Leaks in council flat - Please help?

ladylee25_2

Hi! All,

I wonder if someone out there will be able to help me.

I currently suffer from a disability know as Multiple Scerosis (MS) which impairs my mobility and everything I do from walking, talking etc...

I have been living in my council property for just under years and since living there I have had three major leaks. Which have damaged my interior walls and my wooden flooring.

The 1st leak was to do with the tank storage cupboard and the other other 2 were leaks were from the cracks in ceiling, water coming from upstairs neighbours.

The first time that it happend I wrote letter of complaint along with pictures and just as I thought they did not want to take liability for the damages. So I had to pay for the damages myself. I have now re-decorated the flat again and it has happened again and has damaged my interior walls and floor yet again.

I can not keep afford to pay out like this and it's not even my thought as to why these leaks are happening.

I don't have home insurance and I have written the council another letter giving them 14 days to respond back to me.

I know they are going to say that there not liable yet again but I dont know what steps to take next....

Can some please help?

iamcornholio

If you have people living above you, then you need to establish the cause of the leaks. If it was the tenants fault (eg washing machine etc) then you need to claim from the tenants. If it is pipework etc then the council will be responsible and you claim from them.

The council has their own insurance for situations like this - ie claim against them. And you claim off this

If you suspect the council is at fault then do the following

Write a letter stating that leaks have occurred due to their "negligence and failure to maintain the property" (use those words), and this has caused damage to your decorations and property, inconvenience and financial loss. Provide an estimate of your loss, and if you have receipts mention that.

For a first leak, the council's insurers may deny liability, but for subsequent leaks (from the same cause) they are responsible (even if they may initially deny it)

Councils normally have cheap insurance schemes, and if you are in a flat then they are well worth considering

ladylee25_2

You hit it on the nail iamcornholio it was the pipwork from the tenants flat above. The pipes had bursted due to maintance works the council undertook in there flat above a couple of weeks ago before it had happened,

Thank you very much for your advice iamcornholio, its very much appreciate.