Last Friday around lunchtime I noticed water coming through the ceiling in the cupboard under my stairs (traditional two-up / two-down terraced house), it looked like it hadn't been coming in for long and that I'd noticed fairly quickly, only a small puddle of water on the floor and the water was more of a constant trickle as opposed to a heavy gush. Turning off the stop cock in our kitchen didn't stop the water, so we turned the stop cock on the street to stop the flow of water - this street stop cock turns water off for both our property, and the adjoining house. We knocked next door but no one answered. We left a note asking them to knock or call us.
An emergency plumber booked by my insurance company eventually turned up Saturday morning (talk about emergency service...) who cut the plasterboard away where the water was coming through, who confirmed what we'd already deduced being that the water was coming from next door.
I've attached a picture of the window of the room where we believe the water is coming from - which lines up with where the water is coming through. Our deduction is that this smashed window has caused the temperature in that room (likely a bathroom) to drop below freezing causing a pipe to expand and split - hence the leak now.
Eventually we made contact with the owner, who it turns out rents to another individual, who it turns out sublets to whoever it is that currently 'occupies' the house. We don't believe anyone lives there, but we know the property is at least visited. The note I mentioned above has at least been moved from the front door along with other mail, as we can see nothing on the doormat through the glass.
It's no Wednesday evening, we've been without running water for 6 days, and the owner and landlord are both dragging their feet and giving all sorts of excuses for not entering the property. The landlord has even told the owner that a plumber visited the property today and couldn't find a leak... which they wouldn't have since we've turned off the water to that property... but what sort of plumber looking for a leak wouldn't even turn on a tap to check? Regardless, we believe the landlord is lying to the owner anyway.
Basically - is there anything we can do to get this sorted since neither the owner or the landlord are showing any urgency or even intention to get this sorted. I'm faced with the option of either having running water but flooding my own property, or living without running water.
Any thoughts welcome, but something other than sympathy and 'good luck' would be great - which is all we've gotten from the police, our insurance company, our water provider, citizens advice, the council and environmental health so far.
An emergency plumber booked by my insurance company eventually turned up Saturday morning (talk about emergency service...) who cut the plasterboard away where the water was coming through, who confirmed what we'd already deduced being that the water was coming from next door.
I've attached a picture of the window of the room where we believe the water is coming from - which lines up with where the water is coming through. Our deduction is that this smashed window has caused the temperature in that room (likely a bathroom) to drop below freezing causing a pipe to expand and split - hence the leak now.
Eventually we made contact with the owner, who it turns out rents to another individual, who it turns out sublets to whoever it is that currently 'occupies' the house. We don't believe anyone lives there, but we know the property is at least visited. The note I mentioned above has at least been moved from the front door along with other mail, as we can see nothing on the doormat through the glass.
It's no Wednesday evening, we've been without running water for 6 days, and the owner and landlord are both dragging their feet and giving all sorts of excuses for not entering the property. The landlord has even told the owner that a plumber visited the property today and couldn't find a leak... which they wouldn't have since we've turned off the water to that property... but what sort of plumber looking for a leak wouldn't even turn on a tap to check? Regardless, we believe the landlord is lying to the owner anyway.
Basically - is there anything we can do to get this sorted since neither the owner or the landlord are showing any urgency or even intention to get this sorted. I'm faced with the option of either having running water but flooding my own property, or living without running water.
Any thoughts welcome, but something other than sympathy and 'good luck' would be great - which is all we've gotten from the police, our insurance company, our water provider, citizens advice, the council and environmental health so far.
