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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

CF Landlord

24 replies

Clareel · 15/11/2017 17:21

So as not to drip feed I'll start from the beginning - currently rent a property in London via an agency that also provides a property management service on behalf of the landlord, so have never met the landlord, have no dealings with them, everything goes through the agency.

A few weeks ago, notice there was a small drip of water under the kitchen sink - not a huge leak or anything and could be contained with a cup under it but it was clear that the pipe had eroded and would need replacing. Called the agency to report this and a guy came the next day to have a look. Once he's here has a look under the sink confirms the pipe needs replacing which he quickly does and then says hes also been asked to have a look under the bath as apparently the flat below have been reporting for months that there is water coming down their walls into their bathroom (directly below ours).

I think it's a bit odd that this is the first I've heard of it although to be fair I've never met the people that live below us so it's not like they could have mentioned it in passing.

So he looks under the bath and it turns out the leak is coming water from the shower being sprayed on the tiles surrounding the bath, which in his words "are not waterproof" and so the lot will need replacing. Tells us not to use the shower (but can still use the bath) in the meantime and he will supply a quote to the agency for the work, which will need to be done in at least a weeks time as the concrete will need to dry out for a week.

I hope this is all making sense - basically at this point the sink is fixed but we are unable to use the shower for a week which is a massive inconvenience, I work 12.5hour shifts and leave the house at 6am so really running a bath at that time of the morning is the last thing I want to be doing but that's what needs to be done so put up with it. Multiple phone calls to the agency throughout the week, told someone will call back, leave a message etc not really getting anywhere.

Finally yesterday, have been without the use of the shower for 1 week now - manage to get through to someone who tells me there will be someone coming out at 3pm today to deal with it. Not very convenient for me at all as I am on nights at the moment as would really like to be sleeping at that time however I'm afraid to put them off in case it ends up being another week or whatever. So today at 3pm a different guy shows up, no tools or equipment with him which I thought was a bit odd - takes a look under the bath again and goes "right, that's me done I'll pass the quote on to the agency". So basically it turns out the landlord wasn't happy with the quote provided by the initial company (who fixed the sink) and now wants a second opinion.

So here I am with no shower still, nothing booked for it to be fixed - I've called the agency again obviously pretty pissed off at this stage (although I was polite) only to be told there's nothing they can do and basically just need to wait for the landlord to make a decision.

So AIBU to think this is totally unacceptable? We're renting a flat with a shower that we haven't been able to use for over a week, will probably be 2 weeks at least by the time it's fixed. I am working nights now and need need need to have a shower when I get home from work, a bath takes way too long and this is all so inconvenient.

Any advice? The landlord is taking the piss right? Although obviously the agency are also useless!

OP posts:
knowwhereyourheadis · 15/11/2017 17:24

Can you take the shower head down, then sit in the bath and hose yourself in a fashion that won't splash the walls?

HighwayDragon1 · 15/11/2017 17:25

Buy oneof the shower heads that can attach to the taps. Getting more than one quote is standard.

Clareel · 15/11/2017 17:29

Ahh thanks for replies guys, forgot to mention I appreciate getting more than one quote is standard, but surely all of the quotes could have been obtained in the week we had to wait for the concrete to dry out - meaning the repair work could have started ASAP after this. The shower head is fixed to the wall so can't take it off but that is a good suggestion about one that attaches to the taps - will defo have a look for one of them!

OP posts:
esk1mo · 15/11/2017 17:31

this has happened to me (twice) and tbh its
not really the end of the world is it?

does your shower head detach ie can you sit in the bath and shower as to not spray the tiles? you can also buy shower attachments for the taps in the bath.

obviously its annoying, you pay rent etc. but you still have a roof over your head, heating, hot water etc.

FinallyDecidedOnUserName · 15/11/2017 17:32

Get one of those pressure fitted shower rod and shower curtain and fit it right in front of the tiles and that ought to be a temporary fix.

schoolBooster · 15/11/2017 17:39

what kind of shower heads are fixed to the wall? You mean a rain shower?

