[aprilequinox]

A few weeks ago (when the hot water went out) we discovered that water was accumulating in the basement/crawl space. The landlord determined that an old pipe was leaking (he said he replaced it a few years back with a new line to the main city line). He told us we could not use the water. After 4 days he finally brought a plumber over. They put the snake down the clean out and it was said that a t-shirt was clogging the line 90 feet towards the street. The plumber could not get through the obstruction and said he would have to came back with better equipment. 5 more days went by and finally a note was left on our door saying that the problem was fixed and a t-shirt or rag was removed from the line. A few more days went by and I received a bill from the landlord pretty much saying that I flushed a t-shirt down the toilet :( Not only do I not agree with this analogy, but I don't understand how this would be possible.
There are 2 houses on the line to the street (both of which had "backup" into the showers), and the main city line is right about 90 feet out from the clean out. Also, the average daily high for that week was about 5 degrees ferenheit. I don't understand how this has been determined to be my fault. Even more confusing, I don't understand why the old pipes would have been leaking into the basement.
If a large object like a t-shirt or rag had gone down my drain, wouldn't it have caused a blockage in my house, and not over 100 feet down the pipe? And how can I defend myself in this situation? I was thinking throughout this time why the landlord wasn't paying for us to be in a hotel until we could use the toilet and shower again, but to my surprise he sends me the bill? There has to be a better explanation as to the origin of this item, because I can tell you that neither my husband nor I have flushed a t-shirt down the toilet.
What do I do?

[letmetellu]

About the only recourse you have is to hire an attourny. If you don't pay the plumbing bill he will just hold your deposit. Of course the attourny will charge you but maybe all it would take is a letter from him to the landloard.
I don't know how you could make him prove it was your t-shirt, the same way that you could prove it was yours.