HELP! Upstairs neighbour - water leaking into flat - won't answer door or notes HELP!

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Hi

Just as the above says. Their overflow pipe from kitchen we think has been leaking. Water travelling down our bedroom window into our flat. Wood soaking, floorboards soaking, we have to place buckets around the window.

The problem is, is that she won't answer the door to us! We have put notes through asking to look into it urgently, knocked 5 times (we can hear her walking about above) but she won’t come to the door.

Rang our insurers - and we're covered - not legal cover though unfortunately, but they say nothing can be done until the leak is fixed - no point - everything is still soaking.

Can anyone advise about what we can do?

The flat is privately owned and we don't have a body who looks after the maintenance of the upkeep of the flats or common areas - one of us (usually us & one other neighbour) gets the tradesmen in and we badger people to pay their share (all are fine except for above we really have to badger and badger)

Can anyone offer advice?

Huge thanks

macman

I suggest as an emergency fix you get up there on a ladder (or get someone else to) and attach a piece of hose to the overflow. Though you might well be tempted to shove it through her letterbox, probably better to run it to an outside gully. It won't stop the water, but at least it will stop any further damage to your property. That will get you some breathing space to consider the next action. Technically you might be trespassing, but that might even encourage her to come out and talk to you.
Maybe then a recorded delivery letter saying that you will be pursuing her for damages through the small claims process unless the leak is fixed in 14 days? Rather depends if the neighbour is of a fit state (mental or physical) to address the problem-sounds like she is not.

mikey72

Are you sure she's ok? How old is she, and have you seen her recently?

Get the police or social services round to check on her, maybe she's had a fall.

Homersimpson

Have yout tried ringing the water board? If they won't help find the external stop tap and turn off the water! (this may turn off more than just their flat though!)

macman

mikey72 wrote: »

Are you sure she's ok? How old is she, and have you seen her recently?

Get the police or social services round to check on her, maybe she's had a fall.

If she's had a fall, then they wouldn't hear her walking around...nothing in the OP's post to indicate that the neighbour is elderly or frail.

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Hi - thanks for your answers. Hadn't thought about asking waterboard to stop water.

Flat is too high for a ladder unfortunately. OH would have to hang out window to do this - too dangerous.

She's not elderly, unless you class mid 30's old! I saw her about 4 days ago when I was driving to work, she was walking to the train. She's fit of mind and able - she's just not wanting to deal with this.

I could perhaps go the police route of advising about the leak and saying as she hadn't answered the door or responded to our notes we were worried about her - bit of a whitey tho as we know she is well - had the hairdryer on this morning and was singing to the music!

She flooded our bathroom 4 years ago (ceiling completely came in – totally separate leak, diff part of the building) and we had to use our insurers who sorted it for us - we paid excess but that's life - and the insurers never bothered to chase with her.... groundhog day... at least last time she fixed the leak.

Ionkontrol

Bang on the door until she answers. End of.

lee5768

Ionkontrol wrote: »

Bang on the door until she answers. End of.

yup I would loose the plot deffo wouldnt leave her rest at all

andy111

You need to contact the water board immediately.
Explain the situation and their actions should approximate thus;

Normally to leave a card at the address telling them to fix overflow asap, or in your case as damage is being caused to fix immediately.
A follow up should then happen to confirm.

In your case however as it has evidently been ongoing they may shut off water sooner to her property in order to elicit a response.
The water company may well have a contact tel. number for her and be able to phone her to instigate matters.
Water companies tend to take these water losses and resultant damage seriously nowadays.

lee5768

andy111 wrote: »

You need to contact the water board immediately.
Explain the situation and their actions should approximate thus;

Normally to leave a card at the address telling them to fix overflow asap, or in your case as damage is being caused to fix immediately.
A follow up should then happen to confirm.

In your case however as it has evidently been ongoing they may shut off water sooner to her property in order to elicit a response.
The water company may well have a contact tel. number for her and be able to phone her to instigate matters.
Water companies tend to take these water losses and resultant damage seriously nowadays.

the water board won't do a thing this is an internal problem and there responsibility
ends where the pipe enters your home

they would not cut off her water as the only response it would elicit would be
legal action taken against them

this problem should be directed toward the landlord or who maintains the part of the building thats not flats hall ways and such there has to be someone

or wait grab her in the street and give her a good shake LOL

The_Plush_Doormat

The water board may be well be interested in that she is wasting water by not fixing the overflow. Give them a ring - they will either say sorry nowt to do with us, or, with luck, they will deal with it.

If all else fails, I would go with your idea of telling the police a porky or two and put on the concerned neighbour act - blah, blah, woman on her own, no answer, worried like crazy as to her health (as if )

Good luck