What to do? - flat related leak

[big bear]

Background - we live in a block of flats that we bought of our local council. Some of the flats are owned, some are council. The are about 1960's built so well built. We pay a service charge to the council.

Anyhow my son spilt a drink on our bedroom floor (wooden flooring) & its gone downstairs. About 6 months he piddled on the floor it went downstairs too. At that time I phoned the council, spoke to repairs/surveyors etc & they said that there was nothing they could do & basically told me I was lying, that this was impossible.

I just don't know what to do as surely something is wrong as you wouldn't expect a small quantity of fluid to go downstairs as they are solid built flats with concrete stairs & are well built well so I thought.

What should I do? X

 

[Beegee]

I suppose it really depends on what your service charge includes. My assumption would be that it is only for the upkeep of the communal areas and the outside. As you have bought the flat I would also guess that you are now responsible for all maintenance and repairs inside just as you would be in any privately owned property. Could you find out who does the maintenance for the council owned flats and see if they can look at yours - even if you have to pay them to do it? Hope you sort it x

 

[big bear]

I suppose it really depends on what your service charge includes. My assumption would be that it is only for the upkeep of the communal areas and the outside. As you have bought the flat I would also guess that you are now responsible for all maintenance and repairs inside just as you would be in any privately owned property. Could you find out who does the maintenance for the council owned flats and see if they can look at yours - even if you have to pay them to do it? Hope you sort it x

Hi the service charge covers all structural repair, communal area cleaning & building insurance. It's just so ridiculous that such a small amount of fluid can go through a concrete floor...

 

[Beegee]

Absolutely - quite worrying. I guess the 'structural repair' is a bit of a grey area. I'd ring the council again hoping to speak to someone more useful and ask them again what you should do and who you should contact if they aren't responsible for repairs. Keep on at them until they tell you something useful!

 

[bilsat]

A lot of the flats built in the 60s were known as "nut & bolt " flats, the walls, floors,stairs were all made off site and craned into place,bolted together then the gaps between them filled in by a labourer with a bucket of "compo" (sand/cement mix) this was to say at the best hit or miss depending on if he was in a rush or not!
You may have a small gap on your floor and this will go right through the floor to the ceiling below, or it could be where a light downstairs was installed through your floor then the top coat screeded over and the floor covering added......
Pete

 

[big bear]

Thinking about this while out walking.

How much damage can a kids drink or a kid peeing on a concrete/wooden floor do? Just curious as I live in a rented flat and I have little ones over and to think if they spilt a cup of drink or pee'd on the kitchen floor was going to cost me I will have to make sure they are in the lounge where there is carpet.

i know its bloody ridiculous...

Spoke to council as its a 'structural' problem basically they said if the neighbour reports it they'll send someone to have a look. It turns out that downstairs have a crack across their ceiling.

Hopefully it gets sorted I don't fancy their ceiling falling down & me landing in bed with them one night lmao XX

 

[AnnaFaraday]

I think it would be a good idea to get together with your neighbour and approach the council together. Obviously it is not normal for such a small amount of liquid to go through a floor, so there is some kind of gap, or hole, that it is going through and you would have thought that the council would want to know what it is before it gets worse. The crack in their ceiling could be a sign of something much worse, and for everyone's peace of mind it needs investigating.