Sink flooding in the flat below causing issues.... what now?
Discussion
I live in 2nd floor flat.
People moved out of 1st floor flat 4 months ago
people in ground floor flat are getting flooded from water backing up into 1st floor flat from our sink and washing machine (same disposal pipe).
There is no issues with bath room suite and so the pipe that connects to the main waste is at fault.
so my washing machine and sink are attached to same waste pipe, this goes down and is attached to 1st flooe flat waste pipe for their washing machine and sink, this then runs to main disposal pipe.
so there is something blocking the pipe down from the 1st floor flat to the main waste disposal pipe.
The previous tennants have admitted problems before in their sink backing up and they have fixed it when needed, but now noone lives there its flooding their sink.
owner of the 1st floor flat decided to sort it himself and put 1 shot down it about a week ago and that seemed to sort it out, cue today he comes round and states it has flooded again in the 1st floor kitchen (though he didnt state if it was the sink or the pipe he broke going into the wall outside)... since they have had noone living there 4 four months and you he sorted it out last time and it does it again now, it must be our fault and basically b
hed and screamed at the OH.
Now he says I should call a plumber out at my expense even though he was happy to atempt a bodge job with one shot.
Now I know nothing goes down our sink or washing machine into the waste except water as the OH is an avid recycler of all waste including food, so nothing is forced down the sink... And I know the couple that used to live downstairs are not the cleanest of people and know they used to force stuff down the sink (have seen this) but cant prove it.
So were do I stand?
Put 1 shot down from my flat and then offer to pay half the plumber bill? If I pay the bill you can be damn certain he will refuse to pay and simply say thanks but call it travelling costs for me.
How does things like this get solved, where is my boundry and where is his?
Hes in the final stage of selling so no worrys over a dispute if I have legal back up that its his issue and not mine...
People moved out of 1st floor flat 4 months ago
people in ground floor flat are getting flooded from water backing up into 1st floor flat from our sink and washing machine (same disposal pipe).
There is no issues with bath room suite and so the pipe that connects to the main waste is at fault.
so my washing machine and sink are attached to same waste pipe, this goes down and is attached to 1st flooe flat waste pipe for their washing machine and sink, this then runs to main disposal pipe.
so there is something blocking the pipe down from the 1st floor flat to the main waste disposal pipe.
The previous tennants have admitted problems before in their sink backing up and they have fixed it when needed, but now noone lives there its flooding their sink.
owner of the 1st floor flat decided to sort it himself and put 1 shot down it about a week ago and that seemed to sort it out, cue today he comes round and states it has flooded again in the 1st floor kitchen (though he didnt state if it was the sink or the pipe he broke going into the wall outside)... since they have had noone living there 4 four months and you he sorted it out last time and it does it again now, it must be our fault and basically b
hed and screamed at the OH.Now he says I should call a plumber out at my expense even though he was happy to atempt a bodge job with one shot.
Now I know nothing goes down our sink or washing machine into the waste except water as the OH is an avid recycler of all waste including food, so nothing is forced down the sink... And I know the couple that used to live downstairs are not the cleanest of people and know they used to force stuff down the sink (have seen this) but cant prove it.
So were do I stand?
Put 1 shot down from my flat and then offer to pay half the plumber bill? If I pay the bill you can be damn certain he will refuse to pay and simply say thanks but call it travelling costs for me.
How does things like this get solved, where is my boundry and where is his?
Hes in the final stage of selling so no worrys over a dispute if I have legal back up that its his issue and not mine...
You contact the Management Company, who can either give you details of the flat's leaseholder, or they may even have a key to enter the property. You will find under the terms of the Lease, in an emergency entry can be forced, ie break in the the flat, but speak with the Management Company first. This link may offer further help to you http://www.lease-advice.org/contact/
Wings said:
You contact the Management Company, who can either give you details of the flat's leaseholder, or they may even have a key to enter the property. You will find under the terms of the Lease, in an emergency entry can be forced, ie break in the the flat, but speak with the Management Company first. This link may offer further help to you http://www.lease-advice.org/contact/
I can do that myself... Im on speaking terms with the leaseholder, just didnt appreciate the attitude he showed to the OH and know that if I pay it he will pull a fast one as thats the kind of person he is... Got that info of the old tennants (his brother in law)Sounds like poor drainage arrangement.
