To ignore a leaking ceiling and hope it magically mends itself?

[SingingSilver]

Our bathroom is downstairs. My bedroom is directly above the bathroom.

The bathroom ceiling appears to have slow leaks in three places. There is a patch above the bath that could have been the way it is for months, even years - the (I don't know what you call it - pointy paint stuff) has gone flat and it looks slightly darker than the rest of the ceiling. It's the size of a dinner plate. There is a crack in the ceiling across part of the room which seems to drip a couple of times per hour, and a similar leak over the door.

Aside from wardrobe and 3 chests of drawers in my room there's a double bed with iron frame and loads of other bits of furniture in there - lamps, bedside tables, stuff stored under the bed.

The HA have given me a three day time period for a call out. When the operative attends the area must be clear and the carpet pulled back.

Because of the shape of the room I'd have to clear it almost entirely and then pull the carpet up so someone can get to the pipes underneath in the right areas - and there's nowhere to really clear it to. I can shuffle some stuff through to my dc's room but it is smaller than mine. Also DC has autism and will have an almighty freakout if there are any changes to his room whatsoever.

They can come anytime from 8am to 6pm. If I do successfully move everything out of the way and tear my carpet up and they don't come I have to get it all moved back after 6. And then apparently do the same again before 8am the next day. Sorry neighbours!

And all by myself because DS will not cooperate and knowing him may even barricade his door to stop me getting in the next day. And I've tried pulling at the edge of the carpet and it doesn't want to budge.

I feel like I'm being asked to turn my home into the Tardis for their benefit. It's juts not doable.

WIBU to just mop up the drips and carry on? It's not like the ceiling is in danger of falling in.

[ageingrunner]

The ceiling will eventually fall in though, maybe not all of it, but the bits where the leaks are. I know it's a pain in the arse, but it's really not a good idea to ignore leaks. I know this from experience. I ignored a leak when I wasn't feeling able to cope with the disruption, expense, people being in the house etc, and now I really need a serious amount of work doing to my kitchen floor.
Also I had a leak from my shower, which i did get fixed quickly, but the ceiling underneath fell in on that area a couple of years later, because I just got the leak fixed but didn't think the ceiling would need attention.
I know it's awful, but it'll be worse if you leave it, sorry

[userformallyknownasuser1475360]

We had a guy put flooring down, in doing so he put a screw into a pipe, the screw held the water for 10 years, and then corroded letting the pipe rupture. £3k of damage, so I would say if you have that sort of cash laying about go ahead and leave it

[SingingSilver]

OK, just called my DF for a whinge and (surprisingly for him, he's usually very unhelpful) he is going to come out with a friend on the weekend and move furniture for me and have a look. And hopefully find places in the house to store it all for a few days if necessary.

But ugh... For downstairs bathrooms they really should be prepared to work from underneath IMO.

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

I feel like I'm being asked to turn my home into the Tardis for their benefit. It's juts not doable

It's not for their benefit, its for yours. It's your home, and you clearly have a problem, which will keep on getting worse,and more expensive to deal with. It may not be your money it will cost, but if you've refused to allow repairs you may be in a lot of trouble when the ceiling falls down.

[SingingSilver]

It may not be your money it will cost, but if you've refused to allow repairs you may be in a lot of trouble when the ceiling falls down.

True. It's just an extra thing to deal with at the moment when I already feel like my plate's full. But I can't ignore it.

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

Oh I know that feeling! But it could put your tenancy in jeopardy if the damage was extensive and you hadn't allowed repairs, and that would be a much bigger problem in the end.

[IgnoreMeEveryOtherReindeerDoes]

Ceiling will eventually give way, I fucking cried at the damage. The washing was just endless and of course I had no contents insurance. I cleared as much as I could for repair work had sheets to cover beds and stuff. But they brought new massive ones. They should in theory no cause any damage if taking up carpet or have to make good if they do. Double check that as I know council are good like that not sure about HA

[SingingSilver]

Well, apparently the people my housing association sends out are happy to ignore a leaking ceiling and hope it goes away!

After all that - clearing the room, pulling the carpet up, disturbing my DS - the guy turns up looking like he couldn't give a shit from the second I opened the door, waved his mobile light around in the airing cupboard, looked at the visible damp patch on the ceiling - and said "Taking up the floorboards would be too much work..." (Whereas shifting a wardrobe on your own is a piece of cake...) And to call them if it "comes back". It hasn't gone anywhere, it was leaking this morning!

So now apparently I put my room back together and wait for it to get worse, and then I can do it all over again

Should I send my HA an email so that I don't get blamed if the ceiling does eventually give way or rot?

[TheElephantofSurprise]

Definitely tell them, in writing, and demand a response.
Eighteen months ago I had a tiny drip from the bathroom through to the hall.
Then, the ceiling fell in. All of it. In a mountain of soggy plaster.

[Wishiwasmoiradingle2017]

Maybe take some photos as it is now? Covers you if it caves in when knob - man didn't fix it?

[SingingSilver]

OK, taken a pic of the damp patch - looks like this if it will post, and sent them an email. What a waste of time.