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Genuinely want to hurl something at neighbours.

28 replies

ToBeOrNotToBee · 30/03/2024 22:25

I live in a council flat. Upstairs to me was bought under rtb years ago, original purchased sold in Jan last year.
Since then, the new neighbours have flooded their bathroom and thus mine no less than 4 times. 4 times I've patched up my ceiling and not once did they apologise or offer to pay for costs.

Since 1st March I noticed a wet concrete smell in the cupboard where the waste pipes go down and water supply goes in. This cupboard is in my front room, but attached to bathroom, kitchen. I left a note upstairs telling them they may have a leak. I didn't hear any more back so figured they had fixed it, aware that it takes a while for bricks to dry out, especially in cupboards with no ventilation.

Long story short, they haven't touched the leak, at all. I'm emptying a bucket of leaked water from the cupboard where it is actively dripping every day. My kitchen cupboards are starting to get water damage, the kitchen ceiling, walls are water damaged. My bathroom ceiling is ruined, completely, and now water is dripping into the light fitting. My front room wallpaper is starting to come away from the wall by the cupboard.

The council know. Once I realised the neighbours hadn't fixed the leak I logged it with them, and sent an email to the leasehold team. Both my repair log (their response time is 5 days) and my email to the leaseholder team have been ignored. Last week Sunday, I had to call their emergency line as it was dripping. Before I did I knocked upstairs and they actually answered, they denied there was a leak. 30 minutes later, when the council repair people came, they turned off the lights and pretended not to be home!

The next day I left them a note begging to give the council access to repair the leak. Again, they haven't even bothered to reply or come down and see for themselves.

Since then, the damage is getting worse and worse. I live alone, on a modest salary. My home is going to riddled with damp and I am going to be left with a substantial repair bill. I don't have insurance but I understand they have to as part of their lease conditions.

And to top it off, I have an autoimmune condition, I can not live in a damp home and not become very seriously ill.

Fuck knows when the council are going to get off their arse and actually do something about it. Surely they can't and won't allow a leaseholder to just flood their properties?

Oh and my bathroom light is now on the blink, thanks to the water damage. The bathroom has no window either so when that goes, I'll have no light to do my contact lenses and will have to bathe in darkness.

Any suggestions here because I'm a pissed.

Genuinely want to hurl something at neighbours.
Genuinely want to hurl something at neighbours.
Genuinely want to hurl something at neighbours.
OP posts:
VeniVidiWeeWee · 30/03/2024 22:37

Well, the bathroom light appears to be working and none of the other photos seem to show any sign of damp.

ToBeOrNotToBee · 30/03/2024 22:39

VeniVidiWeeWee · 30/03/2024 22:37

Well, the bathroom light appears to be working and none of the other photos seem to show any sign of damp.

Can't photograph the light flickering, or the puddle of water accumulating in the fitting but thanks so much for your input 🙂.

And the photos show the water damage caused by sodding wet walls.

OP posts:
VeniVidiWeeWee · 30/03/2024 22:39

Sorry, pressed send too soon.

If the problem is worse than the photos suggest you need to take legal action against, usually, the freeholder.

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 30/03/2024 22:40

So sorry OP but thats one of the dangers of living in flats, IE you are at the mercy of those living above, below and to the sides of you.

They may be renting it out

blackcherryconserve · 30/03/2024 22:41

Call environmental health at the council?

KnickerlessParsons · 30/03/2024 22:44

See a solicitor.

HowDoYouSolveAProblemLikeMyRear · 30/03/2024 22:44

I wonder if Shelter might be able to give you some good advice?

I'm so sorry, this sounds like a nightmare.

IwishIdidntlikesugar · 30/03/2024 22:47

Im guessing they have put a new bathroom in or something? Or just a coincidence and things are getting old. They must he panicking and not able to afford to fix it? I invited my upstairs neighbour in to come and have a look last time there was water dripping into the kitchen. He wasnt that keen but I cheerfully insisted and that seemed that get things moving a bit quicker. I know this doesnt help your situation but im just letting you know you are not alone!

hellsBells246 · 30/03/2024 22:53

Hold on, why don't you have insurance? And why do your neighbours have to, 'as part of their lease conditions?'? That sounds odd.

I'd say you should have insurance anywhere if you live in a flat, to protect yourself against your neighbours too...

GreatGateauxsby · 30/03/2024 22:54

You should have communal building s insurance which covers this.

Id also be going up and knocking daily to talk to them calmly but firmly face to face.

Nightmanagerfan · 30/03/2024 22:56

Surely the building wlll have buildings insurance that thye willl be contributing to as part of their service charge? So your costs should be able to be claimed on the building insurance?