They're all removable. Tried twisting it?

There are so many solutions to the problem; it seems you've only posted hoping that people will agree that all landlords are arseholes and you should currently be in the Dorchester until the issue is sorted.

BalloonSlayer · 15/11/2017 17:43

tbh I'd just start using the shower again and if questioned act all innocent "oh the first guy said not to use the shower but when you got someone else in instead I thought that meant you were not taking his advice." I mean, the damage has been done, how much worse would it get?

maggiecate · 15/11/2017 17:44

Sounds as if it's the bath surround that isn't sealed properly rather than the tiles not being waterproof - it can be a bit of a bugger to fix properly as water will find a way through if there's even a tiny gap.

If you do get an attachment that fixes to the tap be careful that it doesn't leak and splashback and then run down the wall into the flat below - keep the pressure low and dry up straight away.

Clareel · 15/11/2017 17:50

The tiles are definitely the problem as the first guy showed me even a drop of water on them just soaks in straight away - he said they are more display rather than functional tiles as they are mounted on some sort of foam / cork board and shouldn't be for use in the shower. It's not the seal that has gone as he checked all of that and it's intact.

Of course I appreciate that this is not the end of the world, I have a roof over my head and warmth etc, however that's not the point really. I certainly don't think I'm so important and entitled and I'm not expecting the landlord to pay for us to stay in a hotel or anything - just to pull her finger out of her arse and get this fixed!

Another really helpful suggestion regarding putting a curtain up on the wall side of the bath, currently looking for all of these things on amazon. Thanks for all the helpful replies!

OP posts:
schoolBooster · 15/11/2017 17:52

Let me guess @BalloonSlayer - you live in HA property.

You'd happily cause damage and inconvenience to the LL and people below you to prove some kind of little point?

LakieLady · 15/11/2017 17:57

DP was renting when we got together. The tiles in his shower (separate shower cubicle) started to leak and the shower making the wallpaper on the communal landing damp.

His landlord, who owned the whole, house, decided that the best solution was to disable the shower completely, and so we had to used the bath. It was like that for over a year. It was annoying, but no biggie. We managed fine, just got up earlier.

SaucyJack · 15/11/2017 18:00

Just get in as the bath water is running and slosh water over yourself with a plastic jug.

Baths don't really need to take much longer than showers. It doesn't need to be a full on soak with bubbles and a book every time.

It's only gonna be for a week or two longer. It's a minor faff in the grand scheme of inconveniences.

Justgivemesomepeace · 15/11/2017 18:07

I just had my shower replaced and had to have all the re tiling done. It took a few weeks to sort as the first plumber turned out to be a psycho and the second couldn't fit us in for a couple of weeks. We were without a shower for a good few weeks but we coped! It's not always straightforward to sort these things. You have a bath, attach one of thos shower hoses if youre really bothered. Its not ideal and yes he should get it going asap but as long as he's dealing with it and not ignoring what's the problem?

BalloonSlayer · 15/11/2017 18:10

No I don't schoolBooster.

I just wondered whether it mattered all that much since the damage was already done. It's not like someone has said "Whoa! That's about to start leaking through downstairs's ceiling. Better stop using it in case it does!" If she hadn't called them in about a dripping sink they wouldn't have done anything at all and she'd be none the wiser.

However, re-reading the OP, I didn't notice it says it was running down their walls and I wouldn't knowingly inflict that on anyone.

OlennasWimple · 15/11/2017 18:12

A week without a shower is an inconvenience but not a tragedy.

The LL is taking reasonable steps to sort out the problem. S/he is allowed to do so at the best cost to themselves.

Good plumbers aren't sitting around waiting for the business, they are busy. If you owned the house, you might well have been waiting at least this long to get it fixed.

