Housing association - stained ceiling from leak!

fraz_babe

Hi could anybody help me please basically I rent from a housing association in a 2 bedroomed flat and the upstairs flat had a leak and its completely stained my ceiling. Now it wasnt even my fault yet I have got sort paint it the cost of it everything I don't think this is fair do I have to pay for it? I've brought glue I was advised to pva it with glue and water which I have I've let it dry painted over it and its just coming through. I am 26 weeks pregnant and I'm so stressed over it!! I can't afford some paint for stains as I have just had to pay a lot on bills and I have a housing inspection next week and they are really picky the flat is not trashed or anything so I have no worries about that. I'm just worried about the ceiling ? Is there anything cheap I can buy to stop it coming through? Thanks. They know about the leak as I had to get some repair guys out to put a hole in to drain the water so they do know about it. Thank you

keystone

fraz_babe wrote: »

I've brought glue I was advised to pva it with glue and water which I have I've let it dry painted over it and its just coming through.

What moron told you to do that? When you wet PVA (which you have when you put paint on it) it goes live again - of course the stain has come back through - its inevitable. Even if you just painted over the stain with emulsion it will still leech through.

First thing that needs doing is get the PVA off. It should wash off

Second overpaint the stain with some bog standard spirit based undercoat. There are other more expensive solutions but I'm trying to keep it cheap for you. Don't put it on thick but when it dries it will seal the stain in. Apply the undercoat so that it covers the area of the stain and about two inches outside it.

Third when the undercoat is dry lightly feather the edge of the undercoat with a fine grade abrasive paper. Then you can apply your standard ceiling emulsion paint to the whole ceiling otherwise it will look patchy..

Sorry to hear about your woes. Is there anybody that can help you do this before next week?

Best of luck.

Cheers

Norman_Castle

The person responsible for the leak should repair your ceiling. Have you spoken to anyone about it?. Is the flat above owned by the same housing association?. The visit is a perfect time to show them the damage and ask who will be repairing it.

fraz_babe

Thanks for your replies I'm annoyed I've got to do it if I'm honest they haven't give me a penny towards paint for a leak which was not my fault I'm 26 weeks pregnant as I said and I'm painting my kitchen ceiling it looks a right mess it's even worse then before. I don't have the money to keep buying paint I've been here a year this month I spent over £1000 decorating it and I'm hoping move next year to a house the state I got this flat in was disgusting. They are very picky they expect a show home which with a child it's never going be it's not trashed its not dirty but the ceiling is stressing me out now. I had to have a plasterer fill the hole they made to drain it from the housing association. I don't have anyone that can paint it for me either my parents work full time I've gone over it again this morning but made no difference my kitchen is an absolute tip because of this. I understand they have high standards but they really are so funny about stupid things they questioned why I don't have a washer when I first moved in well I go the laundrettes or my mum does it for me as ATM I can't afford a washer. They come on Wednesday oh ill be glad when they've gone to be honest! It looks terrible but it's not causing any problems as I don't go looking at my ceiling all day lol. I guess ill speak to them on Wednesday but I'm not sure if legally I have to do it? It's a 6 block flat the same housing owns them all. And the man above me is very strange and took forever get hold of when the leak come through.

Norman_Castle

I guess ill speak to them on Wednesday but I'm not sure if legally I have to do it?

Legally, you are not responsible for this damage. Wait until Wednesday and ask what they are doing about it.

fraz_babe

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Legally, you are not responsible for this damage. Wait until Wednesday and ask what they are doing about it.

Ok thank you for your help and all the replies. I guess no point me stressing about it now! I'm going give it one more go tomorrow of paint and leave it as it hasn't made any difference but at least I've tried then. Will update on Wednesday what they say. Thanks so much!

-taff

Next time, ask first. The insurance of the other person should have covered it [if it was their fault], or it should have been repaired by the housing association if it was part of the same building.

If the housing association made a hole in your ceiling to drain it, they should have repaired that too.

Who told you you were respnsible for making it right?

Norman_Castle

I'm going give it one more go tomorrow of paint and leave it as it hasn't made any difference but at least I've tried then.

With water based paint more coats will make no difference. Wait until Wednesday.

fraz_babe

Ok so I have had my inspection everything went ok. Basically I mentioned the ceiling hes took pictures of it and I said i have painted over it 4-5 times (which I have). He questioned me twice and said 6 times have you really? have you really? I said yes as i did!! And hes going 'try' get a contractor out next wednesday to put some stain block on it and then I can repaint over it he said. Well no mention of giving me any paint, sod all. I'm so annoyed I am crying yes its good they are going TRY but why the hell should i have paint it again buy yet more paint when it wasnt my bloody fault.

macman

But if you'd asked first then you'd only have had to paint it once, if at all. You can't hide a water stain using water based paint-it will just bleed through.
You went ahead and rushed into a repair before it had even be inspected by the insurers. Why the rush?

fraz_babe

I had an inspection in August as its my first year of tenancy I have to have more. They told me I had to paint it which is what I've done and its still come through? So I was doing as they said except its not done anything.