Water damage

[Jaimesw]

Sorry if this post is a bit all over the shop, just hope you get what I am trying to explain

 

I live in a shared ownership housing association flat. I own 75% whilst the housing association own the remaining 25%

The flat above mine the owner owns the full 100% and rents it out to a family.

Back on April the 4th I noticed a small wet patch on the kitchen ceiling and as it was late at night and a weekend I sent an email to the housing association about it. The following day I knocked at the flat above and got no reply. I left a note for them to knock at my flat, they didn't. The housing association got back to me on the Tuesday and told me they had phoned the tenants and told them to come down to look at my damage (which they did) they invited me into their flat to show me there was no visible signs of a leak.

At this point my ceiling had got a lot worse and water was starting to seep through into my living room which is next to the kitchen.

 

Anyway to cut a very long story short it took 3 weeks and a lot of phone calls and threats from me to finally force the housing people to convince the owner of the flat above to get the leak found and stopped. The main problem was the Housing association wouldn't give me the landlord above contact details and they reckoned they couldn't get involved other then to pass my messages on because he owns the flat outright.

I have had to pay out £350 excess on buildings and contents insurances to get the work started on my flat and as to this day I have never been told by anyone the cause of the leak because of the data protection act. As far as I am aware I cant claim the money back unless I know what caused the leak because I need to prove where the blame lays.

 

The reason for this post is that after just over three months without living room and kitchen ceilings (which caved in just missing my head on 2 occasions) Also 2 months without washing machine and cooker whilst waiting for new from insurers. Oh and no Electric lights because water got into the light fittings and I have turned the power off at the fuse box. Plus no carpets and living in my bedroom amongst what furniture I saved from the living room.

The builder is meant to be starting work this Tuesday, so imagine my shock when I got home from work tonight and water is peeing all over my kitchen again! I have been upstairs and had a go at the tenants and they told me they phoned the landlord this morning and he hasn't got back to them.

So I have emailed the housing association again as it's the weekend and the emergency number is just for communal repairs!

 

What I want to know is what action if any can I take against the landlord and the housing association as the first time like I say it took 3 weeks to stop the leak which has now started again. I feel I should be compensated in some way as well as get any money I have paid out back!

 

Should I make an appointment to see someone at the citizens advice bureau?

 

If you need to ask me questions to make more sense of my post, please do. I need all the advice I can get!

 

Thanks

[patdavies]

and as to this day I have never been told by anyone the cause of the leak because of the data protection act.

 

Who told you this claptrap?

 

The cause of a leak is not personal data (ie data that can lead to the identity of a living person) and is not covered in any way, shape or form by the DPA