To expect neighbours to pay for damage

[Mushroo]

We live in a flat and upstairs had a leak which means we need our kitchen repainting.

In this scenario should upstairs pay for this? Or do we just suck it up?

(We both own the flats and share the freehold so there isn’t a management company).

I think you’d claim on your insurance, who would them claim on theirs.

Their insurance surely? That happened to us (also flats) and once our plumber had located the source of the leak the upstairs flat paid.

It’s probably not enough we’d bother claiming on our insurance, given the excess and then the increased premiums.

Just not sure what the ‘done thing’ is in these situations.