Help! Any Landlord Around?! Water Leak

[SinglePringle]

Any landlords able to advise?

I’ve just noticed a water leak coming up / from under a built in cupboard in my sitting room. I’ve turned the water off and drained the taps. Water is still leaking. As per the House Pack instructions, I’ve called the emergency plumber listed but on he can’t come out this evening nor tomorrow. He said to call the Agents in the morning (no out of hours number). Went on to the agents website and it says to call a different emergency plumber - no answer. It says to call any emergency plumber if there is a leak (this is all if our of hours. It is!). Have done so and someone is coming out.

Just want some reassurance that as a Landlord, you’d be happy I did this and didn’t wait till the morning. Realistically, I don’t think there’s going to be a huge amount a plumber can do this evening as the pipe work is under a slate floor but it is still leaking (soaked through a towel in 30 mins).

Arrggh!! Worried I’m gonna get stung with a huge bill!!

I am a landlord I’d be fine with this. It’s what I’d do in my own house so I’d expect my tenant to do the same.

@Finallygotaniphone thank you - I appreciate you replying. It’s crazy there’s not an out of office number for the agency. As I said, I don’t think a plumber is going to be able to do much as it looks like the floor is going to have to come up but maybe they’ll be able to lag the leak for now.

I bet this is mains water entering building I hope your plumber can turn this off! You did the right thing (my tenant has my email for emergencies & discussions about issues as well as agent)

I'd screenshot the section of the website that says to do this just in case if any backtracking from the letting agent when they reopen.

OP can you video it on your phone just incase the LL questions the urgency of the situation?

@BankofNook I’ve done that - great minds!

@smallstep88 I’ve been taking photos but a video is a good idea. It’s not flooding but it is constant.

Sodden towel - overnight, there would be a flood.

Plumber can probably shut water off outside the house, so fill up lots of pots and pans for drinking, washing and flushing!

I am a landlord and would be fine with you making sure it's sorted

Although all my tenants have my direct number anyway for issues like this - do you have your landlord's?

He’s taking the base off the cupboard now and hopefully will locate (and fix) the leaking pipe. Water going off at the mains if that doesn’t work.

I wanted an early night!

@jackstini no. Never even met them.

Appreciate all the reassurance - it’s the first time I’ve rented through an agency and I was in my last place over 10 years. Whole new world and I really don’t want to cause them unnecessary grief or expense.

I'd be totally fine with this - in fact I'd be very grateful that you didn't decide to leave it till the morning and run the risk of significant water damage.

@AWaspOnAWindowReturns thank you and it was exactly that. It was a constant flow of water - not a burst but a constant level and it was obvious it wasn’t going to stop. Leaving it would have caused far far more damage.

Plumber has been and not much he could do - the pipes are (understandably) underneath the floor, which is tiled / slate. There’s no way I could authorise taking that up and no way he could do it with his tool kit at midnight !

So, off at the mains it is. Just managed to fill the kettle and coffee maker and I’ve got 6 x 4 litres of water (God Bless the Brexit Stash at last!! ). Agency will be getting a call at 9am.

As an aside, the cost of an emergency cal our plumber! . Still, cheaper than the alternative.

Thank you for your support and reassurance - really appreciate it.

Pouring a large drink now...

Hope you manage to get it fixed and switched back on ASAP. Glad the plumber was at least able to turn it off and stop the flow of water.

op a thought - check your boiler & see if water pressure has come down - it could be ch system (this happened to relative) pipe burst leaking

All resolved (kinda)... the leak was underneath a built in cupboard. Cupboard pulled out (by plumber) to reveal a crumbling, damp wall .

After a bit of head scratching, he took a floor tile up and dug about a bit before - lo! - a well of water and a tiny hole in the mains pipe. He reckons it’s been leaking for years.

All repaired (apart from wall and floor - they need to dry out). No more leak and water back on.

Landlord pleased I acted quickly and they too have been brilliant (via Agent). All sorted - thanks so much for input and advice. Off for a shower now!