But I appreciate the break down in communication with the agent telling you it will be fixed when it was someone coming to quote is frustrating

PerfumeIsAMessage · 15/11/2017 18:20

When.the flat upstairs had this problem with a shower that was leaking down into our flat, the drip that was inconvenient but, we felt, and their landlord confirmed, not very serious, ended up with our entire bedroom ceiling coming down one Sunday morning. Had dd's bed been a foot nearer the window it would have been on her head.
We were then unable to use the room for 9 months while the restructuring building work went on. When the neighbour actually took us into their flat (to try and prove it wasn't him) nothing at all looked to be wrong and that was how we were initially fobbed off by his LL.
So keep pushing at yours to get the necessary work done, and done properly!

Oldraver · 15/11/2017 18:25

Yes you could put another shower curtain up or even tape plastic sheeting to the wall above the height of the shower head...my folks did this when the seal on their bath went wrong

Clareel · 15/11/2017 18:33

Wow thanks for the perspective guys, I guess IABU! Will just have to suck it up and hope it gets fixed ASAP. Can't agree that a bath is aso quick asearch a shower though, it takes 20 minutes for the bath to fill up and I can be in and out of the shower in 5 minutes. Anyway I'm used to early starts, what's the difference between 5am and 0445am really.

OP posts:
swingofthings · 15/11/2017 18:34

I would bet £100 that the first guy was totally playing it up. What you say makes no sense whatsover? Water splashing on the tiles on the wall being the cause of a supposed leak? How did he possibly come up with this assessment? (one which requires an expensive remedy of course!).

As a LL use initially used an agency, I've learned my lesson after the agency called their plumber after a fault with the boiler and end up charging over £300 to replace a part worth £10. My boyfriend at the time was in the industry so knew very well. Tradesmen love working with agencies... I gave notice to my contract on that day and now deal directly with the tenants and tradesmen.

Your LL is therefore absolutely right to be suspicious and asking for another quote. I would have done so too. However, if there's been no complaint directly to you from the neighbours, surely the issue can't be that bad and I would just continue to use the shower, just wiping the tiles afterwards, just in case.

Clareel · 15/11/2017 18:36

*as quick
*a shower
Hmm

OP posts:
coddiwomple · 15/11/2017 18:40

Are your downstairs neighbours tenants? It is very strange that you have never heard of a leak before!

Unfortunately, a couple of weeks is pretty reasonable when you still have access to a bath - not great, but reasonable. I would be delighted to find a decent plumber who can fix a leak within a week, it takes much longer around my area.

mareemallory · 15/11/2017 18:49

Yes it needs to be fixed, and yes the landlord is reasonable to get multiple quotes, but you can bet it wouldn't take weeks to sort if the problem was in his own home.

Lostbeyondwords · 15/11/2017 20:08

To be fair, yes it will take some time. We deal with this all the time at work, mainly because people don't bother reporting bad grout or damaged bath seals and the water leaks into the property below. don't get me started on people who use buckets of water in lieu of a shower and it slops all over the floor and ruins it

It will take time to dry out, it has to, so don't get the wall wet or it will take even longer. They'll most likely need to re-tile the whole tiled area, and pray that the flooring under the bath isn't spongey and ruined or they'll need to replace that as well which will take even longer. It's annoying, yes, but please sympathise with the people below who have water running down the wall and ruining their decor through no fault of their own.

birdladyfromhomealone · 15/11/2017 21:13

I think I could be your LL, Same story, only my tenant carried on using the shower over the bath although there was a shower cubicle in the en-suite resulting in the Kitchen ceiling coming down.
Family of 5 who have been destructive since day one - a dart board in the hall way resulting in pin pricks all over the wall paper.
A tumble dryer in the kitchen chucking out hot damp air.
drilling holes over the architraves to hang gym equipment for three men to pull themselves up on.
Our agent says they will have to put it right when they leave but the damage far outweighs the deposit.
I cant wait to get them to leave.
You sound a reasonable tenant op.

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