Regardless of the location of the fault, you're the person causing the flooding.
The solution is to gain access to the drain run and 'fix' it. Unfortunately this means accessing the empty flat.
I think the answer lies in your lease. If the leaseholder of the empty flat is not going to act to repair then you'll need to engage the Landlord. It could mean possible forfitsure of the empty flats lease so it's in the Landlord's interests to act. You may not like their agents but unfortunately that's what comes with flat ownership.
Regardless of the location of the fault, you're the person causing the flooding.
The solution is to gain access to the drain run and 'fix' it. Unfortunately this means accessing the empty flat.
I think the answer lies in your lease. If the leaseholder of the empty flat is not going to act to repair then you'll need to engage the Landlord. It could mean possible forfitsure of the empty flats lease so it's in the Landlord's interests to act. You may not like their agents but unfortunately that's what comes with flat ownership.
mk1fan said:
Regardless of the location of the fault, you're the person causing the flooding.
where did you get that from? by the op`s first post it would seem he is adament that it is nothing he has done, perhaps it is the fault of the guy in the bottom flat or to do with the middle flat.you must be far more familiar with that particular block of flats and their situation than me to have that information i guess.
Dupont666 said:
people in ground floor flat are getting flooded from water backing up into 1st floor flat from our sink and washing machine (same disposal pipe).
There is no issues with bath room suite and so the pipe that connects to the main waste is at fault.
so my washing machine and sink are attached to same waste pipe, this goes down and is attached to 1st flooe flat waste pipe for their washing machine and sink, this then runs to main disposal pipe.
so there is something blocking the pipe down from the 1st floor flat to the main waste disposal pipe.
For those that don't read posts properly.There is no issues with bath room suite and so the pipe that connects to the main waste is at fault.
so my washing machine and sink are attached to same waste pipe, this goes down and is attached to 1st flooe flat waste pipe for their washing machine and sink, this then runs to main disposal pipe.
so there is something blocking the pipe down from the 1st floor flat to the main waste disposal pipe.
I still think you need to check your lease for responsibility of the waste pipes.
Although the flooding is in the [empty] first floor flat it's your waste backing up in it. The pipe has been cleared by the first floor lesee previously and left free flowing then your waste is causing the blockage - inadvertantly or not - and then fresh flooding.
As it's a shared branch waste then I'd expect repair responsibility is laid out in your lease.
Is it a 4-inch branch pipe?
mk1fan said:
Dupont666 said:
people in ground floor flat are getting flooded from water backing up into 1st floor flat from our sink and washing machine (same disposal pipe).
There is no issues with bath room suite and so the pipe that connects to the main waste is at fault.
so my washing machine and sink are attached to same waste pipe, this goes down and is attached to 1st flooe flat waste pipe for their washing machine and sink, this then runs to main disposal pipe.
so there is something blocking the pipe down from the 1st floor flat to the main waste disposal pipe.
For those that don't read posts properly.There is no issues with bath room suite and so the pipe that connects to the main waste is at fault.
so my washing machine and sink are attached to same waste pipe, this goes down and is attached to 1st flooe flat waste pipe for their washing machine and sink, this then runs to main disposal pipe.
so there is something blocking the pipe down from the 1st floor flat to the main waste disposal pipe.
I still think you need to check your lease for responsibility of the waste pipes.
Although the flooding is in the [empty] first floor flat it's your waste backing up in it. The pipe has been cleared by the first floor lesee previously and left free flowing then your waste is causing the blockage - inadvertantly or not - and then fresh flooding.
As it's a shared branch waste then I'd expect repair responsibility is laid out in your lease.
