Water Leak in supply to apartment - Who pays?

fatboypee

Hi,

My brother owns an apartment in the UK (Leasehold) and has discovered he has a leak in his water supply. Water company say Now Leak up to the meter therefore not their responsibility. Now as the apartment is leasehold is it his responsibility, or that of management company to fix ? (Assuming the leak is outside the actual apartment) The agreement with the management co says anything outside the apartment is their responsibility, anything inside is his but does that extend to a private water supply up and into the premises ?

Thanks

FBP.

djimi

I would have thought that any defect outside of the apartment, even if it is feeding into his apartment, is the issue of the management company and would be covered by their block insurance?

fatboypee

djimi wrote: »

I would have thought that any defect outside of the apartment, even if it is feeding into his apartment, is the issue of the management company and would be covered by their block insurance?

Thanks for the reply. I'd say you're right but as its a supply directly to his apartment and only his apartment it could also be deemed the responsibility of the lease holder.. Still, saying that, also, he is not technically the "owner" of the property and thus it should be the responsibility of the actual owner..

ugh, I dunno, tough one ... thanks for the reply.

FBP.

The_Conductor

fatboypee wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I'd say you're right but as its a supply directly to his apartment and only his apartment it could also be deemed the responsibility of the lease holder.. Still, saying that, also, he is not technically the "owner" of the property and thus it should be the responsibility of the actual owner..

ugh, I dunno, tough one ... thanks for the reply.

FBP.

The Management Company is responsible for the exterior of the building- literally, the exterior- alongside the structural integrity of the building. It would normally be the duty of the lease owner to ensure supply of services, in conjunction with whatever rules and regulations govern the relationship between he and the Management Company.

In an Irish context- if the supply is specific to the apartment- aka downstream of a communal water supply- the onus would fall on the lease holder- but if it is upstream- aka if the problem affects more than one unit- it would become the remit of the Management Company.

In cases like this- its not unusual to get the Management Company to fix the problem- and then bill the apartment owner for their services. Most people would rather just get their own man in though.

Note- you really need to sit down with the lease and go through it line by line- god only knows whats in it.........