Repair - how long to wait

tootiemac

Hi All,
I live in a ground floor flat that I own.
The rest of the flats in the building are council owned.
over the last 2 months a small damp mark has been appearing and disappearing above my livingroom window, right where the ceiling and wall meet.
I reported it originally to the council on the 15th of January as I believed it to be a blown window sill.
With these horrible storms it has been growing, I reported it again on Wednesday and finally got someone from the council out to look (a plumber even though I had detailed the issue). He agreed it was most likely the sill and he’d log it as such.

I’ve came home tonight to find it has grown significantly throughout the day.
My question is how long is reasonable to wait for them to rectify this issue?
I only had the room repainted and papered in sept’ last year and it’s peeling it all off, let alone the damage it’s doing to the wall itself.

tootiemac

This is this morning
this is tonight

dimbo61

I think you might have answered your own question.
Storms and driving rain.
Is you outside wall soaked from rain.
Flooding in the area, saturated garden and even more rain ?
You live on the ground floor 

tootiemac

dimbo61 said:

I think you might have answered your own question.
Storms and driving rain.
Is you outside wall soaked from rain.
Flooding in the area, saturated garden and even more rain ?
You live on the ground floor 

I agree the weather is utter rubbish.
I just think that 5 weeks is a long time for them to do nothing to stop the damage from getting worse is all.

If this was your house would you wait 5 weeks to sort a blown sill?
Would you accept a 5 week wait and increasing damage?

Thrugelmir

The alternative view is that it's not a priority job in the bigger scheme of things for the Council's maintenance team. 
Have you looked outside to see what the issue could be, 

tootiemac

Thrugelmir said:

The alternative view is that it's not a priority job in the bigger scheme of things for the Council's maintenance team. 
Have you looked outside to see what the issue could be, 

I get that it may not be a priority to them, but it’s literally damaging my house.
I have honestly put about £3k into repairing damage that their tenants have caused.
The council denies liability or the tenant doesn’t have the cash or insurance to cover it.
either way I get stuck with the bill.

i have tried, my upstairs neighbour has a tendency to throw things out his window which results in the tiles on his sill being smashed.
i suspect this has broke the damp proof course and is allowing water in.

Ratkin007

yeah, unfortunately you have to wait and keep chasing.  Put it in writing and go through complaints if necessary. Many years ago I owned an ex council flat. The flat above was leaking into my bathroom through the light. A number of plumbers went to the flat above and reported there was no leak.  Eventually (after lots of contact)  they sent out a surveyor who after going between the two flats said he was arranging for the tiled bath panel to be removed from the flat above.  How the previous plumbers checked for leaks without removing the bath panel I don't know.  I also had to call the council out for damp in the kitchen. The surveyor told me it was condensation. I responded with, I don't cook, rarely use a kettle and when using the bathroom have the door closed and window open.........in addition, if you look outside you will see where the overflow from above has been leaking. He had to apologise, got the overflow fixed and kitchen decorated.  Have a look if there are issues outside. yes the weather is bad but that shouldn't be happening.  When reporting ask for the timeframe. It wouldn't be treated as a priority as it is a damp patch and not gushing. 

[Deleted User]

Do your Title Deeds say anything about repairs?  I'm guessing the council acts as the factor for the building?

tootiemac

Lover_of_Lycra said:

Do your Title Deeds say anything about repairs?  I'm guessing the council acts as the factor for the building?

Yes the council are my factor.
My title says I am responsible for 1/7th of the repairs to the whole building but if the repairs are unit specific then it is the responsibility of that owner. 

So if it’s only mine that’s busted I pay but if it’s one of their 6 they are.
given this is their flat then they are responsible.
they only cover building not contents for their tenants.
but this is building related so should be covered.