Kitchen sink clog / pipe near boiler leak in rented flat

dfi

It has been less than 2 months since I started renting a flat.
For the past 3 days, whenever I start my washing machine, water starts to come out of kitchen sink.
Water also pours out from a pipe below the boiler strangely at the same time.
Water is draining in the kitchen sink very very slowly.

When I spoke to my letting agent, she sent a plumber to check. He just stared at the sink and washing machine and did not even want me to show him what really happened and then left quickly. I got a mail from my letting agent that oil/fat has been poured into sink and hence the block and I need to bear the cost of plumber (£40 for 1st hour).

In my past house, I've been cooking for more than 4 yrs and this never happened. So wondering how could this happen in just less than 2 months usage in this apartment. Any advice from forumers with similar experience?

silvercar

I can tell you that we are now living in our 4th home, our kitchen habits are unchanged, yet this kitchen sink drains far far slower than any previous ones. I don't know whether it is the bends in the drain or what, but it clogs easier and drains slower.

dfi

Hi silvercar,

This problem has been only for the past 3 days. It was fine for the past 1 and half months. I'm really afraid that this would happen every month and I would ve to bear the cost:(

theartfullodger

Write (yes, WRITE! - keep copy) calm polite letter to landlord (copy agent) noting the problem & requesting it be fixed. Your contract is with the landlord, not the agent.

dfi

Hi theartfulllodger,
Unfortunately landlord lives in South Africa. It's all left to the agent.

theartfullodger

dfi wrote: »

Hi theartfulllodger,
Unfortunately landlord lives in South Africa. It's all left to the agent.

Still..

Write (yes, WRITE! - keep copy) calm polite letter to landlord (copy agent) noting the problem & requesting it be fixed. Your contract is with the landlord, not the agent.

Do you have his address in South Africa? You are entitled to it..

See also here for good general advice..
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/repairs_in_private_lets

dfi

Hi theartfulllodger,

As per agreement, I need to deal with the letting agent for all repairs. I've written a letter to the letting agent reasoning that I would ve to spend every month if the issue was beacuse of my cooking, unless it has been a gradual buildup over a long time. (It has been less than 2 months since i started living here):(

G_M

Listen to artful.

YOUR CONTRACT IS WITH THE LANDLORD. The agent is just..... his agent.

Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 says the agent must give you the LL's actual address.

But tether way, always write (letter to the adress provided) to report faults.

G_M

dfi wrote: »

I got a mail from my letting agent that oil/fat has been poured into sink and hence the block and I need to bear the cost of plumber (£40 for 1st hour).

In my past house, I've been cooking for more than 4 yrs and this never happened.

You do not make clear if you have been pouring oil/fat into the sink....

It is not a good idea. Yes, some drains can handle it better than others, but fat cools and congeals and blocks pipes.

Having said that, the LL should fix the leak. And you should report it in writing to protect yourself. See also

Shelter (Repairs in private rented homes)

Hedgehog99

Agree that all this should be your landlord's problem to get fixed, but, as far as identifying (for your info) what the problem is: When you say that water comes out from a pipe below the boiler, is that the pipe the washing machine discharges into (the vertical pipe where you poke in the wm drain hose)? My sink / washing machine & boiler are all v close to each other. Had a problem where wm flooded, but didn't know if problem was wm or the drain. Sink was OK-ish, and improved when I plungered it. First plumber was hopeless, second was great. She found that there was only a 1 cm bore of flow in the pipe the wm discarged into, hence why it was flooding. Pipe was clogged with undissolved washing powder and clothes fluff etc. The problem had built up gradually (partly due to bad plumbing design/installation) and she did a temporary fix, warning me that it needs a new set of pipes in a better layout within 6 months-ish. Your problem could well have been a slow-developer, that's only come to a head now. Not fair that you get the blame.

G_M

To add to hedgehog'spost:

many washing machine outlets are connected to the u-bend beneath the sink.

If the u-bend is (partly) blocked, then the water from the w/machine cannot drain fast enough and will come up ino the sink..

* Put a bucket under the sink.
* diconnect the u-bend - see http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=utube+clearing+a+kitchen+ubend+drain&docid=608024901054432850&mid=5C876569F8C41C47ECF55C876569F8C41C47ECF5&view=detail&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=5C876569F8C41C47ECF55C876569F8C41C47ECF5
* clean out the u-bend
* reconnect

Sorted!