Smelly water seeping under party wall foundations

Fi2021

Last May we noticed our living room was a bit smelly - musty, noticeable when doors and window closed. We looked under our floorboards and saw trickle of water at two points along party wall to next property. Terraced Victorian.  To the right and slightly further along  of both disused chimney breasts. 

We looked a few times and when it was very dry in summer ( no rain for weeks) it was still the same. The neighbouring property is tenanted and we asked the landlord if they had a leak , as their kitchen is against half our living room wall. They said no but that they can’t get in as tenants in dispute. Both the landlord and I know there has been problems with other plumbing from that property before ( the upstairs toilet waste leaked into our ceiling,  they own the second property along and its guttering poured into back garden for a bit) - confusingly they converted part of the home into two houses a long time ago. Their tenants are still in there and not allowing access apparently, so that investigation has gone nowhere. I’m worried it’s been almost a year now and I don’t want any damage to occur to foundations/ floor. 

I wonder if I should investigate other potential issues - I could pay for a roofer to check roof, I could pay for a sewer investigation ( although I don’t think our sewer goes that way).

 Or does the hypothesis that it’s their kitchen waste pouring under their units realistic? I am keen to prevent damage but don’t want to waste money investigating improbable things - any experience of something similar helpful. We want to spend money on the right way forward. Our insurer wasn’t very helpful. We are so confused about stopping this. 

thank you ! 

Jeepers_Creepers

A trickle of water?! Either you have discovered a natural spring, or else there's a leak from next door - from the water supply or from a waste pipe.

No excuse - the owner has to act.

When you say your insurance wasn't much help, is that in terms of making a claim or from providing a legal advice? Do you have LegProt on your insurance? If you do, then they should really be prepared to write the owner and 'put them on notice' of the damage being caused, and that the bill for repairs will almost certainly increase. They might be in dispute with the tenants, but they should still allow tradespeeps in.

Can you ID the type of water - sink waste or, er, toilet?

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NibblyPig

Fi2021 said:

 They said no but that they can’t get in as tenants in dispute.

I am sure this classes as an emergency as the house will subside if water builds up underneath it costing tens of thousands.

gwynlas

I would contact local council Enviromental Health as this might be a collapsed drain and they would have statutory rights to intervene.

Fi2021

Thank you for these responses - sorry for my delay replying . Ok I need to go back to insurer they said that as I wasn’t saying there was a repair needed to any damage they didn’t get involved and I don’t have water ingress cover . I do have legal protection though. It’s good to hear this sense that it’s the neighbours kitchen sink doesn’t sound bizarre - I don’t think it’s smelly enough to be sewage. Thank you for taking time to reply -

Jeepers_Creepers

Cool - get advice from your LP. They might be happy to compose a letter to the owner 'putting them on notice' of damage being caused, and a nice fat threat should they fail to resolve it.

There is no excuse, awkward tenants or not. Damage is likely being caused, it's smelly, it's unacceptable. It might even be the legal/technical excuse the owner needs to get the tenants out if he's been stymied by C-19 and stuff. The LL will have insurance to cover such action - all he needed was the valid reason.