Water Leaks

If you live in a flat and water is coming through the ceiling from the flat above:

Knock on their front door and let the resident upstairs know.

If the source of the leak is clear – a washing machine or a leaking shower tray for instance, the resident upstairs needs to stop using that appliance and instruct a plumber or engineer to come in and fix the problem.

If the source of the leak is not clear the resident upstairs will need to turn off the water to the flat using the stop-cock and call an emergency plumber to attend to source the leak and repair it.

If the resident is not at home, call our office on 0203 475 9067. We may be able to contact the owner of the flat and get them to return to deal with the problem. Outside working hours you can report the issue via our website 24 hours a day 365 days a year via the Resident Portal and seek emergency help.

Please note that if the owner upstairs is not home, and we cannot contact them, we cannot simply break into their property to deal with the problem. We would instead look to isolate the water supply to the floor on which the flat is located.

Breaking into a property to stop a leak is very much the last resort when there is no other option and there is a health and safety risk or that considerable damage will be caused to the building unless the leak is stopped immediately.

If you are in a top floor flat and the leak is coming through the roof of the building:

Please report the problem via the Resident Portal or call us on 0203 475 9067. 

In all cases:

• Turn off all lights and electrical sockets close to where the water is entering.
• Do what you can to limit any damage by catching dripping water in a bucket or bowl, moving furniture away from the leak and any other steps you can to reduce the loss.

If you live in the flat which is causing the leak:

It is your responsibility to repair the leak. If you need our help to source and stop the leak please ask.

You are also responsible for the cost to repair damage in the flat(s) below and any communal areas including the damage to possessions, furniture and carpets or flooring, that is not covered by insurance. In all cases you may be responsible for any insurance excesses.

It is therefore vitally important that you stop the leak as quickly as possible to minimise the damage caused.

What will the Buildings Insurance cover?

The buildings insurance will usually cover:

• The sourcing of the leak but not the repair itself. For example, it will pay the plumber’s time for finding that a pipe is leaking under the bath, but it won’t pay for his time repairing that leak.

• Consequential damage to the building. This would include repairs and redecorating the ceilings and walls to the flat(s) and communal areas damaged by the water.

The buildings insurance will not cover:

• Damage to contents in the flat(s) below that have been damaged including, in most cases, carpets and flooring. The owner of the flat below will need to make a claim on his or her contents insurance policy who may then claim from the person responsible for the leak.

• The buildings insurance will not pay the excess on the policy. 

Things to remember when a claim is to be made on the Buildings Insurance:

The insurers will always want to see photographs of the damage. Take plenty from a variety of angles and perspectives so the insurers can see the extent of the damage.

The insurers will always want to see a copy of the repair invoice for the leak itself. This is evidence to them that they cause of the leak has been addressed and is unlikely to happen again after they spend money repairing the damage below.

The insurers will want to see a minimum of two estimates for the repairs to the damaged flats and more if it is a significant cost. We can help in getting contractors to give estimates.

Please remember that the repairs cannot be done until the insurers accept one of the estimates and say they can proceed. If repairs are done before they have given that go ahead, the insurers may refuse to pay some or all of the costs.

Where the damage is extensive and the costs of repair very high, insurers may appoint Loss Adjusters who will attend and assess the damage and advise the insurers before agreeing to get the repairs done.