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Dampness in neighbour's bathroom

2 replies

ButchyRestingFace · 19/06/2018 07:03

So I'm in the process of selling my freehold tenement flat. All going well and papers off to be signed by new buyers. Great.

Downstairs neighbour has also sold her property and new owners move in over weekend. Immediately they come up to tell me that they have dampness in their bathroom ceiling which wasn't there when they viewed the flat.

So I call out plumber who attends. Looks under bath and can see no sign of any surface water or leak. Advices that I will have to get a joiner out to lift bathroom tiles etc so plumber can investigate under sink area and surrounds.

Call out joiner who also happens to be a plumber. He does inspection of all surface areas, lifts up fitted shelf beside bath to expose main pipes and we run all the taps in the bathroom. No evidence of a leak. Plumber advises against starting to lift tiles as he says the bath and all the tiles and flooring may have to ripped up to find source of the leak. Even then, he can't guarantee that he will be able to find the source or even that the leak is coming from my property and not another flat in the building.

He advises removing part of ceiling in flat to check for the source of leak and hopefully fix it from there.

New neighbours don't want this. They feel it's my problem and therefore dampness should be sourced and fixed from above (my flat) rather than going through their ceiling.

I know nothing about plumbing so was only going on what two plumbers told me. Is it reasonable to expect me to rip my bathroom apart looking for a leak that plumber has said may not be coming from my flat?

OP posts:
superram · 19/06/2018 07:04

No it isn’t, contact your insurance company and ask for advice.

ButchyRestingFace · 19/06/2018 07:35

Thank you. I didn't think it was reasonable but don't know how I stand legally. Obviously I'm keen not to lose the sale on my flat, although I live in a very popular area and would probably sell very quickly if I had to remarket.

I had this vision of the plumber not being able to find the source of the leak, then ripping out my kitchen and starting on every other flat in the building. Sad

OP posts:
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