ToBeOrNotToBee · 30/03/2024 22:56

hellsBells246 · 30/03/2024 22:53

Hold on, why don't you have insurance? And why do your neighbours have to, 'as part of their lease conditions?'? That sounds odd.

I'd say you should have insurance anywhere if you live in a flat, to protect yourself against your neighbours too...

Council tenant. I don't need insurance, as the one offered with my tenancy with ridiculously expensive for very little benefit.

Leaseholders have to have insurance as part of the conditions of their lease with the freeholder (the council).

OP posts:
endofthelinefinally · 30/03/2024 23:00

Get in touch with your MP and your local councillor. (Not the housing department, but your elected councillor). I wonder if your neighbours don't have insurance and that is why they are ignoring the problem? The council won't repair a property they no longer own. They will have to take the owners to court. I am sorry. What a frustrating situation.

SheepAndSword · 30/03/2024 23:04

Sorry, that sounds awful.

No idea how it works legally but I would have thought the owner of your flat has responsibility to fix it?

StormsAreNeverNamedAfterMe · 30/03/2024 23:39

Try Environmental Health

They should encourage the freeholder to find the fault, although as it’s their own Council I don’t think they can take action against them(selves)

Are your floors wooden/chipboard or concrete under your carpet? If wood they could send someone to do trace and access through your ceiling.

hellsBells246 · 30/03/2024 23:51

Ah, right, @ToBeOrNotToBee. In that case, I'd contact the Council asap and make a pest of yourself until you get a satisfactory response. Good luck!

Icanttellyouanything · 30/03/2024 23:57

GreatGateauxsby · 30/03/2024 22:54

You should have communal building s insurance which covers this.

Id also be going up and knocking daily to talk to them calmly but firmly face to face.

It's a council property so you don't need your own buildings insurance. As with any other landlord you pay rent and expect the landlord to sort any repairs.

ToBeOrNotToBee · 02/04/2024 19:30

For an update if anyone cares....
Sunday I get in the lift with the flooding neighbours and have a very awkward moment of silence before they tell me they found the leak and have fixed it.
I tell them it will take a few days to dry out as I'm still getting drips.
Monday, I see their partner and she tells me that they still haven't located it.

So one of them is lying. My guess is no 1.

Today, bathroom has gone completely, I call council and spend an hour on hold trying to get through to the right person only. They raise another emergency job as ive had to switch off all my lights at the fuse box for safety. This was at lunch, they've just left. I have no bathroom light. The water damage is extensive. Paint is peeling on my kitchen wall, and my flat just stinks of wet concrete.

The bucket I have under the drips is catching around 1/3 and I'm emptying 6 litres every 24 hours.

It's utterly ridiculous the whole situation.

OP posts:
anon2022anon · 02/04/2024 20:15

I suspect that you need to become the squeaky wheel. Knock on the neighbours door every day, several times a day. Take the bucket of water up with you every time it's full. Ring council every day. Write to them, to their complaints department, to your MP. Write to your neighbours letting them know that unfortunately you are going to have to call environmental health on them, do the same for the council. Go to CAB. Tell all the other neighbours. If you're in a lift with them, try to coerce them into coming to see the mess they are making, don't just stand awkwardly In short, become so fucking annoying that the easier option is for them to fix it.

TammyJones · 02/04/2024 21:22

Really feel for you.
As pp has stated.
Citizen Advice.
Stay calm, but be firm.

ToBeOrNotToBee · 03/04/2024 17:24

This is how the Emergency electrician left me since yesterday. Water leaking from exposed wires.

I don't even think that's safe.

Genuinely want to hurl something at neighbours.
OP posts:
ToBeOrNotToBee · 03/04/2024 17:26

And I've emailed my ward councillors who happens to be leader of the council. His PA has said they will get back to me in 10 working days.

OP posts:
DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 03/04/2024 19:03

ToBeOrNotToBee · 03/04/2024 17:26

And I've emailed my ward councillors who happens to be leader of the council. His PA has said they will get back to me in 10 working days.

poss on easter hols?

TellySavalashairbrush · 03/04/2024 19:45

This Is unacceptable and must be so frustrating for you. I’d second getting in touch with environmental health for advice and contacting the MP is a good idea.

anon2022anon · 03/04/2024 21:24

Honestly, one email is not enough. When they get back from their holidays, do you think they'll answer first then single, polite email? Or the person who has emailed every 2 days asking for an update because the case is urgent?

With the council- what's happening now? Have you rang again to tell them that you have water dripping from exposed wires and no bathroom light? Just keep on badgering. If they tell you that it's going to be X working days, threaten that it's not safe and if you don't have an engineer out within X hours, you'll source one privately and send them the bill.

Have you knocked on upstairs flat today? Be that person that everyone else involved in a problem hates, but who gets shit done.