Neighbour flooded my ceiling. What to do?

agav

Hi,
Does anyone know what to do when a neighbour floods your ceiling? I know it might sound silly to some of you but I have no experience with it at all.
It happened on new year's eve... I noticed my bathroom ceiling getting wet.Of course the neighbour wasn't home. Luckily my husband figured out how to switch her water off and it stopped getting worse.
Still, now I have a big stain with a crack in the middle of it, in a bathroom that was painted less than a year ago! Not to mention ruined new year's eve!
The neighbour finally came home, first said it wasn't her as she only had a bit of water in her bathroom by the toilet, and that's not directly where the stain appeared on my ceiling. Later she admitted that her toilet was leaking.
Now the toilet is fixed, I assume, as the ceiling is dry. The neighbour doesn't mention a thing. What do I do?
Thanks,
Aga

iamcornholio

You claim off the neighbour, the neighbours insurer, or your insurer (who will claim off the neighbour)

Whether you need to get quotes, or arrange repairs first will depend on who you are claiming off and any arrangements between you

stebiz

Tin of paint and polyfilla would normally do the trick. And provided you told her of the damage the understanding that you have a careless and thoughtless neighbour.:(

Of course if you want to fall out with her. You can give her notice to get it repaired and if not do it yourself and bill her. If necessary go through the Small Claims.

phill99

Stebiz is incorrect. I deal with this situation for a living.

It's an insured loss.

As you are in a flat, 9 times out of 10 there is what is known as a 'block policy', the costs of which are recovered via your service charge and administered by a managing agent.

Therefore, you claim off of the block policy (ie your insurers). Sometimes they will ahve their own contractors and sometimes you will have to get 2 quotes.

You need to let the know soon though as there is often a clause which states you must inform them of a claim within 31 days.

Speak to you r managing agent and they should deal with the insyrers.

If you have your own building insurance, you claim off of your insurers and they recover from the third party.

stebiz

phill99 wrote: »

Stebiz is incorrect. I deal with this situation for a living.

It's an insured loss.

As you are in a flat, 9 times out of 10 there is what is known as a 'block policy', the costs of which are recovered via your service charge and administered by a managing agent.

Therefore, you claim off of the block policy (ie your insurers). Sometimes they will ahve their own contractors and sometimes you will have to get 2 quotes.

You need to let the know soon though as there is often a clause which states you must inform them of a claim within 31 days.

Speak to you r managing agent and they should deal with the insyrers.

If you have your own building insurance, you claim off of your insurers and they recover from the third party.

We are talking about a crack in the ceiling and a bit of a stain.

The excess would cost more.

agav

All flats have building insurance which is paid in service charge I think.
I own half of the flat and the other half I rent from housing association. The neighbour owns her flat outright. Should I then contact my housing association?

AdmiralX

phill99 wrote: »

It's an insured loss.

As you are in a flat, 9 times out of 10 there is what is known as a 'block policy', the costs of which are recovered via your service charge and administered by a managing agent.

Therefore, you claim off of the block policy (ie your insurers). Sometimes they will ahve their own contractors and sometimes you will have to get 2 quotes.

You need to let the know soon though as there is often a clause which states you must inform them of a claim within 31 days.

Speak to you r managing agent and they should deal with the insyrers.

If you have your own building insurance, you claim off of your insurers and they recover from the third party.

Thanks, I appreciate v much your experience and good for me to know.

I had twice this situation. It is an insured peril with our build insur. with excess 100 each work.

I claimed from the building insurance for damage from water escape from bath upstairs and from washing machine. The costs of redecoration were approved with excess. Work needed stain block, and whatever else like plaster partially and paint. Some of the material had cracked due to water escape and so all was approved. BUT.... before I claimed I had a friend surveyor who for £57 prepared for me a report that the damage was accidental and had recommendations what work was needed. When the assessor of the insurers came he was pleased to see the report, he made his own as well. Indeed now the insurers send their contractor who gives one estimate take it or leave it.

@phill99 Is it posible to have as well my own insurance for my flat? and claim from them instead of the building insurance which was arranged for the whole building? Would be grateful if you can tell me.

iamcornholio

There are different types of policies for flats

The landord/block owner will have a policy for the structure and communal services etc, and then the tenants or flat owners will have their own policy for their internal fixtures and decorations etc within the flat.

When damage is caused, then redress can only be claimed from the responsible party. So if a washing machine leaks then it is the flat owner who is responsible, but if the water pipe to which the washing machine is connected leaks, then responsibility may be with the tenant or the landlord - depending on the tenancy agreement or lease

Each resident should ideally have a policy to cover any damage to their flat/property as sometimes a leak can occur but no-one can be held responsible - eg a burst pipe which has been regularly maintained is just "one of those things". So the flat owner should have a policy of their own to claim against

With excesses, if blame can be apportioned then the cost of the excess can also be claimed against the responsible party, so that the person who suffers damage does not lose out

phill99

AdmiralX wrote: »

@phill99 Is it posible to have as well my own insurance for my flat? and claim from them instead of the building insurance which was arranged for the whole building? Would be grateful if you can tell me.

No. You only need to have insurance for your CONTENTS. The insurance for the structure of the building ('Buildings Insurance') will be held by the managing agents. Contact your Housing Association in the first instance.

You can't have buildings insurance for your falt as well as this would lead to two claims for the same incident.

phill99

iamcornholio wrote: »

There are different types of policies for flats

The landord/block owner will have a policy for the structure and communal services etc, and then the tenants or flat owners will have their own policy for their internal fixtures and decorations etc within the flat.

When damage is caused, then redress can only be claimed from the responsible party. So if a washing machine leaks then it is the flat owner who is responsible, but if the water pipe to which the washing machine is connected leaks, then responsibility may be with the tenant or the landlord - depending on the tenancy agreement or lease

Each resident should ideally have a policy to cover any damage to their flat/property as sometimes a leak can occur but no-one can be held responsible - eg a burst pipe which has been regularly maintained is just "one of those things". So the flat owner should have a policy of their own to claim against

With excesses, if blame can be apportioned then the cost of the excess can also be claimed against the responsible party, so that the person who suffers damage does not lose out

Why do you have to over complicate things?

Its quite simple - you claim off of your ibuildings insurance - thats why you pay the premiums. If there is any redress, they will deal with it.

AdmiralX

phill99 wrote: »

No. You only need to have insurance for your CONTENTS. The insurance for the structure of the building ('Buildings Insurance') will be held by the managing agents. Contact your Housing Association in the first instance.

You can't have buildings insurance for your falt as well as this would lead to two claims for the same incident.

Thanks I see. We are 3 converted flats and 1/3 SFreehold each. Question: when there is accidental damage by a tenant of another landlord, how does one recover/ claim? Do we get our insurance to claim from theirs? And if they do not have one?