Leak Above

[Ian]

Hi - our neighbour - not here at the moment but her daughter has been here with her boyfriend and goes home tonight - has a leak in the bathroom causing damage to their bathroom ceiling.

It looks pretty certain the apartment above (nice Turkish neighbours but a language problem for us all) needs some sealant in their bathroom - but when the youngsters went up to see them they said "we haven't got a leak". They have asked me to try and do something..

I will ring Engin tomorrow and ask him to look at the ceiling - I am sure that will result in him having a word upstairs but 2 questions:

1) Should the lady above pay for the job if it is in her apartment?

2) They have a policy with Baris - if they decide to also have their ceiling repaired as it has bowed - is there a procedure to follow or do we just get Engin to do the job and provide an invoice and then submit a claim and hope?

[tonysue]

In my experience the insurance company will need to be satisfied where the problem lies and how it will be rectified before they will pay up. I would get them involved at the outset, let them speak to the neighbour, if they have a policy then let the companies thrash it out between them, because if the neighbour refuses to acknowledge the problem let alone have it fixed then its stalemate. Good luck.

[tinkerman]

Speak to Baris, they should send an assessor round, who in turn will contact their own builder for an estimate.

[Ian]

Many thanks for the replies - will get hold of Baris on Monday.

Ian  

[SteveJ]

A very similar problem happened at my apartment in May. Fortunately my neighbour above is British and much more co-operative. The people upstairs may not be able to see a leak but the pipes which service their bathroom run in a void between their bathroom floor and the ceiling below and this is probably where you will find the leak. The ceiling will have to be taken down, repair the leak and replace the ceiling. In my experience the repair costs should be met by the people upstairs.

[tinkerman]

not if it's made of concrete it wont, the leak needs repairing then a drying out period and a repaint.

[cenk]

Ian
It is their responsibilty.
Better try to make them to make it repaired and they pay for it, as it may be too late to get money from them after you made all works done.

[Ian]

Cenk / Steve / Tinx / TonySue - thanks for your advice.

I will go to see Baris as the first step and "hope" he can guide us??

It is a plasterboard ceiling so hopefully not as bad as it would be with a solid floor.

Thanks again - Ian