Apartment ruined by water - who is technically at fault?

Selik · 17-07-2009 06:06PM #1

Our carpets etc are being replaced through the landlords insurance so just wondering out of curiousity who is technically at fault for this.

Last Saturday we all came in from a night out to find our kitchen, dining room, living room and hallway areas ruined from water. We suspect the cause was the kitchen tap being left on, but only after the water cut out during the afternoon. So in all likelihood the cold tap was accidentally left on before we went out (with no water coming out obviously) and it came on when we were out hence flooding the gaff. We received no notification of the water supply going off or anything, as we would usually as there's been LUAS works going on outside for the last three years.

Cheers.

Jo King · 17-07-2009 06:23PM

Giles wrote: »

Our carpets etc are being replaced through the landlords insurance so just wondering out of curiousity who is technically at fault for this.

Last Saturday we all came in from a night out to find our kitchen, dining room, living room and hallway areas ruined from water. We suspect the cause was the kitchen tap being left on, but only after the water cut out during the afternoon. So in all likelihood the cold tap was accidentally left on before we went out (with no water coming out obviously) and it came on when we were out hence flooding the gaff. We received no notification of the water supply going off or anything, as we would usually as there's been LUAS works going on outside for the last three years.

Cheers.

You are! Who else could have turned the tap off but you. You could have checked the tap before going out. You are lucky you are not being forced to pay the cost.

Selik · 17-07-2009 06:41PM

Jo King wrote: »

You are! Who else could have turned the tap off but you. You could have checked the tap before going out. You are lucky you are not being forced to pay the cost.

That's what I thought... however there is some ambiguity about the actual cause from the landlord / agents side. Apparently something similar happened in this apt 5 years ago.

Anyways, the insurance is covering it and that's what it's there for.

Tails142 · 17-07-2009 06:53PM

Throwing out carpets cause they got wet?

Selik · 17-07-2009 07:14PM

Puddle wet, and smelling! It was also in a pretty manky state anyway.

The floorboards in the dining area were starting to peel off as well.

Max Power1 · 17-07-2009 07:20PM

You left the tap on, ergo your fault! How is this ambiguous????

Selik · 17-07-2009 07:50PM

Max Power1 wrote: »

You left the tap on, ergo your fault! How is this ambiguous????

I never said it was me, and the tap wasn't "on" as in water running from it "on". Also I stated the agent / landlord were not sure about what happened, not us! We've told them about the water not coming from the tap etc....

astrofool · 17-07-2009 08:16PM

Newer regs require an overflow to be installed that would have prevented this, it is a big problem in older apartments, especially those that might suffer from water going off time to time (people turn the tap off, and then forget to close the valve before they go out).

It is of course 100% the fault of the person who opened the tap, just as if an electric fire was left on during a power cut, and caused a fire.

A Dub in Glasgo · 18-07-2009 09:23AM

Giles wrote: »

I never said it was me, and the tap wasn't "on" as in water running from it "on". .

Do you mean 'I never said it wasn't me'? Your thread title suggests you are unsure who is at fault? It is quite clear that it is the householder who is at fault as they failed to ensure the water taps were closed and not left in an open position.

I used to see this happen a lot when I lived in the Ballymun flats, some people just did not give a **** about ensuring that the taps were closed.

mikemac · 18-07-2009 09:25AM

I don't remember ever seeing a sink without an overflow.

It's not something I go around checking, before this thread I just assumed all sinks have this

The_Conductor · 18-07-2009 10:35AM

mikemac wrote: »

I don't remember ever seeing a sink without an overflow.

It's not something I go around checking, before this thread I just assumed all sinks have this

It was quite common on kitchen sinks up to about 6-7 years ago, before the new regs came in.

Ste.phen · 18-07-2009 02:51PM

I don't know about anyone elses, but I know our 'overflow' wouldn't be able to handle either the hot or cold tap being fully open, there's just not enough throughput on it.

As far as I can see, it's the OPs fault, but the landlord/agent are replacing the carpets anyways, so no worries

Max Power1 · 18-07-2009 02:55PM

Giles wrote: »

, and the tap was"on" even though water was not water running from it "on". Also I stated the agent / landlord were not sure about what happened, not us! We've told them about the water not coming from the tap etc....

FTFY

Doesnt matter - it is the householders responsibility! Why would you leave a temporarily dry tap in the on position?

VERY lucky not to be getting short shrift from the landlord over this tbh. i'd be counting my lucky stars if i was you OP!

helimachoptor · 18-07-2009 02:56PM

An obsious question but what aabout the plug hole.. why didnt the water go down there..

ShoulderChip · 18-07-2009 03:08PM

Ste.phen wrote: »

I don't know about anyone elses, but I know our 'overflow' wouldn't be able to handle either the hot or cold tap being fully open, there's just not enough throughput on it.

As far as I can see, it's the OPs fault, but the landlord/agent are replacing the carpets anyways, so no worries

Buy a new sink right away.

Ste.phen · 18-07-2009 04:37PM

We've already asked the landlord to replace the entire kitchen (and he seems to be going along with it), maybe the new sink will be better

The_Conductor · 18-07-2009 07:18PM

Ste.phen wrote: »

We've already asked the landlord to replace the entire kitchen (and he seems to be going along with it), maybe the new sink will be better

You're getting a whole new kitchen? Seriously- you appear to have the nicest landlord in the whole world. I can't imagine of any other landlord being willing to put in a new kitchen at a tenant's request......?

ShoulderChip · 18-07-2009 07:36PM

Ste.phen wrote: »

We've already asked the landlord to replace the entire kitchen (and he seems to be going along with it), maybe the new sink will be better

Good stuff, when its all sorted throw up a pic on here of the new sink.

Victor · 18-07-2009 09:28PM

Who found the flood? Who turned off the tap? Or was the water turned off a second time?

Invariably (I have only found one Irish tap that works otherwise) Closed = C = Clockwise.

Ste.phen · 19-07-2009 12:41AM

smccarrick wrote: »

You're getting a whole new kitchen? Seriously- you appear to have the nicest landlord in the whole world. I can't imagine of any other landlord being willing to put in a new kitchen at a tenant's request......?

House still has the original builders kitchen fittings (late 70s, early 80s maybe?), apart from some appliance replacements.
We had the rent lowered a bit a few months ago, but now rents in the estate have dipped about 20% below what we're paying now, so we put some options to him (lower rent, higher standard, or we start looking for somewhere else) and he went for the 'do the house up and we'll stay' option.
He said he knows he'll have to do some renovations to be able to rent it after we leave, or to sell it, so he seemed happy enough to get a new kitchen + bathroom put in now and keep us where we are:)

Apartment ruined by water - who is technically at fault?

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