Ceiling Damaged by Upstairs Neighbour

CarineG

Not sure if any of you would be able to advise me on this but here it goes.

I purchased a one bedroom flat last year. I am on the first floor and there is one flat above me.
As soon as I moved in I realised how noisy the flat was. The upstairs flat floorboards and in a very poor condition and the creaking noise unbelievable.
I tried to get the landlord to fix the boards but she has refused.

Now I have just noticed that the plasterboard ceiling in the hallway is about to come down. The plaster is slowing coming off and there is a clear line of where the board has sagged.

I have read my lease and I am obliged to maintain and upkeep the flat including ceilings, however I believe that the poor state of the upstairs flat and vibrations onto mine is causing the damage to the ceiling.

I am not too sure who i can turn to. The managing agent is taking no responsibility as it is a dispute between flats. Shall I get a solicitor involved or get an expert to have a look at it?

Your thoughts would be much appreciated.

clutton_2

i would get a builder in first, before jumping to conclusions, to find out what is wrong with your ceiling.

Fire_Fox

More likely the plasterboard hasn't been screwed to the joists properly, or some clever soul has skimmed over an old lath and plaster ceiling when the 'keys' are already gone.

CarineG

Fire_Fox wrote: »

More likely the plasterboard hasn't been screwed to the joists properly, or some clever soul has skimmed over an old lath and plaster ceiling when the 'keys' are already gone.

I think the joists are not in a great condition but the fact that the floorboards upstairs are in a poor state doesn't help.
I had all my boards replaced when I moved in and we discovered that the reason the boards were all twisted is because the insulation had been placed on top of the joists, not in between. The screws have been drilled through the insulation and the joists - oh dear!

You can imagine after a few years of someone living there, the boards have sagged.

Need to get someone to have a look at it.