Help Regarding repairs from a rental property

Loafer

Hi all,

To cut a long story short, the plaster from the ceiling in our downstairs toilet fell through the other day. Fortunately nobody was using it but this room is directly beneath the bath.

I am renting through a letting agent and have been there since end of Feb this year. I am away from the house for this week and left the landlord to do the repairs (with hindsight, damn stupid!)

Calling him today he said there was no evidence of a leak in pipes and the repairman sent by the letting agent (plumber i assume) has said its due to the bath overflowing.

I know for a fact that this isn't the case as I have had less than a dozen baths since moving in, opting for showers and the only bath taker is my 4 year old son who, obviously is supervised and never has it deep enough to overflow. Certainly, odd splashes that a toddler makes on the floor whilst in the bath but not to the extent to make the ceiling cave in.

My question is, can they MAKE me pay for the repairs? I will fight tooth and claw as I know it's not my household that caused the damage.

The bathroom is always well ventilated Pre, during and post showering and, as I say, the bath has never overflowed to my knowledge.

Any help appreciated; I am back home on friday and prepared for the landlord and letting agent to close ranks on me.

Thanks in advance!

tek-monkey

Surely you can insist on a copy of the report from the plumber claiming this? Can they prove this overflowing happened since feb?

Loafer

tek-monkey wrote: »

Surely you can insist on a copy of the report from the plumber claiming this? Can they prove this overflowing happened since feb?

Thanks for the input.
I will be getting the report, I haven't asked for it yet but will be doing on my return to the house but am fully aware that they can "back date" one making necessary corrections in their favour (call me cynical!!)
I have asked the landlord for the name of the Plumber but he has left that side of things in the hands of the letting agent as his contract with them is a property maintenance one.

The over-flowing since Feb, I dont know how it can be proven to be honest. I am not sure of what diagnostics the plumber would do to establish this.

tek-monkey

Insist they prove it was you, not the previous tenant. If they can't, how can they charge you? I assume your deposit is protected?

clutton_2

take the side of the bath off and see if the waste pipe is partially disconnected or loose - check the seal around the bath

chappers

It would take a serious leak to bring a ceiling down and you would have seen evidence of this long before the cieling came down, ie staining or dripping water.

How old is the property and do you have any idea of the constrution of the ceiling , was it lath and plaster(could you see numerous, thin ,strips of wood under the plaster) or plasterboard.