The roof is leaking in an apartment building: what to do in 2020

Many people dream of living in an apartment, because housing and communal services take on many worries, unlike a private house or cottage. However, everything has a downside. There are many owners in the house, each is responsible for only one apartment, but what if the pipes in the basement burst or the roof leaks? Well, in the first case, everything is also clear, no one wants to sit without water, so they will hand over the money, hire a craftsman, and everything will be sorted out. What if the roof of an apartment building leaks? What to do in this case? It is clear that except for the owner, on whose head water is flowing, no one is interested in this problem. And while you are placing basins and being on duty at the source of the leak, no one will even think about collecting money for such a large-scale repair. Or maybe there is another way? Let's try to find out.

Old building - get ready for renovation

With the onset of spring, residents of old houses should be the first to be vigilant. However, this is not the only reason that can lead to roof leaks. Sometimes this is due to condensation that collects due to a violation of heat exchange. But most often, due to age, microcracks appear in the rolled materials and in the roof itself. It will only get worse, because water has a destructive effect on any materials, which means that the cracks will only increase. As a result, we are faced with the fact that the roof of an apartment building is leaking. We will look at what to do in this situation in some detail, but for now let’s allow ourselves one more digression.

The roof in the apartment is leaking - what can you do yourself?

The problem of roof leaks can be global. All houses are different, primarily in terms of age. Each part of the house, including the roof, has its own service life. Flat roofs with roofing felt need to be repaired periodically. These costs must be taken into account and included in the tariff of the service organization.

The service life of roofing felt is short. Under intense environmental influences, roofing felt can become unusable just a few years after the roofing. On flat roofs, approximately every 5-6 years, the roofing felt coating must be replaced with a new one, due to its obsolescence. Ruberoid deteriorates due to natural atmospheric phenomena. In autumn the humidity is high and the roof does not dry out from the moisture.

If the roofing material is damaged, water flows under it. At sub-zero temperatures, the water under the roofing felt freezes, expanding in volume. Due to the sharp expansion when water freezes, the roofing material cracks even more. It turns out that the older the roofing material, the more fragile and brittle it is and is susceptible to ruptures, shrinkage and other mechanical damage.

Ideally, in order for the roofing material not to allow water to pass through, it must not be damaged so that water cannot flow inside. This means walking on the roof as little as possible, especially in winter. It’s better to let the snow melt on its own than to remove it with a shovel. If, after all, clearing snow on the roof is included in the scheduled maintenance of the house, you need to understand that housing and communal services workers often have a disdainful attitude towards other people’s property and problems. You can clean the roof yourself, stepping carefully so as not to damage the roofing material above your apartment.

An unpleasant surprise

If residents of old high-rise buildings are mentally prepared for the fact that the roof is worn out and may not withstand it, then for a resident of a new building this is, to put it mildly, a surprise. Moreover, the reason is the same - a violation of the roof’s tightness. Most likely, in this case, low-quality material was used to cover the roof or errors were made during the installation process. In any case, the tenant is not to blame and has every right to seek repairs. However, most of us are perplexed by the situation when the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do, who to contact, how to protect your rights? Let's get straight to this issue.

The main causes of roof leaks

Residents of both old buildings and new buildings face a similar problem. The main cause of roof leakage is considered to be a violation of the tightness of its covering. This may be due to the following reasons:

• unscrupulous work of builders;
• expiration of the roof's service life;
• use of low-quality materials;
• an error during installation of the coating;
• violation of the integrity of the roof during snow and ice removal in winter;
• damage to the waterproofing by the roots of plants growing on the roof.

Incorrect installation of the roofing covering and mistakes made by workers during repair and construction work lead to damage to the condition of the roof, which increases the impact of the environment on it (wind, high temperatures, rain, etc.). This causes leaks to occur.

Where to call

First you need to try to eliminate the consequences, that is, place buckets and basins under the resulting leak. Of course, it is very unpleasant that this affected you specifically, but nevertheless it is worth trying to save the property of both your own and those of the neighbors below who are innocent of what is happening. But now you need to pick up the phone and call the utility service to which your house is attached. You are not the only one with them, and probably no one will be in a hurry to respond to the call. However, you cannot hesitate when the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do? Submitting a written statement is a much faster way to get action.

