water leak in flat quick advice needed
 

Hi all

Basically my tenant reported there was damp and dripping water in the kitchen. My flat is a middle flat.

Went and had a look. They said they had talked to the tenants in the flat above who have said they have checked for leaks but everything is ok. I informed my tenant that they are not experts so I went and knocked on their door. Even though I could hear them in there they ignored me. I posted a note and by the time I had got back home he called. He still thinks its not his problem but I told him he needs to contact his landlord or lady and get things checked out.

This was last Thursday. I have been trying to call them and left messages but seems they are ignoring me.

Any advice on what I can do? I can't stop the leak as its coming from their flat. They won't answer the door.

Help!!!

Sorry this typed in a rush.

Find the mains stopcock outside and turn it off to the flats, they might let you have access if no-one has any water

Nice one I hadn't thought of that and I know where they are. I don't care if I get in trouble as least if I cause a scene action will be taken.

Need any special tools to turn one off?

Write them another note saying that you will hold them personally responsible for any costs incurred and will be seeking recompense via the court system if it turns out to be their fault, as they are denying responsibility and access to find the fault. ;)

You need a universal stop-cock spanner/tool. All of the major DIY chains should have them.

Can you not find out who owns or manages the flat?
It's down to them to pay either through insurance or direct.

is there a way to find out the landlord/agency of a flat?

Google the address and maybe it will hit up when it was previously up for let.

Brillant thanks for this. It was let July last year by Pymm & Co so will ring them in the morning. :thumb:

I have been flooded out before from an upstairs flat and all you do is claim from your insurance as normal and let them recover the costs from whoever is at fault.

Smash your way through the door, it's not criminal damage if you are doing it to prevent the apartment below flooding.

lol I couldn't smash my way outta a paper bag let alone a door. What you like :cuckoo:
:lol1:

ok a little update.

Flat 26 phoned me tonight probably due to the message I left him earlier.:mad:

Anyway he has said he told his agency the day I spoke to him (last Friday). They haven't got back to him.

Its the agency I mentioned above so I will be calling them first thing in the morning.

Now my flat's kitchen stinks of damp and mould up the wall so I suppose I am within my rights to ask them to put that right? Also I am a little angry that they have been made aware but done nothing. :razz::mad:

Hope you can sort it but Pymm & co probably will not give you the info as it is a breach of the information act so i would also try the council as it is an emergency and they might put you in the picture.Good luck.

Well he's confirmed they are the agency and has asked if I would give them a push so will see what they say in the morning.

Then I will try the council.

Thanks all, great help as always. :thumb:

Another update.

Even though I have called the agency twice now I am still waiting for a call back.

Going to give it another half an hour then I won't get off the phone till I speak to someone.

Any news.

sorry yes update is that they got someone out to fix a leak under the upstairs flat sink. The plummer came down to look at my flat and said that is caused by condensation on the windows and then left!

This was nearly a week ago and guess what! the dripping from my kitchen ceiling has stopped! In fact it stopped the day the plummer fixed the leak.

So I think my next action is to ring the agency back tomorrow. No doubt they will say it wasn't them it was my windows due to condensation (which you guessed it are not installed at the ceiling!). So I think I have a fight on my hands.

This is the second time this flat has caused water damage. About a year or so ago they left the bath running but I just cleared that up myself.

Any advice?

Stick at it at least the leak has stopped,good luck.