More of a grumble than an ask for help

[Hummusanddipdip]

I'm actually quite angry and need to rant.

DH and I moved into our new home before Christmas, approx 2 weeks ago we discovered a bit of damp on the garage ceiling (internal, directly below our ensuite) called a plumber, he sealed the shower tray up, said leave it a few days and start using it again. Started using it again, still leaking, so we asked my dad (handyman sort) to have a look, he said the shower wasn't sealed properly, sealed it up, said leave a couple days and start using it again. You'll never guess what... it was still leaking, so dh, curious type he is, cut some lovely holes in the garage ceiling 🤦‍♀️ to find black mould, lots of damp and found the water ran back down the inlet pipe after the shower was turned off. We called the plumber back out, who took one look and said "you need to talk to insurance, I'm not going to touch that because I don't think you should have to pay for that" Fair.

I called our home insurance company, they sent a leak detection engineer out and he spent almost 2 hours here trying to find the leak, pulled the side of the shower tray off and found water is coming out back of the shower into the wall/insulation and dripping all over the floor underneath. Untold damage to the wall behind the shower.

Now this is where things get sticky and I'm concerned that insurance will refuse the claim as we are not covered for preexisting damage (understandable) however the house was fully redecorated top to bottom in April/May last year before the house went on the market in June, and then stood empty until we moved in a few days before Christmas.

On top of that, I have also this evening noticed damp on the ceiling below the bathroom, so think there may be a leak there too. I've emailed our home insurance to ask if I will need to open a new claim or if that one can be looked at under the same claim as the ensuite.

I've also emailed our conveyancer who did the purchase for us and asked if they can contact the vendors solicitor to ask if there is history of leaking and or damp in those two rooms, I'm not going to go after the vendor, I just want an idea of how old this damage could be and how bad/disruptive this could get.

If you got to the end of that, thanks.

If the water damage in the kitchen is caused by the same leak it should come under the same insurance claim.
Water is quite happy to track horizontally until it finds an easy way down and can show up in multiple places especially over boards under tiles or vinyl
Typically a leak will show quickly and if it is getting increasingly bad in a short space of time it would be difficult for a claims adjuster to say it was pre existing.

Thank you for your reply @Surplus2requirements hopefully they wont refuse the repairs, and looking at the ombudsman, because the was no evidence of a leak upon purchase, we're in good stead for them having no choice but to.

Sadly, I'm not sure the additional damage from the same leak, the ensuite leak is above the garage and although the bathroom is directly next door to it, the damp is in the hallway, a good 5/6 foot from the garage and under the bath which is fixed to the opposite wall.

I wouldn't necessarily dismiss it could be the same leak, water usually runs down between sheet materials and plaster board is 8'x4' and caber type floor boards are 8'x2' so negotiating the two water can travel significant distance horizontally.

If the bath is the cause 8 out of 10 times it's because someone has unscrewed the waste from the top to clear it out which breaks the seal on the u bend underneath though as there's usually a hole cut in the floor for the u bend any leak in the area will often appear underneath there first.

I hope you get it sorted.