Leak into downstairs flat

AliceBanned

PPS I read somewhere that if fault upstairs is not due to negligence or poor maintenance then claim can't be made on their insurance. Maybe that's rubbish. The lady from letting agent said she saw a hot tap dripping to turned it off and thought maybe a washer or something. I doubt that could cause the mayhem below.


However during all this time despite our protestations no one has turned off the mains upstairs. I think I first left a note two days ago saying they really needed to do this, and phoned the housing assoc two eves ago asking them to contact the landlord urgently to let them know.

Upsidedown_Bear

AliceBanned wrote: »

PPS I read somewhere that if fault upstairs is not due to negligence or poor maintenance then claim can't be made on their insurance. Maybe that's rubbish. The lady from letting agent said she saw a hot tap dripping to turned it off and thought maybe a washer or something. I doubt that could cause the mayhem below.

However during all this time despite our protestations no one has turned off the mains upstairs. I think I first left a note two days ago saying they really needed to do this, and phoned the housing assoc two eves ago asking them to contact the landlord urgently to let them know.

You phoned them last night - read back on the thread :cool:

Check your insurance documents to see what they say or phone and ask them.
There is an Insurance Board on here too that might be useful.

Alias_Omega

Sadly this is not contents, its building insurance territory.

Check this link..


http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?54339-Damage-caused-by-water-leak-from-flat-upstairs

AliceBanned

Upsidedown_Bear wrote: »

You phoned them last night - read back on the thread :cool:

Check your insurance documents to see what they say or phone and ask them.
There is an Insurance Board on here too that might be useful.

Thanks. Losing track of the days. I think I've phoned a few times with differing degrees of response, but true only really since the plumber took the shower off yesterday and investigated properly, did I realise it probably wasn't my flat causing the problem. It feels like a lot longer since then!:eek:

AliceBanned

Alias_Omega wrote: »

Sadly this is not contents, its building insurance territory.


If the property above is causing damage to your property, then you can claim... that's what its for.

Ok thanks - the buildings insurance is paid alongside service charge to the housing association by all leaseholders. So presume the housing assoc will need to send an assessor?. They don't seem to know what they are doing when I phone them - they are very unresponsive indeed.

General_query

AliceBanned wrote: »

She is sending a plumber tomorrow. She couldn't get bath panel off but said a hot tap was dripping and it may be that. She hasn't turned the water off at the mains. I suppose I can't force them to. She was more horrified at the state of the ceiling in the flat downstairs, than mine as it shows less in mine (but has ruined my electric shower probably and my walls are soaking under the bath). She quoted a block in another area where a leak had 'bypassed the middle flat' and damaged the bottom one. Err she better not try and pull a fast one with Rocky here.

I couldn't agree more! :rotfl:

Sorry this is so stressful for you. I really hope you get it all sorted soon AliceBanned

As far as water works are involved, if I were you, the only thing I'd be doing until it's sorted in your bathroom is have a wee

Keep at it, and keep posting on here for technical support / advice - or just to let off steam.

Take care :grouphug:

AliceBanned

Thanks everyone.


The walls are drying out for the first time this morning. So whatever the lettings lady did, it looks like she found the cause of the problem.


In many ways they are probably negligent in that case (the tenants for not advising landlord or sorting it out) as it was clearly visible to the letting agent that something is wrong with the hot tap so she shut off the hot water I believe. I am working from home today so if their plumber contacts me I'm here at least. I hope they confirm with me what is happening but in any case I'm going to call the housing assoc to give them an update and find out whether I can claim compensation.

AliceBanned

The cowboys' £50 went into my account today.


Maybe it is safer for consumers to use Rated People and similar sites - there is always the option to give a bad review and this is what made him repay me - he actually said he has children to feed so can't afford to have a bad review. Ideally if that is the case you wouldn't risk getting one in the first place?!!

AliceBanned

Housing assoc told me that the owner of the upstairs flat/plumber/letting agent are going to write a report on what has happened.


I have noticed that the walls seem to be drying out slowly, but the smell of damp is obvious - I don't think I noticed it before the bath panel was taken off but now I am aware how bad it is. There is no way my electric shower won't have been affected by a damp wall behind it, possibly for weeks or months.


I have to wait/chase up with the housing assoc next week.

AliceBanned

Owner of upstairs flat now claiming there is no leak from inside the flat but that it is from an overflow pipe outside. The bathrooms are all within internal walls.


Ridiculous as after the lettings agent came it started to dry out, a day before the plumber had even been and after the lettings agent said she had turned the hot tap off.


So looks like an annoying battle to claim on the insurance.


No one has looked into problems with the overflow pipe.


Myself and the flat below are witnesses to the fact that it started to dry out after the lettings lady had been. It seems the tenants left a hot tap running/leaking.


Just inquiring how to claim on insurance.