Renter with water under the floorboards and no running water - help!

Red-Squirrel_2

Cakeguts wrote: »

As this is a flat I am not sure what the OP's landlord can do because it is probably something that the the management company for the flats has to deal with.

The landlord has better access to the management company and more clout with them than the agent or the tenant, also they can give the OP the ok to get out and go to a hotel and confirm they will be paying (some people would not be able to do this if they had to pay upfront for more than a few nights).

Hoogle

Get your water meter reading, if the leak is happening within your boundaries then there is a good chance you are being charged for this water. You are going to have claim reimbursement for an excessively high bill Anglian water are very unlikely to write off the debt. I believe the local council have the authority to break down doors if they deem your flat a danger or unhabital and can do whatever it takes to fix the situation and bill the appropriate people for their actions.

Superspurs99

The landlord lives abroad the property is just an investment property managed by the agent, who keep sending people round who can’t fix the issue.

Thanks for all the responses everyone. So far today the letting agent has sent an emergency plumber over who as predicted can’t fix the issue, but he got permission to break in to the water mains door and turn our water back on. We’ve been told only to turn the water on in emergencies - so in terms of my rights going forward all I can do I complain and hope I get rent back. The plumber told me that we should have gone to a hotel yesterday and charged the estate agent. For now though at least we now have access to water. When I asked him whether the flat was safe, he said yes from a structural perspective, but didn’t know about electrics (when I asked if there was a risk I could be electrocuted or something particularly since we have underfloor heating) which wasn’t very reassuring.

Il be writing a complaint to the letting agent - and il keep you updated on what happens next. My suspicion is that the underfloor flood will not be sorted for a while...

HampshireH

You have underfloor heating? Sorry I missed this bit of the story?

So has a heating engineer been out?

This could explain a lot.

Mutton_Geoff

Superspurs99 wrote: »

The plumber told me that we should have gone to a hotel yesterday and charged the estate agent

Superspurs99 wrote: »

The plumber .. said yes from a structural perspective, but didn’t know about electrics (when I asked if there was a risk I could be electrocuted or something particularly since we have underfloor heating) which wasn’t very reassuring.

I'm not sure I would trust the opinion on the views of a plumber other than for his range of skills. Letting agreements and electrics clearly not part of his expertise.


Is the ufh a water/wet system or electric?


Do you have legal advice with your contents insurance, credit card or employers? I think you are being overly generous to the landlord. It is not your problem where he chooses to live, a problem as serious as this needs immediate (ie within 24 hours) resolution.


I would be looking at temporary accommodation at the expense of the landlord with immediate effect (ie let them pay for it via the agent). I think you are being too cooperative with the agent, time to put your foot down.

Superspurs99

Yup there is underfloor heating - which is altered in reach room via digital panels. I have no idea what type it is - the guy that came round today said the leak is from a water pipe feeding the flat that is unrelated to the boiler. We had a boiler guy round who said the same - and thus he said he couldn’t do anything as he could only fix boilers.

In regards to moving to a hotel until they fix it - my concern is now that I have access to water when I need it if I was to leave and pay for a hotel they wouldn’t reimburse me

Tomg84

Oh dear - I am sorry to read this. Sounds awful. Probably best not to go to hotel as what would happen if the landlord refused to pay the bill - then could you be significantly out of pocket.

I would be pressuring the landlord some sought of reduction in rent to cover this time and to get their agreement to temporary alternative accommodation at their expense. I wouldn't be spending any of my money unless I knew it was being reimbursed.

Norman_Castle

Do you have carpet on a wooden floor? Its unlikely a pipe leaking under floorboards would project water through the floorboards.

The emergency plumber cannot fix the leak but knows its on a pipe that supplies the flat. Why can't he fix it?

Superspurs99

Nope it’s laminate flooring. He said he can’t fix it as it’s not his responsibility - the plumbers and boiler people that have been sent from the letting agent have said it’s a leak in a building pipe - and that as a result that pipe is not their reaponsibiiity and So they won’t fix it. They’ll only fix issues that are boiler related or specifically the flat pipes - which they say this isn’t. Bizarre I know. But il let you know what happens, I’m trying to get the landlords details aswell.

xylophone

it’s a leak in a building pipe - and that as a result that pipe is not their reaponsibiiity and So they won’t fix it. They’ll only fix issues that are boiler related or specifically the flat pipes - which they say this isn’t.

A pipe from another building is leaking and that water is making its way from that building into the building in which your flat is situated?