Leak from flat upstairs

Bored_Housewife

I looks as if the flat above my mums has a leak which is coming into her flat.

We noticed it a while ago and tried to find out where it was coming from, we now think we have found the source, possibly the flat above hers maybe their shower/bathroom.

The flats are all privately owned and the people above rent from the owner.

I saw one of the people yesterday and mentioned it to him. I havent heard anything from them yet. They work away from home a lot.

What should i do, contact the agent that let the flat, try to find the owners number?

Who would be insured for a leak anyway? Would it be the owner or would it be the tenants?

googler

Don't just 'mention it' - put a letter through the door of the flat above, requesting the owner/landlord and letting agents' contact details from them ASAP or within a set timescale. Then contact them to make progress.

Doesn't really matter who is insured, as long as the insurance company pays for the consequential damage to your flat.

tbs624

If you know who the agent is *write* (keep a copy) and tell them there is a leak, that you notified the Ts of this on xx (date) and that you would like them to arrange to check the property within the next 48 hours. Put a copy through the Ts letterbox.

This sort of thing is the owner/LL's responsibility but he may have delegated the day to day deailing with all such repairs and maintenance issues to the LA. The T has a responsibility to pass on any repairs issues asap, but may not do so.

If you think you may have problems have a look at yoru mother's own insurance and see if there is an advice line/legal cover and enlist their support in getting the other party to get on with it.

If there are any f2f conversations, or ones via phone calls, follow it up with another letter
" thanks for your call of ( or "just to confirm our discussion on ") xx date,in which it was agreed that........."

It may be resolved reasonably quickly but having the start of a good paper trail is always useful for if things do become drawn out.

mlz1413

Does the block of flats have a management company? If so also contact them.

I had this problem, bought a flat that had been empty a while it took months for negociations and then survey / contracts to complete the day I got the keys the bathroom ceiling was on the floor due to a leak from flat above.

I contacted the management company and they sorted everything, stopped the leak, paid for ceiling to be replaced and new flooring on their insurance I just supplied 3 quotes.

poppysarah

They're probably liable only to repait from "a while ago" - you see a leak you identify where it's from as quickly as possible - if need be by writing to every flat and the managment company as a matter of some urgency.

CJohns_2

Search the forums for info on landlordzone.co.uk they'll have a lot about this kind of subject. Even though I'm not a landlord I do buy property and it's helped me out a great deal.

penguine

Act quickly, it could turn out to be very easy to sort. We had a leak from our flat going down into the shop below a few months ago. It turned out to be the seal around our bath which wasn't up to scratch anymore. We had to switch from showers to baths for a few days while we resealed the bath and have had no problems since (fingers crossed).

HenBroon

Buildings insurance policy will be taken out centrally by the management company on behalf of all the tenants. They should be abel to sort things out - find their details on your Mum's service charge demands.

Bored_Housewife

Thanks to everyone that has had a suggestion, the tenants had mentioned the problem to the letting agent the day we mentioned it to them and we have been told that the leak was dealt with before they and we had moved in about six weeks ago.

We brought someone in to make sure this was the case and we can now see that it is the concrete drying out from the previously fixed leak. Probably due to the heat at the moment.

The guys upstairs have said to let them know straight away if there is anything else, given us their mobile numbers in case they are away from home and bought my mum and bunch of flowers.:j

What a shame they are only staying for six months!