Disabled shower floor not fitted correctly who's is liable Council/Housing Authority/Plumber?

[Deleted User]

In 2016 I had a disabled bathroom fitted funded with a grant from Local Council and arranged by Housing Authority who appointed a plumber through tender.

In August this year I noticed cracks appearing in kitchen ceiling directly under bathroom shower.  Called plumber and was informed water has been getting under flooring, he also noticed a small hole in the corner where the flooring had been joined. He confirmed this could be the cause of the water damage as it is specialist safety flooring and should have been heat welded and sealed correctly.

As this has been happening since 2016 I suspect that significant damage been done to the joists and floorboards.

I contacted my local council who will not pay for the repairs but have offered a loan of up to £6000. I feel this is very unfair as I am on pension credit and received funding for the bathroom in the first instance.

My question is, who do I pursue for compensation the Council, Housing Authority or plumber? any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

km1500

I doubt if the leak has been going on since 2016 you would certainly have noticed something before now

probably best to seal the hole and see if the dampness in the kitchen ceiling goes away

Aylesbury_Duck

I agree.  There's no way it's been leaking since 2016 if it's only manifested recently.  I suspect the hole was either absolutely tiny for a long time (and leaked water evaporated as fast as it dripped through), or the hole has opened up more recently.  For example, we had such a dry, hot summer that ground has shifted all over the place and houses do move a little.

Before you worry about compensation, you need to ascertain if any serious damage has occurred, and what it will cost to put right.  That means getting someone to find out if the joists and floorboards are significantly damaged, or just damp (they will dry out).  It might simply need drying out and a bit of filler work on the ceiling. 

Does the six year time limit come into play here?  What month in 2016 was the work done?  

lisyloo

It's easy for your plumber to say something but can he/she categorically say this was an issue in 2016 and not something that has opened up over time?

Is the plumber willing to provide a report to say it's definitely caused by negligent workmanship in 2016?
Are you within 6 years?

You need to urgently get the hole sealed and check the date.
Next step is to establish the damage as it's not clear what your suspicion is based on.

[Deleted User]

I can honestly say that the cracks in the kitchen ceiling were the first thing to bring this to my attention. I would have acted a lot sooner if there had been any signs that water was leaking under the flooring.

The hole is tiny and difficult to see. It is at the top of the joint where it curves up the wall to meet the strip and tiles.

I think the plumber would be willing to confirm what he said., however it was fitted in May 2016 but the problem wasn't noticed until August this year.

DanDare999

Shilo16 said:

In 2016 I had a disabled bathroom fitted funded with a grant from Local Council and arranged by Housing Authority who appointed a plumber through tender.

In August this year I noticed cracks appearing in kitchen ceiling directly under bathroom shower.  Called plumber and was informed water has been getting under flooring, he also noticed a small hole in the corner where the flooring had been joined. He confirmed this could be the cause of the water damage as it is specialist safety flooring and should have been heat welded and sealed correctly.

As this has been happening since 2016 I suspect that significant damage been done to the joists and floorboards.

I contacted my local council who will not pay for the repairs but have offered a loan of up to £6000. I feel this is very unfair as I am on pension credit and received funding for the bathroom in the first instance.

My question is, who do I pursue for compensation the Council, Housing Authority or plumber? any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

What's your loss?