Corroded condensate pipe in 6 year old flat - whose responsibility?

frenchpp

ThisIsWeird said:

Ectophile said:

ThisIsWeird said:

What's the corroded cond pipe made from? 
If not 22mm plastic, then it's the responsibility of the installer. 

If it's over 6 years old, the installer won't care.  Any liability is statute barred.

We don't know the exact time. And if over 6 years, could the Latent Defect Act have a bearing, I wonder? No idea.
In any case, my point was that the cause - if it's as described - was a faulty/incompetent installation, inherent from day one, and always going to fail as a direct result; it is not the OPs responsibility, and nor was it an accident or 'act of gawd'. It would be unfair for this to not be covered by the buildings' insurance - if the installer cannot be held liable.

Have spoken to our property manager about latent defect and he said that ended in December 2020 - He sent a plumber around to look and he said the pipe should never have been installed so close to concrete as to make it inaccessible - he also said this has been going on for years as it has eaten the concrete - he gave a quote of £650+ VAT - unfortunately he didn't write any of the above in his report, just the work that needs to be done ( relocate the pipe out of the wall into out down pipe) so our PM is saying we have to pay - we have since had another independent quote of £300 + VAT.  I assume the first quote was so high as he assumes Housing Association will pay!!!  This is ongoing so will you informed of outcome.

Thanks for all of your opinions 

ThisIsWeird

Ah, your reply prompted me to re-read the thread, and I realise I misread your first post - oops.
The condensate pipe was not incorrectly specified - it was plastic, as it should be? It's just that it leaked somewhere along its length?
In which case, it would be very hard to prove when the leak began, so possibly a non-starter. Ie, you couldn't necessarily blame the installer (even tho' they most likely did make an insecure connection).
At least the new quote is more reasonable. 
If the concrete needs repair, that's still surely a communal 'buildings' issue, tho'?

frenchpp

Thank you everyone - as an update to this the Housing Association who we have bought shared ownership from, say it is our responsibility - I have taken this further and made a formal complaint and am waiting to hear back.  We have currently dis-connected the pipe and have put a temp pipe in and running it into a container, so our neighbour doesn't keep getting drips through his ceiling!

ThisIsWeird

Thanks for the update.

Any chance of some photos of this pipe?

(You will have been told that the condensate is mildly acidic, enough to stain stonework and metals and stuff? Treat with care. Have you been told how to dispose of it?)