Wait more or pester landlord about previous leak?

dekaspace

I suppose it will be best to do physical written letter but just some info.

I lived here just over 2 years at this point, previous tenant moved as the whole property was flooded due to bad pipework upstairs and that flat is owned by a landlord who has been on documentary for how dodgy he is. Speaking to the tenants after I moved in he never repaired the leak just ran a overflow pipe that pours into back garden.

A few months after I moved in I had a tiny flood in my kitchen, and slight damage to wallpaper where the water had come through in corner, no other leaks till 2 months ago when small flood in kitchen again (but isolated to where the washing machine and taps were so may of been due to that)

2 and a half weeks back I came home after visiting relatives for 2 days to find my bathroom flooded, floors soaked, walls soaked to point paint flaked off in hands and the bedroom next to it had damp marks in the corner that was attached to bathroom and the areas wallpaper peeled a little.

No leaks since but now and again I notice a few droplets in the corner where the shower would be, by droplets I mean like teardrop size and I have seen these since day 1 in property.

What the main worry is though is the actual ceiling, where it had the most damage the actual ceiling is curved isntead of a straight like so it lookes "bulging" in the corner where bath taps would be, I today decided to carefully touch the area and noticed it wasn't just my imagination the actual ceiling was bulging as when I pushed it I could feel it move but didn't use force as worried it would snap.

I don't know about ceilings but is that the ceiling itself or some plaster over the ceiling?

Landlord hasn't done much about it, they never get back to me even before this issue when I ask about these sort of things, but they do bigger repairs no problem its their own internal handyman that never does repairs.

In fact last Friday I rang and they promised a call back that never occured, gave them to this Friday and found out the member of staff that deals with rental properties (the landlord and agency are the same) was on a weeks holiday hence why they never got back to me.

So right now I am in a bit of a limbo, I don't know if the other landlord has done repairs, not sure if the current damage is dangerous as my landlord hasn't come round to inspect it, left with a bathroom full of streaky marks where the water poured down, and black mouldy marks all over it.

upoiupou

dekaspace wrote: »

the actual ceiling is curved isntead of a straight like so it lookes "bulging" in the corner where bath taps would be, I today decided to carefully touch the area and noticed it wasn't just my imagination the actual ceiling was bulging as when I pushed it I could feel it move but didn't use force as worried it would snap.

I don't know about ceilings but is that the ceiling itself or some plaster over the ceiling?

Landlord hasn't done much about it, they never get back to me even before this issue when I ask about these sort of things, but they do bigger repairs no problem its their own internal handyman that never does repairs.

Well, your landlord could soon have a bigger repair on their hands. I don't know much about ceilings either, but I know that when there was an upstairs leak in a flat I once rented, that bubble in the ceiling burst and the plaster went all over the room below.

I suggest you take photos, and either take a letter in person, send it recorded delivery, or send an email requiring a delivered receipt and read receipt (this is an option in many email packages - you get an email notification that you're email was delivered and that it was opened).

I also suggest you do some serious follow up pestering of your landlord/agents. If it was me, I'd be in their office demanding something got done. Why should you have to put up with any of this?

G_M

Read:

* Repairing Obligations: the law, common misconceptions, reporting/enforcing, retaliatory eviction & the new protection (2015)

dekaspace

I should make it clear I am in Scotland as well.

upoiupou

G_M wrote: »

Read:

* Repairing Obligations: the law, common misconceptions, reporting/enforcing, retaliatory eviction & the new protection (2015)

And read your lease as well.

Rosemary7391

I don't know how advisable this is regarding the LL kicking up a fuss about "damage", but if it is water causing the ceiling to bulge, could a small hole be put in it to allow it to drain? This would seem preferable to the ceiling falling in, and safer, but I don't know what a LL would say about a tenant doing that... I did have a plumber do that once, with a screwdriver, but my LL at the time was paying him so no possible come back on me.

dekaspace

Yes, in the original minor kitchen one from 2 years ago I was told by the handyman to put a few screwdriver sized holes in the area where the leak was for that reason, shame it looks ugly as I have a missing piece of wallpaper and holes in ceiling in the corner of kitchen.

In bathroom it wouldnt help right now as the damage to ceiling is already done and a gap where it must of burst.

dekaspace

Woke up at 7.30am this morning to find my bathroom flooded again, phoned at 9am on the dot and landlord just said "oh I will EMAIL the other landlord again and get back to you"

When a tenant has had 2 major floods in a month (and a smaller one 2 months before) why isn't it high on a landlord priority to fix! It will cost them more in the long run.

Pixie5740

Did you write a letter to your landlord? You could escalate the matter to the Private Rented Housing Panel.

However, if the leak is coming from the flat above and it's owned by someone else then there's little your landlord can do to get it sorted quickly. The best solution might be for you to get the tenancy ended as quickly as possible and find somewhere else to live whilst your landlord slogs this out with the landlord upstairs.

dekaspace

That was next step, I was hoping there was no more leaks and give them a few more days max.

But I knew it was coming since shortly after I moved in 2 years ago from both upstairs and downstairs neighbours who told me it leaks often.

To be honest as well im thinking of why it has recently leaked not sure if new tenants have moved in as about once a week I hear loud talking upstairs and rest of week nothing so I think maybe either someones living there but spends most of time away or just comes back to do things like washing which would explain leak as they could leave the house when washing is on.

dekaspace

Well in the end I decided to put a few small holes in the corner so the leak pours into bath so it won't go down walls.

All was well I thought because it did move the drips to the bath area and went to bed a few hours later, woke up at 12.30 to get a glass of water and found bathroom flooded even more than before, its now coming down all 4 walls rather than 1 wall(and small corner of 2nd wall)

Woke up this morning and its back to the initial bulging area.

It still makes me think maybe the upstairs tenants are doing nighttime washing machine which is leaking and they don't realise.