Is it a 4-inch branch pipe?
Dupont666,
Take a step back for a second.
If the first floor flat is empty then no one there is passing water (with waste or not) down the offending pipe. Only you are using the pipe.
Who caused the blockage is, at this stage, irrelevant. There is a blockage. You are causing the flooding because you are the only one using the pipe. Knowing that there is a problem.
You may not like it but I think you need to contact the Freeholder and get them to sort it. If this means re-plumbing the branch to a better arrangement and charging it back through the maintenance charge then so be it. That's a negative of living in leased property.
At least it will get sorted and a charge guaranteed to be applied to the first floor leasee who doesn't seem too bothered about sorting the problem out as they don't live there now.
Imagine if the situation was reversed and you had water/waste coming into your flat? How would you react if the attitude of the person causing the waste was so billigerent?
Take a step back for a second.
If the first floor flat is empty then no one there is passing water (with waste or not) down the offending pipe. Only you are using the pipe.
Who caused the blockage is, at this stage, irrelevant. There is a blockage. You are causing the flooding because you are the only one using the pipe. Knowing that there is a problem.
You may not like it but I think you need to contact the Freeholder and get them to sort it. If this means re-plumbing the branch to a better arrangement and charging it back through the maintenance charge then so be it. That's a negative of living in leased property.
At least it will get sorted and a charge guaranteed to be applied to the first floor leasee who doesn't seem too bothered about sorting the problem out as they don't live there now.
Imagine if the situation was reversed and you had water/waste coming into your flat? How would you react if the attitude of the person causing the waste was so billigerent?
mk1fan said:
Dupont666,
Take a step back for a second.
If the first floor flat is empty then no one there is passing water (with waste or not) down the offending pipe. Only you are using the pipe.
Who caused the blockage is, at this stage, irrelevant. There is a blockage. You are causing the flooding because you are the only one using the pipe. Knowing that there is a problem.
You may not like it but I think you need to contact the Freeholder and get them to sort it. If this means re-plumbing the branch to a better arrangement and charging it back through the maintenance charge then so be it. That's a negative of living in leased property.
At least it will get sorted and a charge guaranteed to be applied to the first floor leasee who doesn't seem too bothered about sorting the problem out as they don't live there now.
Imagine if the situation was reversed and you had water/waste coming into your flat? How would you react if the attitude of the person causing the waste was so billigerent?
The plumber arrives today at 1pm... I was querying whose the issue is as it is after the 1st floor outlet pipe. So therefore its technically his property.Take a step back for a second.
If the first floor flat is empty then no one there is passing water (with waste or not) down the offending pipe. Only you are using the pipe.
Who caused the blockage is, at this stage, irrelevant. There is a blockage. You are causing the flooding because you are the only one using the pipe. Knowing that there is a problem.
You may not like it but I think you need to contact the Freeholder and get them to sort it. If this means re-plumbing the branch to a better arrangement and charging it back through the maintenance charge then so be it. That's a negative of living in leased property.
At least it will get sorted and a charge guaranteed to be applied to the first floor leasee who doesn't seem too bothered about sorting the problem out as they don't live there now.
Imagine if the situation was reversed and you had water/waste coming into your flat? How would you react if the attitude of the person causing the waste was so billigerent?
Not should I feel guilty for the ground floor flat... I already sorted out everything yesterday for today and should be up and running again.
Well, ultimately, the answer is the responsibility lies with all the Leasees and the Freeholder.
Having a shared branch running through two properties within a block of flats isn't very good design / solution to drainage.
If the plumber opens anything up try and get the sizes of the branch pipe. At very least it should be 4-inch pipework but I suspect that it might be 2-inch all the way to the stack.
Having a shared branch running through two properties within a block of flats isn't very good design / solution to drainage.
If the plumber opens anything up try and get the sizes of the branch pipe. At very least it should be 4-inch pipework but I suspect that it might be 2-inch all the way to the stack.
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