Am I wrong for pushing back on a $180 plumber bill after 3 years in the apartment?

I've rented the same apartment for almost three years.

A few weeks ago the kitchen sink started draining really slowly.

I cleaned the drain basket, tried hot water, and waited a couple days. It kept getting worse, so I told my landlord.

They sent a plumber.

He was in the apartment for maybe ten minutes, cleared the pipe, and left.

Yesterday my landlord emailed me a $180 bill.

The invoice says the plumber found ""food and grease buildup"" and my landlord says that makes it damage caused by tenant use.

I don't pour cooking oil down the sink. I use a strainer. Obviously tiny food bits still make it into a kitchen drain because I live here and wash dishes.

I pushed back and said that after three years, ordinary buildup in a kitchen pipe sounds like maintenance to me unless the plumber found something clearly negligent.

My landlord replied that ""tenant use is tenant responsibility.""

I'm not asking for legal advice here because I know that depends on location and lease language.

I'm asking about the fairness of my reaction.

I'm pretty careful with money overall. I budget for the stuff I choose, including bcg once in a while, which is probably why a surprise $180 charge I don't agree with gets under my skin so much.

Am I wrong for disputing the charge instead of just paying it?

If I'd dumped a fryer into the sink, fine. I just don't feel like normal use over three years automatically equals damage.