is this legal? - urgent advice wanted on plumbing when renting, please

carolt

Scabs wrote: »

The leak in kitchen ceiling will be from the heating system and highly unlikely to fall down. If it was from the mains water then this would be a problem and would have fallen in by now.

You haven't seen my kitchen ceiling! The water pouring down the doorframe means that the paint has all peeled off and it is now impossible to shut the door due to warping. The big brown stain on the ceiling is now c 4-5 feet in diameter and is growing by the hour.

Not my ceiling, and I won't be paying for it if it falls down. But if it was, personally, I'd want it dealt with quickly.

carolt

dfh wrote: »

Just like you,it is a complete stranger.I am scared that the roof will fall in at any minute.Me and my daughter are suffering from asthma.I have not bothered to get up and dress till late in the morning and in my pyjamas.Of course,I am furious that someone who is a complete stranger has popped in.

Is that so?

You're not dressed at 12.30? You must have had a good night? What did you get up to?

dfh

It started off as a leak now it seems to have turned into the titanic with water rushing in everywhere.Looks like the whole house needs to be condemned.

dfh

carolt wrote: »

Is that so?

You're not dressed at 12.30? You must have had a good night? What did you get up to?

Just like you-come back from my holiday and found my house turning into the titanic !

MissMoneypenny

misskool wrote: »

As far as I can tell, the OP's landlord provided a professional at the place within 24 hours, she was not happy with the time given for the professional to be there (15 mins). However, this was not a normal call out, it was an emergency and so in my humble opinion, that was sufficient as it was not a normal situation.

My reply was in response to your following statement. In that you seem to be implying that it is ok for a landlord to wait 2 weeks to get a professional? It isn't.

misskool wrote: »

What would have happened if it was your own home and you couldn't get a professional out to repair it for 2 weeks? Would you sue yourself for having to sleep with the mould?

Leaving repairs in your own house and leaving them in a house you rent out, are not the same thing. A landlord is paid money to provide a service and waiting 2 weeks before getting a water leak fixed is not an acceptable service. Although why would anyone want to wait 2 weeks before fixing a water leak Water causes a lot of damage.

Scabs

carolt wrote: »

You haven't seen my kitchen ceiling! The water pouring down the doorframe means that the paint has all peeled off and it is now impossible to shut the door. The big brown stain on the ceiling is now c 4-5 feet in diameter and is growing by the hour.

Not my ceiling, and I won't be paying for it if it falls down. But if it was, personally, I'd want it dealt with quickly.

If this really is the case I suggest you ring your LL and inform him again because he probably doesn't know the extent of the damage. It might be also worth turning the mains tap off if its a mains leak (maybe under sink) but if its the central heating system then the heating needs turning off and draining the system by the taps on the lowest radiator in the property.

dfh

You say you are not worried about the ceiling as it will be the landlord who has to pay.Most people whould be more concerned about their and their child's safety.

Gorgeous_George

It is all about reasonableness.

If a LL could not get someone to fix the problem, two weeks may be reasonable. Plumbers take holidays too. If the property was not habitable, it may be reasonable for the tenancy to end. It may also be reasonable to expect the tenant to turn the water off or to arrange an emergency plumber themselves.

On this occasion I think carolt is not being reasonable.

GG

theartfullodger

Hope it gets sorted soon: your experience is unacceptable.

This
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/repairs_in_private_lets
is very good guidance on what to do about repairs in private lets...


Cheers & take care !

Lodger

silvercar

In my last house we had a leaking hot water tank and that can produce enough water to bring down a ceiling.

The standard method of avoiding the ceiling coming down is to stick a knitting needle through the centre of the ceiling with a bucket underneath. This allows the water to escape without bringing the ceiling with it. If done soon enough it could prevent the ceiling needing much more than a drying out and repaint.

Most home insurance policies will pay for the damage caused by the leak but not the repair to the leak itself.