water leak

poppyjay

hi can anyone help please.We are in a rent house and woke up thismorning to find a bad water leak.The radator in one of the bedrooms pipe has split.The bedroom carpet is soaking the floor boards too also water has poured into the kitchen the walls are bubbleing with water.We have switched the water off .We have phoned the letting company and left messages at 7am ive also emailed every contacted listed on there website but know one has got back (understable on easter) They are a very big local company.The problem is we have no water no heating and a 10 week old baby we are really not sure what to do as we cant afford to fix problem our self also we can afford to go stay anywhere else .

jrrowleyws

Have you not been given a 24 hours emergency contact for things like this? I'd guess that if you paid for a plumber to cap the pipe and do nothing else they would reimburse you as it is an emergency situation.

poppyjay

hi there is no emergency contact and we have know money to pay for plumber.We are really at a loss what to do.

silvercar

Do you know which plumbing firm the landlord usually use? Maybe the people who did the last gas inspection? I would ring them and ask if they would attend and stop the leak.

You have a duty to act in " a tenant like manner" (I think that's the phrase). If you really can't get a plumber (could you use some of this month's rent money?) then you need to drain the radiator out. Even with no plumbing knowledge/ ability (like me) I would expect you to be able to use a radiator bleed key, so you could drain the radiator through that. Having switched the heating off and drained the radiator, you could then switch the water back on, so you would have water and a kettle. Do you have any electric heaters? If not, ask friends if you can borrow one.

poppyjay

hi ive tried the company who normally do the gas repairs no ones picking up and no way to leave a voice message .We have drained all the water off .We are not paid till tuesday so have no fund what so ever.

G_M

Where is the split? In the radiator? If so turn off the valves at each end of the radiator so it is isolated, then the rest of the system can be used.

If split is in pipe leading to the rad, then Silvercar's suggestion will only work if you can isolate the heating system so that it does not refill when you turn on the water again!

Is there an attic? Up there (or elsewhere?) there may be two water tanks, though it depends what kind of heating system it is. If there is a big and a small water tank, the big one will suppy your cold water, the small one will be the heating system. Either turn off the stopc*ck leading to the small one, or if no stopc*ck, tie up the ballcock in the tank. The ballcock floats on the water and as the water level drops it allows new water to fill the tank. If you tie it in the up position it will 'think' the tank is full and turn off the water supply to the tank. Provided the heating system is drained (sounds like you've emptied all the water in it onto the floor!), you can then turn on the mains so you'll have cold water but the heating systme will stay empty. MAKE SURE BOILER IS SWITCHED OFF!

Your options now are:
1) contact LL/agent somehow. The landlords address should be on your contract???
2) get a plumber out to isolate the leak so you can refill the rest of the heating system and switch on. Pay and reclaim.
3) wait till Easter is over.

As for the damage, well, if the carpets are soaking the only way to dry them (if indeed they can be salvaged) is to take them up and drape/hang them outside (unless it's raining!) In the house they'll just sit there soggy.

Here are some useful websites:
How to drain a central heasting system

or again here

or here.

poppyjay

thank you will have ago at that

Fire_Fox

poppyjay wrote: »

hi can anyone help please.We are in a rent house and woke up thismorning to find a bad water leak.The radator in one of the bedrooms pipe has split.The bedroom carpet is soaking the floor boards too also water has poured into the kitchen the walls are bubbleing with water.We have switched the water off .We have phoned the letting company and left messages at 7am ive also emailed every contacted listed on there website but know one has got back (understable on easter) They are a very big local company.The problem is we have no water no heating and a 10 week old baby we are really not sure what to do as we cant afford to fix problem our self also we can afford to go stay anywhere else .

Have you tried contacting the landlord directly? You should have been supplied with an address in this country at which to serve notices, is this on your tenancy agreement? Babies do not need to be kept as warm as adults and it is now April: wrap the baby up with an extra layer and/ or borrow a plug in electric heater from the neighbours, a friend or relative. If you have drained off the radiator you should be able to switch the water back on, just boil a kettle for hot water.