Best to let leak dry itself, or use heater?

knightstyle

As above but also can you catch the water in a bucket? Plus the best way to dry the room is with a dehumidifier, look for a secondhand one on ebay.

Proxima_Centauri

I sympathise, - we used to have leaks coming from the upstairs flat. When it wasn't immediately obvious where the leak was coming from it needed to be investigated. If your landlord is unhelpful I wonder if Environmental Health would be able to assist?

But to answer your question directly, a dehumidifier may be less harsh and more effective than a heater. I hope you manage to get it fixed before the colder, damper weather sets in.

HouseBuyer77

a dehumidifier may be less harsh and more effective than a heater.

A dehumidifier is definitely better for drying. You're attempting to remove the moisture. A heater does not remove the moisture, simply causes it to evaporate into the air. It may condense back out again causing damp elsewhere. A dehumidifier actually pulls moisture out of the air (hence why it's got a bucket you need to empty).

Obviously the leak has to be fixed. Though using a dehumidifier could help limit the damage.

dekaspace

An update, sometime between when I went out at 10.15 and came back at 5.15 a large crack/split has occured in the wall and 2 chunks (1 at each side of leak) about the size of a tennis ball have fallen down.

At the same time though the leak on the wall next to it has stopped.

Its a difficult situation to see whos at fault here, I was informed when I first moved here by upstairs tenant their flat flooded out mine and my landlord had to repaint plaster and carpet entire property and since the leak is from the same room this time it will likely be the same thing.

I also know the tenants upstairs have a watertank in their loft. and a old fashioned boiler in the cupboard outside bathroom.

I also have been told by the tenants and previous ones theres no gas safety or electrical certificates!

So its likely to be the other landlord, but they deny responsibility, and my landlord says it must be the owner of flat upstairs as leak is coming from above.

dekaspace

Bogalot wrote: »

If the previous issue was fixed there is no evidence to suggest who is at fault. Your landlord needs to get this properly investigated, passing the blame doesn't get the problem fixed.

How big is the large crack/ split? Can you post a picture?

The previous tenants told me the landlord never fixed the leak he just added a overflow, the new tenant has told me the overflow is rusted in fact up till that tenant moved out I used to see their overflow pour water quite often all day and a few times 24 or 48 hours straight so it makes me think since that no longer happens and that is the overflow and with it being rusted its pouring into my flat.

The previous tenant got a council house in the end as the property was in such bad condition they had to do a lot of electrical and plastering work themselves, no lights in hallway just bare wires they put their own sockets in

Pixie5740

Have you escalated this to PRHP yet?

dekaspace

Not yet, the first time it happened I was away for 2 days and the leak had stopped by time I got back, the 2nd time it stopped before landlord got in contract with the owner of upstairs property, this time I have been at college all week so not had chance to chase it up, off tomorrow so giving landlord one last call and if its not a good response will take things further.

dekaspace

Update, about 10 minutes ago heard a "crack" sort of sound or something like a book falling over and went in bathroom and its really bad now but not quite collapsed yet, have added 3 pictures but wont keep links long as paranoid LL will see thread and accuse me of stirring.

csgohan4

dekaspace wrote: »

Update, about 10 minutes ago heard a "crack" sort of sound or something like a book falling over and went in bathroom and its really bad now but not quite collapsed yet, have added 3 pictures but wont keep links long as paranoid LL will see thread and accuse me of stirring.

1 picture of the wall that is attached to my bedroom wall, and one of the main leak around 5.20 today and another one from 5 minutes ago

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg103/kenohkaioh/DSC00024.jpg

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg103/kenohkaioh/DSC00029.jpg

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg103/kenohkaioh/DSC00022.jpg

Cant get 2nd link to work for me though.

Keep getting evidence, letter recorded delivery to land lord and keep getting hold of him via phone, in order to protect yourself and your deposit.


Keep hold of any correspondence your LL has with you.


If LL refuses to fix, CAB and get them to investigate

dekaspace

This is property as of now.