Plumber caused damage to my ceiling and it fell!

Dannydrock

I was advised this could be a better place to post than consumer rights. If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated

Recently our boiler/heaters broke and plumbers through our landlord came to repair it.

I came back from work, to find that as I entered my bedroom(which has the boiler in it) was being worked on by two plumbers. I noticed that towels were on my desk and asked what had happened, to which they explained that they had gone into the attic and while doing work, they had somehow broken a valve on the water tank, which caused it to leak. The leak was big enough that it was seeping through my ceiling onto my computer monitor/keyboard etc. They seemed calm and didnt tell me that they hadn't told my parents. They also stated it was safe and that they fixed the problem and is fine to sleep in the room.
I went to sleep in another room(this was roughly 4pm), when I woke up at 9pm, they had left, and I went downstairs and talked to my parents.
The plumbers hadn't told anyone about the damage and the crack in the ceiling, so my parents were nonethe wiser. They had also left a few hours before hand.

My parents phoned the landlord and we could see that the leak had also leaked into my sisters room, enough that it was dripping by the side of her bed, and into her laptop and into a wardrobe containing my mother's clothing(which was soaked).
The landlord stated he would come the following day to check it out.
Fast forward to 1am, I was fully asleep and due to go to work at 4am. I hear my sister screaming my name, so I jump up as I thought something happened to her or my dog. As I got up and ran to the door I noticed my ceiling had crashed onto my desk and towards my door.
Had I not gone to sleep due to work, at 1am I am usually at my desk, it would have landed on me.

The damage was enough to knock all my shelves and my monitor and take roughly a 2meter by 1.5 meter chunk of the ceiling down.

The landlord came the following day and explained we need to go through our insurance.
Does anyone know what we should be doing as I've never experienced any of this before and I genuinely don't know what I should be doing.

Thrugelmir

Dannydrock wrote: »

Does anyone know what we should be doing as I've never experienced any of this before and I genuinely don't know what I should be doing.

Do you have insurance cover in place?

Dannydrock

Yes we have insurance in place. Would it be more beneficial to go through the insurance or their insurance?

paddyz

I would have thought it will need to go through your insurance, belongings are your responsibility to insure and the building is the landlords
Then it’s up to the insurance firm if they counterclaim

Smodlet

"The landlord came the following day and explained we need to go through our insurance."

Whaaaaaat??? If you/your parents rent the property rather than own it, why on earth would you/they need buildings insurance in the first place? If damage to the building has occurred which has, in turn, caused damage to your personal property, why the hell should you/your insurer pay for it? Sounds like a case for small claims court to me but I stand to be corrected.

Perhaps I have misunderstood your post (though I don't see how) but, unless I have, this is entirely your landlord's responsibility. In fact, if the property is now not fit for human habitation (which sounds likely) the LL should be providing alternative accommodation, shouldn't they?

Where are G_M, AdrianC et al? The LLs will be along to advise you soon, I hope, OP. In the meantime, I suggest you check out Shelter's website regarding repairs in rented properties, assuming you are in the U.K.

Linton

You go through your contents insurance for any damage to your property. That is why you pay your insurance company. They should pay you with minimal hassle and it's their job to recover their costs from the landlord. The landlord could then claim off his insurance company who could claim from the plumbers. Presumably the plumber's insurance company would pay.


Damage to the building is the responsibility of the landlord.

AdrianC

Smodlet wrote: »

"The landlord came the following day and explained we need to go through our insurance."

Whaaaaaat??? If you/your parents rent the property rather than own it, why on earth would you/they need buildings insurance in the first place?

Contents cover, for the damaged contents.

It's the landlord's problem whether he claims for the ceiling on his insurance, makes the plumber cough up, or just dips into his own pocket for that. The ceiling and plumbing is his responsibility.

In fact, if the property is now not fit for human habitation (which sounds likely)

Don't be melodramatic. It's just a missing bit of plasterboard.

[Deleted User]

Would the insurance company pay out when its the fault of poor workmanship? Presumably Accidental Damage would be needed but I assumed that would only cover accidents that the policyholder caused.

Mutton_Geoff

I wouldn't claim on my own insurance, I would pursue this with the landlord. Your contents insurance is to cover you against loss or theft of course, but your premiums will go up as you will be making a claim.


I once had British Gas install heating in a house and the first frost, a pipe that had been poorly soldered and not insulated came apart in the loft and flooded the whole house (I was out at work). BG suggested I claim off my insurance! I told them where to go and they then sorted out everything, their loss adjuster even commenting on things to expand my claim!

chunkytfg

Has anyone noticed that coincidence that 2 leaks in separate rooms happen to both drip onto computers?!

Dannydrock

So my desk is against a wall, my sisters bed is against that wall on the other side. Her laptop was by a plug socket against that wall. I have photos of the damage but due to being a new user I cannot upload the images or link them here. More than happy to show the damage.