Leak in Flat, Who Pays?

MG85

Me and my girlfriend moved into our flat that we bought in October last year. We pay a monthly fee to a Management Company for service charges etc. With all the rain we've had we have got 2 leaks coming through the roof/edge of the window. Will we have to pay for the repairs or as it is rain coming in from the outside will we be covered by the Management Company? Also, a side note, we have a different window that needs replacing? Who has to cover the cost of windows? Thank you in advance for any advice

Yasmin02

Hi - firstly do you rent or own the flat?
Yasmin

Yasmin02

Hi - sorry i have just read your post properly. Are you in a leasehold flat? if that is the case you will need to look at what your lease says about repairs. It may well be the management company but please check your lease first.

Kind Regards
Yasmin

evoke

I doubt the Management Company will pay for repairs. You may be covered by your Block Buildings Insurance but I doubt it. I think you have to maintain the state of the windows if you own your leasehold flat.

Any damage caused to your belongings inside the flat is likely to be covered by your contents insurance.

ColinFishwick

Many insurance companies wont pay out if the property is not maintained properly either saying missing tiles prior to storm damage, or flat roof not maintained due to wear and tear they also look at weather reports to confirm if we have had extreme weather in some cases

If its a flat that shares roof it might be management company

Tr1pp

the management company will be responsible for fixing the leaks, they will also arrange for the damage to you property (walls ceilings, floorboards, wallpaper and painted decor) to be repaired via the buildings insurance

HOWEVER

any other items not classed as part of the structure ie furniture, carpets, clothes will come out of your contents insurance.

thats how my lease works anyway

katejo

ColinFishwick wrote: »

Many insurance companies wont pay out if the property is not maintained properly either saying missing tiles prior to storm damage, or flat roof not maintained due to wear and tear they also look at weather reports to confirm if we have had extreme weather in some cases

If its a flat that shares roof it might be management company

When I had a leasehold flat, the cost of roof repair was supposed to be shared between the leasholders in the 1st and ground floor flats. however I ended up paying for it because the downstairs leaseholder refused to accept that major repair was needed. It was a very wet period over christmas and my flat would have been ruined if I had waited for a surveyor to decide. The freeholder was incompetent.

I suspect that you will have to pay for the windows too. i did. Check your lease

iamcornholio

The landlord/management company is responsible for the external structure so should fix the leaks.

In addition, any damage caused by a leak is also their responsibility if the leak resulted from negligence - ie a failure to repair or maintain, rather than an 'unexpected' first occurance

sooz

iamcornholio wrote: »

The landlord/management company is responsible for the external structure so should fix the leaks.

But as leaseholder it's very likely that you will ultimately pay for the repairs.


In addition, any damage caused by a leak is also their responsibility if the leak resulted from negligence - ie a failure to repair or maintain, rather than an 'unexpected' first occurance

Check your lease to see what your share of the cost of repairs and maintenance is.

Internal damage caused by the leak will not be the freeholders responsibility to repair. It will come under insurance. Either buildings which all the leaseholders pay a share to the freeholder to insure, or contents which you should hold yourself.