Official appeal

It must be written in two copies. In your application, tell in detail when the roof leak occurred and under what circumstances you noticed it. Do not forget to indicate how things are now, whether water continues to flow from the ceiling, and the measures taken to eliminate the consequences.

While you are getting ready to go to the utility companies, we will touch a little on the legal side of the issue. So, the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do? Belarus, like most former Soviet republics, offers residents several options for resolving such issues:

• Contact the utility service to which the house is assigned in the area.
• Call a private housing company chosen by the residents themselves.
• Contact the city authorities for subsidies for roof repairs.
• Collect money from residents and hire a team of workers.

As you can see, there are many options, but the key point is material resources. If the problem is solved by the utility service, it will definitely check whether there are debtor tenants in the house. No one will undertake repairs until the stated amounts are fully repaid. If you don’t want to get involved with utility services, then there will be even more ambitious visits to residents in order to prove what amount is needed and for what, and to encourage people to pay it.

What to do if the roof is leaking

If the roof in an apartment building has been leaking for several days and, accordingly, more and more damage is continuously being caused to the apartments located on the top floor, then their owners need to act urgently. First you need to calculate how much money is required for repair work. The apartment owner can independently assess the damage caused by a roof leak, but this must be done in front of witnesses. In most cases, management companies do not agree to compensate this amount because they consider it biased. In this regard, we recommend using the services of independent assessment experts.

Attention! Calling an expert to your home, whose responsibilities include assessing the amount of damage to the property after the roof began to leak, as well as issuing the corresponding document, is not a free service. However, the victim is not obliged to pay for it. The expert must issue a check for the provision of his services, which will be paid by the homeowner, and the managing body will subsequently compensate him for this amount.

Application Form

Once the owner of the apartment requiring repair work has a document containing the exact amount of damage, he can proceed to fill out an application. Regarding where to contact it if the roof is leaking, it was repeatedly mentioned above - to the management service with which the contract was concluded. The application must be drawn up in accordance with a certain form: the “header” of the document (written in the upper right part of the sheet), the title in the center of the line, and then the main text and details. The document must include the following information:

1. General information. First of all, the position and name of the individual who has the authority to consider such an application is displayed. As a rule, this is the general director. After the name of the position, written in the dative case, comes the abbreviation of the service (“UK” - management office), and then its name itself in quotation marks. The line below contains the surname and initials of the manager. On a new line, the surname, as well as the first letters of the applicant’s name and patronymic, are entered, and then the address of his residence and contact telephone number are displayed.
2. Description of the situation. Before presenting any text, the applicant needs to write on behalf of whom this information is coming. This can be done as follows: “I, last name, first name and patronymic,” and then the text itself. It is indicated from what year and on what floor the victim lives, as well as from what date the roof began to leak. After this, it is written that due to the emergency condition of the roof at the time of precipitation, the apartment was flooded with water, and then it is listed in detail which objects were damaged as a result of this (for example, the ceiling in the hallway, such and such a wall in the bathroom, and so on).
3. About the measures taken to prevent leakage. If an individual who wishes to compensate for damage has repeatedly tried to avoid it by filing a complaint with the control room, then it would not be a bad idea to report this in the application. The dates of complaints are written down, as well as how the control room responded to them. Most often, in such situations, dispatchers come, draw up a report on the fact of a roof leak and record how these adverse consequences were reflected in a particular apartment. Often, control room employees cannot answer questions about when the roof will be repaired, explaining this by a lack of material resources to carry out its restoration, and they stop returning to repeated calls altogether.
4. About payment of utilities. In order for an individual to make any claims to the management office, he is, first of all, obliged to pay for its services. In this regard, the document states that the applicant promptly and fully pays utility bills every month, which includes roof repairs. Next, a reference is made to the legislative act, according to which the management office, which is the recipient of the application, is responsible for maintaining the roof in proper condition.
5. About the purpose of submitting the document. And the final stage is a summary of the entire above text. If the individual whose apartment was damaged did not call assessment experts, then it is necessary to indicate that he is asking to do so. If this action was completed, then the established amount of damage is stated, and the corresponding document is attached to the application. After this, a request is made that a team be sent to the applicant’s apartment to carry out repair work, and that the roof be brought into good condition to ensure that such adverse consequences do not recur.

