Leak from upstairs flat - not sure what else to do

[MinesaBottle]

We live in a downstairs maisonette, and the bathroom upstairs is above our living room at the back. This week, water started dripping through from upstairs and down the walls, and causing the paint to bubble. Upstairs neighbours are away until tomorrow but we’ve let them know – no idea if there’s damage in their bathroom! This morning it had got worse, so we turned off the water, it’s a shared stopcock to both flats, and that’s stopped the dripping so it must be in the pipes. We don’t have a spare key, and they have not long moved in so haven’t given anyone a spare yet anyway.

They’re back tomorrow and said they’d get a plumber – I’ve told them we had to turn off the water until that happens and they’ve just replied asking haven’t we had someone in to check it? I’m not sure what to say…it’s definitely coming from upstairs and we can’t get in there, I’ve sent them photos so it’s easy to see where it’s coming from and the only water pipes in that part of the building are in their bathroom. I think they’re a bit annoyed/worried that we’ve turned off the water, but I’d rather that than our ceiling coming down or water leaking into our electrics. I’m not sure what they expect us to do until they get back and can get into their flat…is there something else we should be doing in the meantime? As far as insurance, do we need to let ours know? The pipes are theirs and according to the lease they are responsible for them (it’s a share of freehold, we both own).

Call your insurance company for a start?

I will do - never been in this situation before!

They are out of order. You have every right to turn off the water to prevent further damage to your flat, and they cannot be surprised that you are unable to deal with the issue if it is coming from their flat! To which you do not have keys!

They sound ridiculous.

Honestly at the level you describe OP I think what you probably should have done was contact upstairs and tell them they need to help you break into their flat so a plumber can assess it. If there's a major leak and nothing has been done for a week (!) there is every likelihood the ceiling will still collapse. Unless you impressed upon them the seriousness of the leak, I think you've been a bit remiss in not turning off the water/finding another way to gain access. It sounds like it could be a burst pipe.

I would have expected access to their flat before they returned. All the buildings I’ve lived in have been large enough that at the least one of the residents acted as an on-site caretaker and had copies of all the keys and was responsible for watering the flowers and such. Without that, these seems like a locksmith situation.

Yes I think considering the situation you should have probably told them they needed to arrange a locksmith and plumber to attend. I'm guessing you dont feel it's bad enough for that ?

All you can reply is that there is little you can do without breaking into the flat !

Did you call a plumber out at all?
Yes to insurance as PP said. This will need inspection.

A friend of mine had something similar, other than water was literally pouring in. She had no idea what to do and eventually they called someone (water board maybe?) who advised to phone the Fire Brigade.

FB turned up and knocked the door down to shut the water off! I wouldn't have wanted to be that neighbour when they got home to find their front door boarded up!

I think you've done the right thing in turning off the water. I'm not sure realistically what other choice you have.

As you say, if the water's coming in from above you and it's stopped now you've turned the stopcock off, it's clearly a problem in their flat. Short of calling someone to have them remove your ceiling to have a look, it's easier to wait for someone to come and take up their flooring, especially as they're back tomorrow.

You need to ask them for written permission for a locksmith and plumber that they will pay for to prevent the damage their plumbing is causing. They should be insured so it will probably only cost them their excess no matter what is required.

Also look at your building insurance - you said you co own the freehold. You should have some cover, obligations in there too!

If the leak is significant enough to be causing damage to your flat, they should be either coming back themselves or paying a locksmith and plumber to attend. Unfortunately if they haven't there's not much more you can that what you have. Absolutely contact your insurance company. Keep a record of the contact you've made with them for the insurance company.

It’s four slow drips down the wall so we didn’t think it was that bad at first, now bubbles have appeared in the paint above a light switch so we turned off the water. Just spoke to insurance co, there’s not much we can do until the neighbours get back but I have a claim number now. They’re not horrible people or anything, just young and new homeowners and probably have no experience with leaks either! We’re in no way blaming them as these things can happen, and I’ve made that clear to them.

This is such a pain and I really feel for you. I've recently purchased a flat alone and my worry is stuff like this as I'm really clueless. I might leave a cut key with the neighbour actually. I hope you get it sorted.

I really hope their bathroom is ok seeing as they’ve been away for a week! I understand it’s a pain when you get back from holiday and all you want to do is chill and have a cuppa but this needs sorting urgently doesn’t it? I don’t want to fall out with them and now I’m worrying about that too — aaagh!

Also, we have no water either as it’s a shared stopcock so it’s not as if I’m relaxing in a deep bath with a gallon of tea right now!

If it’s near your light then you’ll need to watch it doesn’t get into the electrics!

I'm assuming they are on holiday in this country rather than abroad due to current restrictions (assuming you're in the UK). They need to cut short their holiday and get themselves home today so they can get a plumber to sort it and give you your water supply back.

The damage will mainly be to you. But their insurance should pay. Take LOTS of photos. This happened to us, but neighbour was in and took us into the house to show us that nothing was coming from them, and if you looked at their bathroom it seemed that was the case. We ended up via plumbers, insurance, building management and solicitors getting their floor taken up where the leak was coming from. Nightmare.
Good luck, and remember the photos/video footage.

Yes, all in the UK. They’ll be home in the morning. We’ve filled a lot of jugs, buckets, kettle etc so ok for water until then I think! And we can give them a couple of bottles if they need it. I guess we’ll have to turn it back on when the plumber comes though?

Geamradh the only water pipes in that part of the building are their bathroom ones and there are only the two flats so it can’t be coming from anywhere else…so hopefully it’s an open-and-shut case!

@MinesaBottle

If you've got water leak anywhere near your lighting/sockets anything electric, shut off your electricity too, or you might well find everything goes ''bang'' ! Could even start a fire.

We could shut it off just to the living room I think. I’m worried about that now!

Your insurance company will send out an assessor of the damage - so leave things as they are but move your belongings that are near the leak. You've done your best to mitigate the damage by shutting off water but I'd be expecting profuse apologies when neighbours return and details of their insurance company (or their landlords details if they rent)

How frustrating
They may have just left a plug in and tap on slowly

Your insurance company will argue it out with theirs if they determine upstairs flat neighbours are responsible for the damage. And they will arrange for electrics etc to be checked- take photos ++ of everything in place and leak damage - before you move them aside as insurance should be asking for all your damage to be covered

While on holiday a few years ago, we had a leak which affected our downstairs neighbour, they got police/fire brigade to break into our flat to turn off the water. When we arrived home we assumed we had been burgled.
Do they should think themselves lucky all you have done is turn off the water.

I had a leak when I was away. It was from a newly plumbed in washing machine. My neighbours called the fire brigade. They broke in and sorted out the leak. There was a lot of water. I wouldn’t have been sat waiting for them to return. They should have sorted our getting a plumber round asap