As a resident in an apartment block, one of the most stressful experiences can be a sudden and unexplained leak. You walk into a room, notice a stain on the ceiling and suddenly you see water dripping and running everywhere. So what do you do?
First thing is first - as with most problems, try not to panic. The damage is done, hopefully nobody has been hurt, you simply need to resolve the immediate issue. If you have any valuables, small electronics or expensive furniture that you can move quickly and easily, you might want to get them out of the immediate danger zone.
1. Finding the source
Supply pipes: The priority then is to establish the cause, and stop the water coming in. If water is constantly dripping down then in most cases, your best bet is to go upstairs knock on the door of the flat(s) above you. Following the layout of the corridors and location of the leak, try knocking on doors for the flats above you to see if anyone is in. If the occupant is home, briefly explain the issue and ask them if they are suffering from a leak, or recently had any plumbing work (including kitchen or bathroom repairs). They should then be able to investigate the area you have described for the source. Exchanging phone numbers at this stage can be very useful!
If there is no obvious leak, it is always worth trying to turn off your water, as well as the flat(s) above you - ideally with their consent first! If this stops the dripping in your flat, you could systematically turn the water back on to each flat to confirm which property is the cause.
Every flat should have at least one stopcock, often near the front door in the hallway or boiler cupboard, or sometimes in the kitchen or bathroom. It is also quite common to have a second stopcock in a communal cupboard in the hallway, which may be accessible even if the resident is not home. It helps to check where your stopcock is before you need it - if you don't already know, go and look now!
Waste pipes: Alternatively it is possible that a waste pipe or soil stack could be leaking, either from your property or the one above. This is normally intermittent and will result in a quick flood of water, such as from a shower or flushed toilet. It is still beneficial to let your upstairs neighbours know, and ask them to minimise toilet / shower use until a plumber can attend.
Roof leaks or external leaks: Finally if you are on or near the top floor, consider that there might be a roof leak. Has it been raining recently, or can you look out a window to see if it is currently raining? Depending on the time of day and weather conditions, you may try to arrange a roofer immediately (or call your managing agent to do so) but often leaks will occur overnight and you may simply have to wait until the next day. Even if you have an Out Of Hours or emergency service, often it is simply not possible for roofers to safely repair damage in certain scenarios.
2. Minimising damage
If you've been able to turn the water off, good job; but not everyone is so lucky. In any case, you'll want to minimise damage, whether to personal belongings, fixtures in the flat or the property itself. If you can mop up some water or put towels down and safely drain the excess away, that can save a lot of repair work. You might simply be able to redirect drips or water flow to a nearby sink or bath to avoid the problem getting worse. Sometimes it can be necessary to turn off electric circuits to avoid potential fire risks, but only if water is near to electrical appliances or cables.
3. Call in the professionals
Turning off the water is an excellent short term fix, and redirecting water is a useful temporary solution. But as soon as you can, notifying your letting agent or block managing agent (if you have one) or simply calling a plumber or roofer will really help you get to the bottom of the problem as soon as possible.
The more information you can provide about the issue, the sooner the leak will be repaired - is it external, is it coming via the roof or walls, is it a waste pipe / soil stack, has it come from a supply pipe and if so for which flat? The key point is to explain HOW to access the source e.g. which flat to go into so that this can be arranged quickly.
4. Record damages
Depending on the severity of the problem, you may consider an insurance claim on the buildings insurance policy and/or your contents insurance policy. In either case, the insurers will want to know when the leak occurred, when it was first noticed, and the extent of the damage. The best way to record this is by taking photos as soon as possible to document what has happened.
Even if you do not claim on insurance, any contractors that come in for repairs will benefit from photos of damages before they attend,
5. Arrange repairs
The responsibility for repairs may not be immediately obvious, and like most matters in a block of flats, it will depend on the terms of the leases. Your managing agent should be able to advise you in any case, and will normally have responsibility for roof repairs. Supply pipes are most often the responsibility of the flat to which they supply water, so you'll need to speak to the owner of the flat above to agree any repairs or progress an insurance claim. Waste pipes can be more complicated, and it normally depends on exactly where the fault has occurred as to who is responsible for repairs under the terms of the lease.
Summary
It is important to remember that, in most cases, leaks are not malicious acts by individuals but generally accidents that can affect anyone. They cause stressful situations and those involved need to practice efficient communication to minimise the damage caused.
1. Finding the source - check upstairs, and turn off the water if appropriate!
2. Minimise damage - protect your belongings and the rest of the flat if you can.
3. Call the professionals - contact your agent or at least a contractor to resolve.
4. Record damages - important for insurance claims and planning repairs.
5. Arrange repairs - if everything is well documented, it should be straightforward to make good.
Leaks are one of the most common problems for a managing agent to deal with, so they should be able to guide you through the process as necessary. The important thing to remember is to find and stop the source as early as possible, before contacting your agent to arrange repairs.
Our team at Love Property Management has dealt with hundreds of leaks over the years and has a lot of sympathy for those that suffer water damage in their homes - normally at the most inconvenient times. We're always eager to help resolve such problems as soon as we can, and get your property back to normal as early as possible.
But hopefully you'll never need to call us about a leak.
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