It should be noted that the application can be written either by hand or compiled on a computer. However, if the latter method is used, the details, which include the date and signature, must be affixed by the applicant in his own hand. The document must be prepared in two copies.

Substantiation of the application

However, we got a little distracted. Let's get back to the main problem: the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do and who to contact? The main thing now is to draw up the application correctly. To do this, it is necessary to capture the roof leak that occurred. Take pictures from different angles so that all the details are clearly visible. In your application, please include your details, telephone number and full address. In the main part, tell about the location of the leak, time, date and damage caused. It will be very good if the number is printed on the pictures. All of them will become evidence in the case.

In the final part, ask to fix the leak and begin repair work. All photographs and application must be in duplicate. One package is handed over to the utility service, the second remains with you. The receiving dispatcher must sign it.

What to do

You can prove to utility services that you are right if you follow some rules:

1. Record the nature of the damage. There are several options. You can take a photo or video, call your neighbors and draw up an inspection report in any form indicating the full details of witnesses. There must be at least two people. You can also call a commission from housing and communal services and inspect the fact of damage.
2. Provide receipts reflecting the funds spent on the purchase of new wallpaper, furniture or other household items that were damaged as a result of leaking ceilings and walls.
3. Learn your rights and be able to calmly defend them.

If after contacting the housing and communal services service and the arrival of a specialist, the situation has not changed, then you need to fill out an application in two copies to the service company. It must be accepted and endorsed by specialists.

Along with the application, you must provide a passport and title documents for the apartment. The application must be considered no more than 14 days. After which some measures must be taken. It is advisable that the document be drawn up on behalf of all victims. Then the complaint will be collective, and utility companies will react to it faster.

The application can be made either in writing or in printed form. The main thing is that the problem is stated clearly. You can send it in person or through the post office by registered mail with notification. In this case, they have no right to refuse to consider the document.

ATTENTION! If the problem remains unresolved, the next step is to file a claim addressed to the head of the management company, guided by the Law on the Protection of Rights.

The letter of claim must indicate the exact time of the flood, the date of contact with the Criminal Code, and the initials of the workers who ignored the problem. In addition, you can file a complaint with the Housing Inspectorate. If all of the above authorities do not eliminate the problem, going to court will be the last resort.

Finding out the reasons

Now it's time for the utility to act. They already have a statement that the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do? The reasons must be clarified on the first day. To do this, they will send you a locksmith or plumber. However, he will not do anything, but will only record the incident. It is advisable to invite an additional neighbor. There is a chance that the plumber will consider the leak to be minor and ask you to wait. If you agree, you will be putting out basins for a very long time during the rains. If it doesn’t triple, you need to move on.

Second statement

In principle, you can immediately prepare and write three versions of the letter. It is submitted to the head of the utility service. Now a whole commission will come to examine exactly how the roof is leaking in an apartment building, and what to do. The main reasons for this phenomenon are the banal wear and tear of buildings. However, everything remains to be seen. An inspection of the roof from the outside can confirm the following reasons:

• Punctures or cracks formed during snow removal.
• Coating wear.
• Violation of the technology for laying roofing material.
• Use of low-quality coating. New buildings often suffer from this.

Causes

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There may be several sources of the problem:

• the use of low-quality materials in construction and repairs, which quickly fail;
• roof wear and tear due to long-term use;
• failure of sealing due to walking on the roof or weather conditions;
• violation of materials laying technology;
• non-compliance with the rules when cleaning the roof and installing additional elements;
• incorrect installation of additional elements (ventilation systems, drainage systems, etc.).

In any case, this part of the building belongs to the department of the service company, which should be contacted if a problem arises.

Complaint to the prosecutor's office

Based on what has been said, it already becomes clear why the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do? The causes of the leak are known, but all services responsible for repairs continue to disown you. Then the last resort remains - write a letter to the prosecutor's office. Make a copy of your application and attach a photo with the date the letter was sent so that the competent authorities can see that the problem has not yet been resolved.

