I didn't call plumber - must I pay?

rover_2

Over night my overflow started dripping but I was at a friends so didn't realise until I got home this afternoon. The managing agents had called out a plumber which I cancelled and set to investigating the problem myself.

It stopped temporarily but as I then headed out to sainsbury's to do my weekly shop a neighbour called to say it had started again. I said I'd be back in half an hour and deal with it then but in that time they called out the plumber again.

I got home and set about unscrewing the cupboard that hides the water tank to investigate. As I was doing so the plumber turns up (who I was unaware was on the way!).

Basically the lid on the tank had slipped and was resting on top of the floating ball (I'm missing the technical term) so that the water kept filling the tank and shot out the overflow. He took the lid off and hey presto problem solved.

Now the managing agents are insisting I pay the plumber which I see as ludicrous. I didn't call him out and I didn't need him, I was perfectly capable of fixing the problem myself. What can a plumber do from the outside of my flat? He said he was never going to kick the door in so was he just going to sit around all day waiting for me to return?? No.

The flat has an external walkway to my door and the overflow drips onto this walkway (I'm at the end of the block so no-one else had to walk underneath) it, the only annoyance to anyone else was the girl below who had to suffer listening to the dripping. The floors are all solid concrete so the only way any water could be getting into her flat is if she was stupid enough to open her windows.

Has anyone else been in this kind of situation? Are they really going to be able to make me pay when I didn't want a plumber?

Bossyboots

You let him take the lid off though so I think you may have established a contract with him by doing so. After all, he did technically solve the problem. If you had refused to let him in you might have a case for saying you shouldn't pay.

weekendwarrior

I would not refuse to pay the plumber but I would insist that the managing agents paid for it!

Is the flat rented or is it owned and managed? If it is rented then you are not at all responsible for plumbing, unless of course you damage it.

scheming_gypsy

you didn't call the plumber so no, BUT you did let the plumber look at the problem. Even if you could fix it yourself you let an external plumber look at it so you're liable for something.
In real terms it's easy enough to let an expert look at something and then say you could do it yourself but he found out what the problem was.
If you hadn't let him look it'd be a definate no from me but you let him in and he carried out the work so yup, you should pay.

a&akay

As you had to unsrew the access panel, the solution you describe is unlikely as it would have caused the overflow immediately it happened, presumably sometime well in the past. The problem is most likely a compressed rubber washer in your inlet valve. This happens over time and is a simple 5p fix for a DIYer. The pressure in the cold mains varies over 24 hours. It increases overnight as fewer and fewer people draw off water and overflows can happen then. In the morning the pressure drops as people have showers, breakfast etc leading to the washer being able to block the flow.

[Deleted User]

You let the plumber into your flat and got him to look at the problem, so yes, I am afraid you have to pay. If you hadn't let him in, then the managing agent should have paid.

D_e_n_i_s_e

pay up !!!

learn a lesson, if a problem arises especially if its a water leak, gas or electrical problem its better to get it sorted (or at least given an inspection) asap!
the sainsburys shopping could have waited! and has proved very costly!

Personally the way id have tackled it would have been before i went sainsburys to switch it off from the mains, then on return switch the mains on again, that way you were at hand to at least resolve the problem there and then.

rover_2

Thanks for the responses.

It hadn't even occured to us to start with not to actually let the plumber in. When a neighbour turns up with the managing agent and a plumber me telling them to wait outside for ten minutes whilst I unscrewed the cupboard didn't seem particularly polite but I'll know for next time!! However, for the sake of £30 (I was expecting way more!) we will be paying him.

We have since learnt that water seeped into the flat below and we have seen the line of water exactly below our external wall on her ceiling. Who should be claiming on there insurance for this?

The water left the flat via the overflow pipe above the kitchen window. This then directs the flow onto the external walkway to our door. The water dripped off the walkway down to the ground (and her flat) below, also somehow through the concrete into the room directly below.

Is it right that she has to claim on her buildings and contents and not me? Thats what the managing agents suggested earlier but if they decide I have in some way been negligent they can claim against me?

This is the first problem we have had since buying the flat a year ago.

Bossyboots

My brother's neighbour claimed directly from my brother's insurance when their washing machine flooded the flat downstairs.

Raspberry_Swirl

if the flat is managed then surely that's what you pay a service charge to them for?

emg

I am currently claiming on insurance as upstairs flat leaked into mine. Basically, I claim from my insurer who then get the money from the upstairs people's insurance.