Water shutoff valves - plumber callout fees

G_M

That's ridiculous. What do other flat owners think? Have you discussed?


If you can get a number of people together I'd write demanding each flat owner be given a key to the room. Is here something else in there that makes it necesary for it to be kept inaccessible?


You mention a management company. Who is the freeholder?

AdrianC

davidmcn wrote: »

Ok, that's absurd, irrespective of any fees for turning the water back on.

Broken, more like.

Mind you, a bog that takes 10min to fill is also broken.

Gn93

G_M wrote: »

That's ridiculous. What do other flat owners think? Have you discussed?


If you can get a number of people together I'd write demanding each flat owner be given a key to the room. Is here something else in there that makes it necesary for it to be kept inaccessible?


You mention a management company. Who is the freeholder?

There is no formal residents association as such. Alot of BTL properties in the block so owners do not live here.

The room contains the water meters and the valves. If we want a water meter reading we must ask the concierge who will provide it. The management company told me I could not have access due to 'health and safety issues' to which I asked for either an induction or for them to make the room safe to which I got no reply.

The freeholder according to Land Registry is a company called Landmark Development Projects (2000) Limited but Companies House suggests they've since liquidated. Would need to dig through papers at home to find further info on current freeholder.

Gn93

AdrianC wrote: »

Broken, more like.

Mind you, a bog that takes 10min to fill is also broken.

Nothing wrong with the bog. It was user error in this case. Cistern was filling up from completely empty (weekend without water) and I tried to flush 3/4 times during the filling period leading to it filling up for >10 minutes. Truly my fault.

AdrianC

Even so...

<goes to time own bog>
Just under 30sec at most between starting to flush (push-and-hold, only releasing when no more water's flowing into the bowl) and the valve cutting off.

Gn93

AdrianC wrote: »

Even so...

<goes to time own bog>
Just under 30sec at most between starting to flush (push-and-hold, only releasing when no more water's flowing into the bowl) and the valve cutting off.

Accepted that its slow but if we could focus on the larger issue. I'm one of approx 90 dwellings in this building being held to a £120 callout fee.

The toilet is slow but it works and is hard to fix (behind tile as mentioned before). I dont need to fix it. If there was no valve or I could control the valve myself then the toilet is not an issue.

AdrianC

Clearly a valve that turns off after 10 min continuous water flow is ridiculous and unworkable. That's simply unarguable on the management company's part.

xylophone

As a start, make a formal complaint in writing to the management company, setting a deadline for response.

m0bov

There are H & S issues with being without water. Have you spoken to the water company? I'd be popping a note into all the flats to arrange a meeting down the local cafe or pub or maybe at yours. You could also speak to local Enviro health. Unless its in your lease, I don't know how they can enforce the charge on you anyway. Its communal.

G_M

Gn93 wrote: »

The freeholder according to Land Registry is a company called Landmark Development Projects (2000) Limited but Companies House suggests they've since liquidated. Would need to dig through papers at home to find further info on current freeholder.

Worth finding out anyway. The Manco is employed by the freeholder. If the freeholder is, as you suspect, in liquidation, then who is emplying the manco? Who has inherited the freehold? A bank? The Official Receiver?.....

If there's only meters and valves in the room, I don't see how access could be a H&S issue. Indeed, as mobov points out, there's a H&S issue arising every time the water is cut off....!

You might try asking Environmental Health.

I appreciate that with many BTLs you might struggle to get absent leaseholders/landlords involved, but with 90 flats you must be able to get a dozen or so interested. A leaflet through each door followed up by knocking over the weekend?


Another (long-term) solution might be to manage the block yourselves under RTM. But with many absent leaseholders you might struggle to get sufficient numbers. And of course it adds the responsibility of management onto the company you set up.