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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To seek legal advice re our new en-suite bathroom?

17 replies

Pupsiecola · 24/09/2015 16:06

We bought a house a year ago. Soon after we had half the double garage converted into an office. A neighbour project managed the building work. He had done the same work (as well as new kitchens and bathrooms etc.) for several other houses in the road/neighbouring roads and people spoke highly of him. We were happy with the work and he is a decent guy.

This Spring we had the en-suite totally replaced (new floor even as it bad leaked badly for years). It was the original one from when the house was built 30 years ago. We paid £6k for all the labour and materials etc and the same guy project managed the work, using a plumber he's known for 20 years. Ever since installation the en-suite has leaked. The neighbour and his plumber have been back numerous times and so far have done all they can to fix it. This culminated in him telling me the last resort was a new shower cubicle. We got a refund on the original one (which he said was a shit design) and bought a new one. That was a month ago. We still have water dribbling down our dining room wall. You cannot see where the water is leaking from in the en-suite but it's clearly from the shower and it must be from underneath the flooring level.

Things are going to get a little awkward. DH and I are sick of these problems but we do appreciate the guys have done all that they can so far. However, I can tell that they are starting to a get a bit exasperated and baffled. We think they need to now take it right back to bare bones, floor up, tiles off etc. and start again at no extra cost to us. It's not fit for purpose is it?

We have become friendly with these neighbours and our kids go to school together and play out together. I fear it's going to get nasty as I feel I'm going to have to take legal advice as I sense they are getting to the end of what they feel they can do.

AIBU?

OP posts:

araiba · 24/09/2015 16:18

they need to sort it, however they need to do it. if it requires redoing then so be it

it seems unreasonable to go legal while they are trying to sort it

Original poster

Pupsiecola · 24/09/2015 16:24

I guess I'm steeling myself for being forced to go down that route. I wouldn't do it if they will keep trying to fix it. But how long can we carry on like this? It's our only shower so it's not like we can't use it (2 adults, 12 and 10 year old DCs). Been about 6 months now. Last time they categorically said the last thing it could be is this cubicle and if we replaced it it had to fix the leaking. We actually paid £100 quid in labour to have that replaced but in hindsight I don't think we should have paid anything (but we were responsible for ordering this crap design cubicle so felt we should pay).

OP posts:

araiba · 24/09/2015 17:08

my parents had a leaky shower that went on for years

turns out it wasnt the shower but a pipe under the floor that caused the issue

brokenhearted55a · 24/09/2015 19:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

winkywinkybumbum · 24/09/2015 19:49

Do you have legal cover on your home insurance? It may cover you for this.

BMW6 · 24/09/2015 20:53

Hmm sounds like you had a pre existing leak rather than one caused by the bathroom refit.

Surely you need to get the bathroom floor up and establish exactly where the leak is before you can begin to apportion blame.

The trouble with water is, the leak can be far away from where it is dripping down into the room below IFSWIM.

Original poster

Pupsiecola · 24/09/2015 20:56

We didn't realise the shower in the en-suite had been leaking when we bought the house. It was also hideous. So we ripped everything out, floor included, and had the entire room redone. So this leak is nothing to do with the previous owner's leak. The plumber had ascertained that it is not the pipes at fault. We would rather not claim really. I mean, should the plumber/neighbour not be responsible for fixing this?

Thank you for all the replies so fat.

OP posts:

Liara · 24/09/2015 20:57

It could be something other than the shower that is leaking.

Did you identify where the old leak in the bathroom was?

Liara · 24/09/2015 20:59

The plumber and neighbour can only be responsible if it is something they put in which is leaking, which it may not be, if it was there before and still is.

The key is to positively identify what it is that is leaking. I would take up the shower cubicle for a while, continue to use the rest of the bathroom and see if any water comes through.

Bloody impractical if you have no other shower though. I guess you could all shower at neighbour's...

Original poster

Pupsiecola · 24/09/2015 21:09

Thanks. We did identify that the old leak was definitely coming from the old shower. We took the bottom panels off and could see it.

We identified that over the last few months the new leak was coming from the new shower (we put off having the floor laid for several weeks until we were sure it was fixed). If we put toilet tissue on the floor in the two corners (quadrant shower) where the frame met the floor they would be soaked with water after showering. But we couldn't see where it was coming from. The guys said it was likely the frame. They had also removed all the sealant and resealed it twice.

OP posts:

Original poster

Pupsiecola · 24/09/2015 21:11

The shower is directly above the (external) wall the water is running down. This happens after someone has showered. The toilet and basin are on opposite walls. They are used a lot with no post-usage leaking.

OP posts:

wednesdaysocks · 24/09/2015 21:14

Is it tiled? We had a leak caused by a small crack/shrinkage in the grout of the tiles.

TheAnswerIsYes · 24/09/2015 21:18

Can you post a photo?

coconutpie · 24/09/2015 21:19

Could it be the actual shower head that is leaking? As in it is not connected properly to the pipe and so water is flowing down behind the wall? Or could it be that it is not sealed properly due to the weight of a person in it? Sometimes shower leaks happen as the plumber just seals around the top of the tray. Then you stand in it for your shower and the tray actually drops a bit because of the weight and so a leak happens. So plumbers then put a weight in the shower and then seal it to prevent that happening.

Liara · 25/09/2015 21:08

It could also be that the floor under the shower is a bit saggy (if it is wood/old) and so the seals get broken on a regular basis by the movement of the floor.

Tricky to fix, if that. This is why in France whenever the floor is not concrete plumbers will insist on one of those horrible all in one cabins.

Original poster

Pupsiecola · 25/09/2015 21:28

Thanks for the replies. The floor was totally removed and replaced as it was indeed rotten from the previous owner's leaking shower.

OP posts:

Liara · 26/09/2015 20:29

Ah, well then the new floor might be settling somewhat still. What kind of a floor did you replace it with? I'd be looking there for your source of problem.

Ultimately, I don't think legal action will do you much good so long as they are still willing to come and keep trying to fix it, I suspect that it would be more an issue if they refused to do any further work.

Plumbing is, frankly, a bitch. I do a lot of it in my own house and obviously deeply care if it doesn't work, so I am as careful as I possibly can, but I can genuinely say that there are times when it seems no matter what you do there is some bit of water somewhere that just.will.not.stay in its pipes and insists on going around its merry way.

The only solution is to keep coming back to it again, and again, and again until you fix it.

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