Please help - next door leak

[Maisie999]

Can anyone give me some advice please. My mum is 85 and lives alone in a terrace house. Her neighbours have had major work done in the house about three years ago. They have a downstairs shower room which has started (4 weeks ago) leaking into my mums house and has caused damage to the wall, skirting and carpet. My mum has asthma which has worsened since this. The neighbours are uncooperative. The insurance won't pay as the leak is still there. Can anyone give me some advice on 1. How to get the leak stopped and 2. How my mum can claim for the damage? Thank you

[mariner51]

Contact Council EHO for site inspection?

Are either properties rented?

[Maisie999]

Contact Council EHO for site inspection?

Are either properties rented?

 

Hi, thank you. No they are both ex council houses but now owned. Environmental Health and Building Control Services both say they won't get involved as its a civil matter!

[king12345]

Hi, thank you. No they are both ex council houses but now owned. Environmental Health and Building Control Services both say they won't get involved as its a civil matter!

 

You have to insist that it's an h&s matter, not a civil claim.

Tell them that your mum's health is deteriorating because of this and they must do something.

If they refuse go up the chain.

In my experience it's very difficult to deal with council, unless you make formal complaints against everyone that fobs you off.

They seem to be scared of personal complaints, maybe they affect their bonus.

[camptownraces]

By the sound of it, both houses were acquired from council some years ago. If so, it's no longer the council's responsibility to maintain the buildings. The owner occupiers have a duty to keep the houses in good repair. Building Control's involvement would have ended when next door's shower room was completed. Not sure that this would be high priority issue for Environmental Health, unfortunately. There is a civil matter - it's between mother and her neighbour.

 

Get back to mother's insurers: of course they should set up a claim on her behalf - there is damage against an insured risk, getting worse by the day. Don't put up with any nonsense.

 

Mother's insurers then claim off neighbour's insurers, or neighbour in person if not insured.