Rotten floorboard under bath - what to do?

[BabCNesbitt]

A few months ago we had a leak from a tap on our bath that we only discovered when the ceiling below started to discolour. There was some damp under the bath, but once the plumber had fixed the tap, he said to leave the side panel off for a while to let it dry out and it should be fine.

I’ve noticed recently a slightly sour damp smell in the bathroom and took the side panel off again. The floorboard under the bath (old wooden ones in tiny Victorian terrace) has rotted away completed in one spot. It’s dry and crumbly rather than damp, but there’s a visible hole.

What now? Do I need to have the bath ripped out to replace the floorboard? Is this something that my insurance would cover or should I just accept I’ll have to deal myself? (DH moved out a few months ago so I’m on a tight budget, gah.) And should I contact a plumber first or a builder/joiner?

Thanks! I’m not in the slightest bit handy and have no friends or relatives who know about these things so I’m not sure where to start!

Depends on where the board is rotten. If it’s not supporting anything then you could just leave it, though I’d be tempted to try and pull it out so the rot doesn’t spread to neighbouring boards. If the board has the bath feet resting on it or the damp has migrated to the joists then it’s a bit more of a concern. Is the leak completely fixed? The wood should have dried. You could try putting a hairdryer or similar under there for a bit to dry it all out completely.