I live in my top floor apartment which in the next couple of months I will be renting out as I am moving out to live with my long term partner.
I have an issue that was picked up several weeks ago when I noticed a damp patch on my living room ceiling around a foot away from the main light in the room. Upon inspecting inside the loft I found water slowly dripping in & took measures to prevent any further damage. (Lots & lots of towels and a bucket which i have to keep any eye on if it’s raining.
I informed the property management company 4 weeks ago of this issue and mentioned the potential safety aspect with the leak so close to the light fitting. All i have had from them is '“We’ll call the roofer”. They have yet to have even had someone to inspect it, and they are not following up with me or seemingly the roofer to see if they have been out.
I have communicated with them by email so that I have a history of contact & their inaction. This company is woeful and have been through at least 4 property managers in the time I have been there (5 years). Every dealing with them is stressful as they purely reactive and even then not effective with it.
In addition to the worry of a leaking roof, I have the issue that I cannot redecorate until the fix is leaked, plus there is no way I can rent the apartment out until this is resolved which I was going to rent from the start of December. every months delay will cost me in the region of £800.
Any advice on next steps in dealing with the property management company?
I appreciate I can go down the route of formal complaint, notice of action, property ombudsman etc, but I just want them to fix it!
Is it a flat roof in a purpose built block of flats or in a converted house with a tiled pitched roof ? IE can you see in the loft where the leak is coming from ?
It’s a purpose built block with a pitched tiled roof and and loft access.
No i don’t have the number, But even if i did, i have no authority over budget for repairs, plus why should i absolve a property management company of their responsibility by chasing myself.
It’s arguably an urgent repair that needs immediate effort & attention from them.
I pay them £1,500 a year in service charges and the whole point is i want to hold them to account, not do their job for them.
I feel for you, there are some poor property maintenance cos out there (the worst have been on panorama and rip off britain)
Are the maintenance Co working for a freeholder (or do flats have shares of freehold) - have you explained problem to freeholder (who is legally responsible )
You don’t say what sort of roof it is (pitched might be v old slate tiles that are now failing or something much newer) or how high up or whether access will require scaffolding.
As well as damage to your flat, will there be damage to the roof structure? (Trusses etc)
Is it due to lack of maintenance or was it caused by storm damage (appreciate can be hard to know)
I would get a couple of roofers over to take a look and tell you what needs doing as a start. If it’s a single slipped tile it’s maybe relatively inexpensive if it’s something bigger it could be much more. If it’s not expensive the property mgt Co or building insurance Co might be willing to let you arrange the repair and they pay the roofer you find direct esp if you got a couple of quotes or they /the building insurance provider might just reimburse you. Appreciate you don’t want to be doing their job but it’s urgent to you but not them and is costing you every month
And meanwhile maybe get an electrician to cover the light fitting/circuit in some way to protect it from leak meanwhile
If it will not be a small job ie a section 20 job (contributions over 250 per property) the mgt Co will potentially have to consult the lessees (possibly not if there’s a reserve fund to cover major works)
Keep records and photos of everything
You could also notify your flat’s(contents) insurance company, get estimates for repairs (replacing section of ceiling, redecoration, replacing the light fitting and lighting circuit for them and ask them to get in touch with the building insurance provider, explaining the damage will only get worse and the claim from them to building insurance provider higher, the longer it takes for repairs to roof to be done. Doesn’t mean you have to claim on your insurance for the redecoration etc but may speed things along with building insurance co.
if it’s genuinely a safety issue you could call HSE and ask them to visit to inspect - they can then write to maintenance Co. potentially and even send enforcement notices requiring urgent repairs. However from your description it sounds like the flat is still habitable . But a letter from hse might prompt more speedy action..