Roof leak! Don't know what to do! New Flat

[secular37]

Hello everyone,

I have been offered a council property and been waiting three months to move into due to the number of urgent repairs that the council did not fix before I signed the tenancy.

I have planned to move within the next two weeks but when I went to go and do something at the new property, I realised that the roof is leaking! The children's bedrooms are upstairs and the walls are ceilings are wet, damp and splitting. I've already planned to put carpets in and paint the DC's room but now I can't!

I've contacted the council and they've said they won't get someone until the end of the month (!) to take a look at the property and then they will need to book in scaffolding..

I don't know what to do and I am very stressed. I am currently living at my mum's temporarily due to the house move- but my mum is getting rather annoyed as we have been at hers for the past three months (as we expected to move in ASAP into the new property but due to repairs couldn't).

What should I do? Should I still paint the bedrooms and the carpets anyway? Should I delay the move or should I just move in regardless and DC's and I can sleep in the living room, at the new house, whilst the rooms are being sorted?

Move in, do nothing re painting and carpets (no point), keep out of the worst room(s).

Treat it like a camping adventure till all repairs done and rooms completely dried.

Thank you.

So should I carpet the areas where the leek isn't present... like the living room, hallway and stairs? There are just floorboards in the flat.

Don’t do anything even in the unaffected rooms. Chances are you will end up with workmen and rubbish traipsed in and out, with jobs like plastering etc. new carpets /paintwork will be ruined.
As pp said, move in and pretend you are camping. Newspaper/end bits of wallpaper/old rugs anything you don’t mind throwing away can be put on the floor temporarily (or wear slippers. )

The issue is that my DC's have additional needs and our currently flooring is really dangerous... floorboards... floor coming up- plus the noise they make(?!). I have to put flooring down but also don't want to mess it up.

well then go ahead and put carpet down but be prepared for it to be ruined and need replacing. If the leaks is as bad as you’ve written, and isn’t going to be dealt with for several weeks, chances are you will need new ceilings and walls replastering. All that rubbish will be going down the stairs, along the hall and through your front door and replacements and plaster etc coming back in. It’s going to be very messy.

What does 'floor coming up' mean? Floorboards lifting?

Thank you.

You are right. I still have two more weeks so I'm going to see what I have to do. I may have to persuade my mum to let us stay for another month (!) or push the council to get someone in ASAP. Sigh so much to do.

Yes- sorry, floorboards lifting.

Personally I would nag the council a lot to come earlier. Don't know if it will make a difference. Maybe you could nail the boards back down if they are solid wood ones. Or get a cheapish large rug for now.

Definitely. I am going to nag the council.

We have rugs put down and the DC's and I have stayed a few times but it's just been awful. One of the DC refusing to sleep, running up and down, and me having to reprimand them constantly to be careful because of the floor and the older DC having the horrendous meltdowns and me having to contain him. It's just been awful.

Yes I can imagine, moving is quite stressful at the best of times. Hopefully you will get it sorted soon. Are the ceilings all wet, or is it contained to one area? What type of roof is it? Pitched one or flat? I had a leaky roof once but it was only visible in one area. Also broken guttering that caused a damp wall but that was quick to fix.

Are you on the top floor OP?

It's in two of the DC's bedrooms. It's contained to one area but it is spreading for some odd reason- including the cracks on the ceiling. The roof is pitched.

Yes, I'm on the top floor. No one is above me.

Water will spread where there are cracks etc.

I have sent you a PM op but basically you need to tell the council the house in not habitable if it is not wind and watertight (under the housing repairs act). They cannot house you there with an active leak, so the options are
1 delay moving in until repair has been done
2 find you another property to move into on agreed date.
Let me know via PM if you need a hand with emails etc. Housing repairs was my job until recently.

Thank you so much. I will respond to your PM.

OP can you contact your local councillor as well as the council official and ask them to come with you and see it and raise it with officials?