemicals or grape juice. I've seen tubs that were scarred by overzealous scrubbing with an abrasive cleaner.

Just use you head and be careful about how and where you dump chemicals.

BTW, isn't Xtol supposed to be environmentally friendly? Does that extend to bathroom fixtures?

 

[shadowfox]

Check if your city waste management facility listed photo-chemicals as part of their list. Mine does.

So I just collect spent fixer in a plastic bucket and bring it to them once a month. They recommend disposing developer together with the stop-bath to neutralize the ph. That works for my print developer.

If you do this, let the landlord know and he'll have no ground to fine you with anything. Just want to re-iterate, document everything, even photos from your cellphone is enough for this purposes.

One more thing not directly related, when you are ready to buy a house, choose one with a room to spare for darkroom. I regret not doing this when I bought mine because I wasn't into photography back then.

 

[DNG]

Come to think of it, has the landlord or an employee actually seen you pour chemicals into the tub?

Bottom line, though, is that you're responsible for any damage, whether it's caused by photo chemicals or grape juice. I've seen tubs that were scarred by overzealous scrubbing with an abrasive cleaner.

Just use you head and be careful about how and where you dump chemicals.

BTW, isn't Xtol supposed to be environmentally friendly? Does that extend to bathroom fixtures?

Xtol bags A/B have no environmental warnings or such... But, it does have warnings about Eye/Lung/Skin irritant, and explosive possibilities of Part B while in powder form I assume.

 

[Freakscene]

Xtol bags A/B have no environmental warnings or such... But, it does have warnings about Eye/Lung/Skin irritant, and explosive possibilities of Part B while in powder form I assume.

Xtol is "weakly alkaline" (Kodak's terminology, not mine) and is less likely to corrode pH sensitive materials than other developers. Rinsing everything with water as you go is probably your best bet, especially if you have an established routine that you like.

Marty

 

[DNG]

Xtol bags A/B have no environmental warnings or such... But, it does have warnings about Eye/Lung/Skin irritant, and explosive possibilities of Part B while in powder form I assume.

Xtol is "weakly alkaline" (Kodak's terminology, not mine) and is less likely to corrode pH sensitive materials than other developers. Rinsing everything with water as you go is probably your best bet, especially if you have an established routine that you like.

Marty

Thanks, I figured it was OK for the Kitchen Sink -- Mine-- (Stainless Steal). And, Yes, I agree, that as you dump it, run water at the same time.

 

[ampguy]

I'd look into environmental friendly stuff.

Our '90s builder 2nd bathroom has middle rate fittings, and just D76 usually 1:1, water stop, and diluted kodak fixer left some tarnish on the bottom of the chrome sink stopper. It's possible that it could be scrubbed clean, but I think your landlord may just be giving you a heads up that if there are stains from the chemicals, it may beyond normal wear and tear from his point of view.

That bathroom I mentioned also gets soft water, either NACl or KCL with little Ca and Mg, though the chemicals are mixed with pure (equiv of distilled) water.

I'd go Caffenol and vit C if you're renting, and definitely don't want chemical stains left.