Neighbour's leak... I'm a worried first time buyer!

[Halfwayoranges]

Hello all.

Firstly, the house next door is empty, it's for sale (don't know if that's important).

I live in a mid terrace. The neighbour's bathroom has been leaking, after hearing some VERY loud noises early this morning. The water was running down the outside of the house, as if from the wall of the bathroom itself.

My bathroom and bedroom is next to theirs. How will I know if this water has come into my timbers in my bathroom/bedroom floor and could it cause them to rot?

Thank you!!! Worried First Time Buyer.

I'd get straight on to the EA who is selling the house, quickly. Once the cause is found and stopped, then their insurance can assess any damage to your property.

is it a modern house with cavity walls? If so they are quite resistant to water on the outer leaf reaching the inside wall.

Is the water coming out of a pipe sticking through the wall? Is it a white plastic pipe (should be throwing water away from the house) or a copper pipe, bent back on itself so it squirts at the wall (this would be from a boiler)?

Any sensible householder turns the water off when this happens.

oops, you say it is empty.

Look at your own house. Is there a stopcock in the garden, next to where the garden gate used to be? Or a water meter in the pavement, under a six-inch hatch?

The neighbours house probably has the same, in about the same place. Lift the hatch and turn the water off. A water meter usually has a T handle beside it, down the same hole. Screw it down. You may need a torch and rubber gloves. A spoon handle will lift the small hatch cover. If the hole is full of mud and stones, clean it out with a spoon.

Ask neighbours if they know a local plumber.