Repairing leak in central heating system

[Alison556]

The council will repair damage to my mum's ceiling and walls but they won't cover decorating, so we need to sort that out - whether it's the neighbour's insurance or whether BG have to sort it.

 

[Burnerman]

Talk about bloody incompetence.....local authority property or no, I'd want someone's goolies for this if it was mine.
John

 

[Alison556]

Oh don't worry, I do. I've just done all that decorating with a broken wrist and I'm ready to kill somebody

 

[dilalio]

What has your neighbour said about it?

 

[Alison556]

First of all she said she couldn't have a leak cos there was no water on her floor (no, it was under the floor). Now she says all she can do is say sorry...................

According to her though, she's had BG out 17 times because the pressure in the boiler kept dropping and she asked them where it was going and did she have a leak and they said no.

 

[Burnerman]

Its hard to believe that any 'skilled' person could allow such a volume of water to spill in a ceiling and not give a toss about where it went......as it was a BG contractor they would be getting the sharp edge of my tongue, and cobblers to the idea about claiming for it on my insurance.
Do keep us updated!
John

 

[Alison556]

Will do. I spoke to BG last night but of course, it was the weekend, so I've to phone tomorrow morning and I'll be phoning the council as well - mainly because I have a sneaking suspicion that neighbour intends replacing some floorboards that are rotten but not doing anything about the joist. And no way in hell is my mum claiming off her insurance.

It was his attitude as well - saying that as long as the neighbour's leak was sorted that's all he had to do. He didn't understand how water flooded down into my mum's.

 

[Alison556]

Update - phoned BG who then put me through to Dyno, their sub contractors. They're going to investigate things but have said that if the leak was pre-existing, then they won't be liable for any damage. Well, yes, the leak was pre-existing - that's what they were out to repair but it doesn't excuse the fact that their guy cut the pipe and added to the damage by allowing the system to drain into my mum's house.

The neighbour is quite emphatic that she's not paying for anything and won't be claiming from her insurance - she wants Dyno to pay to replace her floor and her floor covering.

I just want her insurance details - if BG are liable because they didn't attend to the leak when she's reported it, then I'd assume that her insurance company would fight about that - but for my mum, she just wants things in her house sorted.

 

[ianmcd]

contact your mothers insurers , they arent just there to make a claim they will advise you, and most probably take out the correspondence with the other parties on your mums behalf

 

[Alison556]

I phoned them this morning as well and they said that since we can't prove that we told neighbour about the leak, it would come off my mum's insurance - our best best was to contact neighbour's insurers direct and let them deal with it as to who was negligent. Neighbour won't give insurance details - according to her, BG have accepted liability and they're going to deal with it.

 

[Agile]

Firstly, I do expect that BG will deal with it because they don't like bad publicity.

Secondly, Dynorod are a Company wholly owned by BG now and they do plumbing work required by BG.

Thirdly, the correct legal procedure is for Mum to file a civil claim against upstairs lady! Then she passes that to her insurers ( if any ) and they then settle the claim at their discretion.

Rather more than most older mums are really able to do unless they are solicitors!

Tony

 

[Alison556]

It's all so complicated and the perils of having a neighbour who is above you and can wreck your property.

Was checking at my mum's today and yep, the water is travelling along the ceiling and down the wall. Council plasterer is targetted to be out by 16th May.

Mother wouldn't let me have words with neighbour and says that she'll give neighbour the couple of days she said for BG to get back in touch with her. Neighbour is now getting really shirty about things - she is not paying for anything and she's certainly not claming off her insurance - if BG aren't going to pay for everything, then she isn't.

Just as well my mate's a solicitor..................... I may be needing her

 

[Burnerman]

One of the perils of living in a flat, Alison but lets keep things in perspective for now......all you rightly want is for your mum's place to be reinstated into the way it was before the incident - whether the lady above wants to pursue matters concerning rotten joists or whatever is up to her and her insurers.
Personally I'd hope BG would just sort things for you and that would be the end of it - particularly as you 'minimised further damage by your prompt actions'.
Hoping all goes well!
John

 

[Agile]

It is not likely to come to any litigation because BG are almost certain to settle it if pushed.

But the normal way would be to sue the upstairs lady as the leak came from her flat. Not really any argument on that fact. Assuming you have the photos as evidence.

An alternative would be to sue Dynorod but that would be difficult because you would need to prove negligence. In spite of what you might think, that would be very difficult to do in Court. A simple defence would be for them to claim that all the water came from the original leak and their plumber just repaired the leak correctly.

But the most that would ever happen is for your mate to send a solicitor's letter. That has no real effect but serves to focus people's minds.

Tony

 

[DaveHerns]

Is it worth all this aggro for a bit of redecorating after the council have repaired the buildings damage. Do you want your mother to have a potentially hostile upstairs neighbour. OK you could threaten him / her with your solicitor friend but things could still get unpleasant.