Money Moral Dilemma: Should we pay for water damage caused by our machine?

happyinflorida

I would be arguing this with your insurance company. It was your machine that malfunctioned and caused the damage to the flat below.
Isn't there an insurance ombudsman you can take your claim to?
Your neighbour has suffered because of this so imagine yourself in their position. You obviously would not be happy and would expect your neighbour to either be able to claim on their insurance or pay for your damage to be repaired at their expense.
I'd definitely change your insurance company when you come to renew!

Torry_Quine

When my relatives ceiling partly came down due to a problem with the upstairs heating system it was their rinse that paid out. The upstairs neighbour was not deemed to be responsible as the system was properly maintained.

Augustus_the_Strong

It is a good idea to keep on good terms with your neighbours.
If your insurance doesn't cover accidents that are caused by you but happen to other people (which is effectively what this is), then it's up to your neighbour to claim on their insurance, but it would be good if you offered to pay towards the excess. But let them claim - what's the point of having insurance if you don't claim when something happens? That's what it's for, otherwise the insurance companies are just making (even more) money.
BTW not all flats are in 'blocks of flats' with a service charge - I live in a first floor flat in a street of two-storey terraces, pretty standard here in south London.

Sapper192

Your fault, pay up

Typo22

AdeDee wrote: »

As other people have pointed out legally your neighbour doesn't have a leg to stand on. They should have insurance to cover these situations as unfortunate as they may be.

Insurance is irrelevant. Buildings &/or contents insurance is usually optional, so if anybody is covered by it well & good, if not, tough. Someone is still liable unless it's an Act of God.

Legal liability is irrelevant too, but I didn't see anyone saying *why* the OP would not be liable. If you're driving, have a tyre blow out & hit a parked car, you'd still be liable even if there's no negligence on your part. If I were the leakee I'd sue (if necessary) the leaker.

What's relevant here though is the morality. Hmmm. I'd like to think that I'd pay if I could.

gaving7095

I think pay their excess if you're feeling generous.
Horrible though it is, sadly this is just one of those things which can happen when you're sharing a roof with other parties.
It's down to the neighbour to have suitable insurance for when such things happen - which it seems they do have - so maybe be a good neighbour & help them out by picking up the excess :-)