List of documents for the court

This is the last resort you can go to if the roof of an apartment building is leaking. We looked at what to do and where to go step by step. For the court, you will need to collect a leak report, which was drawn up by the commission. Attach a copy of the application to the housing and communal services, photographic materials and documents on damage assessment.

Please also explain the reason for your request. That is, indicate how much time has passed since the leak, which authorities you have already contacted. Don't forget to mention the names of employees who were unable or unwilling to help you. There is one more document that is very useful to present in court. This is an official act with the preparation of estimates for funds and materials that will be needed for repair and restoration work. This is done by an independent appraisal company. Later, the court will decide who should pay this amount, and you can hire workers to carry out the repairs.

On your own

It also happens: after visiting the authorities for several months, a person realizes that no one is interested in his problems. Week after week goes by, and the roof of the apartment building continues to leak. What to do and how to solve the problem? Take an official estimate with the amounts required for repairs, divide by the number of apartments and go to your neighbors. To make the process of collecting money easier, you can promise to submit all the papers to the court so that the management company will reimburse the costs.

In this case, money is collected so that you do not have to save the property while the proceedings are ongoing. If it’s difficult to organize your neighbors, stop blocking the water leak on your floor. The sooner people feel the inconvenience, the more associates you will have. At the same time, be sure to defend your rights in court. Even after a while you will be able to get back the money you spent.

Apartment renovation after the flood

In a situation where the roof of an apartment building is leaking, repairs cannot be avoided - repair work must be done. Accept as a fact that your apartment was flooded by rain, due to melting snow or other circumstances. There is no need to panic or get angry - what happened happened. Tears will not help the matter; you can only count on financial compensation. But even without making any demands for damages, you need to act slowly. There is no need to rush to make repairs right away, especially in the first days after a flood in your apartment. At a minimum, you need to wait for the surface of the walls and ceiling to dry.

The consequences of a flood in an apartment do not appear immediately; the full manifestation of the damage will occur in 7-10 days. It is clear that if water drips from the ceiling directly onto the equipment, it should be removed immediately. You don't have to wait a week for your TV to get damaged by moisture. The same goes for furniture. It’s one thing to just get water, and another thing is to get the chipboard or wood too wet.

Wooden parts may swell when wet. Therefore, you need to immediately remove wooden objects from those places where water gets on them. As an option, so as not to move the cabinet to another place, you can place a basin or any other sealed container directly on it. It is important to force dry all wet areas as quickly as possible.

How to dry walls and ceilings

To make the walls and ceiling dry faster, you need to eliminate the source of moisture. Water can be located in the attic when there is a depression above your apartment where moisture accumulates. It is important to soak such puddles with at least a rag. To dry the walls, you can use an electric fan-type heater. This heater effectively dries the air in the apartment, as well as the walls and ceiling.

But for long-term operation of high-power electrical appliances, you will have to pay more for electricity this month, and by an order of magnitude if you constantly dry the walls. Even in winter, the apartment needs to be ventilated by periodically opening the windows and balcony door throughout the day. Be careful, high humidity is the main cause of mold and mildew in the apartment. Read the article on how to get rid of fungus on the wall in an apartment.

To re-wallpaper or not

If the wallpaper has been damaged by water, it will have to be re-glued, especially if it has peeled off after prolonged contact with water. It’s good if you still have wallpaper from the same batch that was glued to the walls. The remains of wallpaper can be quite useful now. You need to remove the old wallpaper strip, prepare the wall for pasting and let the surface dry.

After this, prime the wall or ceiling with glue and glue the wallpaper using technology. Look on our website in the “Useful Information” section for several articles on wallpapering. There you will find detailed technology on how to properly glue wallpaper.

Let's sum it up

Any problem can be solved, the most important thing is to know your rights. If you carefully pay for housing and communal services, you can count on a return “courtesy” in the form of a prompt response. There are many problems in this sector. If half of the residents have debts on payments, then the management company will have nothing to carry out repairs. Housing and communal services employees themselves also do not want to carry out major roof repairs, attributing this to a lack of funds and the need for support from the state. It turns out that in each case the problem has to be solved individually.