Hi all, really need your advise. Anyone encounter this problem before, and how to solve?

The condo upstairs my unit, their bathroom is leaking. Causing my bathroom to have water dripping for quite awhile now. Recently, due to the water drip, even the electricity seems to have been 'sot sot' and cut off at the bathroom.

Both my bathrooms are affected.

I inform to the management about this, but they just said 'contact upstairs owner'. I left note with the owner, but so far nobody reply to me. Isn't it management's duty to help settle this?

Check your house rules.
There should be a clause saying any leaking repairs should be borne by the unit above.
The management has to inform the unit upstairs and instruct them to carry out the repair.

P/S
The problem normally arise when some unqualified contractor carries out renovation (replacing tiles) without waterproofing.
These contractors are for those landed properties and has no experience doing for condos.
Cheapos employ cheapos.

Actually i dont even mind sharing cost with the owner upstairs. I just want to stop the leaking. But what if he refuses to cooperate to open the door for repair or don't even want to repair at all.. is there anything i can do?

And the management is like... useless? How do I get them to do their job?

hi - i do sympathetize with your predicament.

suggest you go and talk to the owner upstairs nicely and hopefully they are reasonable people..take some pics and show it to them...if they agree to
address the problem then that is good news..but first you need to get hold of them. no point guessing what the owner will do or not do - just go knock on their door and ask.

as for the management, if the owner is not cooperative, then write officially to them stating your problem and request them to deal with the owner ..you just have to keep bugging them until they do something to resolve this problem

good luck ...

Thank you , hopefully the owner respond soon. Coz I already leave many notes to them, but nobody contacted me yet.

Anyone facing same problem, or how to settle can advise?

An agent friend told me to ask a lawyer to write a letter to the owner upstairs.. but I don't want to do so.. just hope to settle the thing peacefully.

i faced this problem recently when the above unit renovated the unit; after it's renovation, when he use the toilet, ceiling was dripping. I initially called the management, but the management ask me to speak to the owner. I went up and try to relate to the owner on this issue. Luckily, his contractor was still there. So, he asked the contractor over - the contractor himself was shocked to see how water was flowing down (like your case, bulb burst). Then, the contractor went up to see - it was one of the old pipes - not covered. The contractor fixed it two days later. The thing was settled. I was considered lucky that the owner takes the responsibility.

In your case, maybe you try to spot when the owner is at home (but sometimes people staying there might not be owner, those people might be renting)

This post has been edited by leongal: Mar 13 2011, 10:50 PM

woo.. you were so lucky! In my case, somebody is home. But always come back very late I think. But why don't they respond to my notes.
Currently have to bath in the dark, no light, need to use candle and torchlight.

Can I ask, what is a 'bulb burst?' Does it mean everytime he flushes, your ceiling will start to drip water?

i have a neighbour (where i am staying) who faced this problem recently. She has to resort to sending a letter of demand (from her lawyer) to the owner despite being in touch with the owner who had always expressed willingness to rectify the problem but delayed the repair for a long time.

That's the second course of action you may want to consider depending on the quantum of damages (versus legal fees etc) to 'compel' action from the owner. Issuing a letter of demand is not costly but actual litigation is.

Hi.. thanks for the advise. My agent friend demanded the same thing.

May I know though, did the owner actually fix it?

mine was worse, whenever they use water, water was dripping like rain water - luckily it was a toilet outside, and i have the master bedroom toilet to use; not that he flush then water drip, but when he pour water on the floor, water will drip

the bulb kena water, then burst lor....have to change bulb

now the ceiling has stain, but i will repaint it myself.....give-and-take, he helped me fix the leaking, so i paint myself

those people usually don't really care to respond because they are not affected, so, you need to get to them face to face lor; or bring a management office staff/ security guard (if possible)

if weekday can;t get, try weekend....

Since the management want you to liaise with your up-stair unit directly, you can request the management to provide you the contact of the unit.
Get the contact and call the person directly with polite, things should be resolved faster.

This post has been edited by PhotoGlebe: Mar 14 2011, 03:02 PM

Its obvious owner upstairs is hoping u will tire out & leave him alone.

Since u don't want to involve lawyer YET, take firm measures :

1. Find out tel no. + address of owner from management office
2. Send a.r. registered letter to owner address, leave copy of letter at unit above (label 'personal delivery')
3. Letter content to state - (a) to repair leakage (b) your property damaged © health hazard
4. Letter to state - will claim (a) damages to property (b) doctor's bill for health affected due to unhygienic conditions caused by leakage © medical expenses if accident happens
5. Letter also to state - will claim damages on a daily rate until the leak is rectified
6. State that your next course of action is to court
7. Insert yr hp no for contact purposes.

Send the letters weekly for 3 weeks, every subsequent letter labelled '1st reminder' '2nd reminder' .. etc

The 3rd / last letter to print in red ink, trust me it seems to make those who read a red-inked letter heart's to beat faster.

Cc letter to management office weekly too & your SPA lawyer.

At end of 3rd week, if owner does not contact you, ask lawyer to issue legal letter.

Btw, if the leak is from pipe/ceiling ?

If pipe leakage, state in yr letter plumber repairs costs rm2,000 & you will proceed with the plumber if he doesn't act & your letter will claim it from him. That will scare him. You may proceed with repairs on your own after the 3rd letter.

If it is ceiling leakage, there is no choice but to wait for him to respond.

This is the best solution. About 80-90% of the problem units are resolved this way. Unfortunately for the stubborn 10-20%, they are quite nasty.

I have faced an owner before who delayed me for a good 6 months. I was pissed off. It is always esok lusa. I decided to break the rules and force myself into her unit (I know I could have gotten into trouble but never mind that fact) and then I realise all along she has a massive piping problems which she is not willing to spend money to fix. I have issue a letter of demand from my lawyer asking for compensation and further compensation if she does not rectify the matter within 28 days. It was settled quite quickly from there. Unfortunately there are those buggers around who are out to give trouble.

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Added on March 14, 2011, 3:20 pmVery detail. Good post.

This post has been edited by michaellee: Mar 14 2011, 03:20 PM

Hi, many thanks for your detailed advise! Is it from your own experience? Just to clarify, means I write my own letter. Send 3 copies, during the course of 3 weeks. and 3 copies CC to management office and lawyer, correct?

I asked a contractor to come and see the leakage last week. He said he needs to see the top unit, but i told him unfortunately upstairs not cooperating. The contractor told me it's best to view and properly fix it once and for all. He told me can finish within a week as long as upstairs cooperate.

I really don't understand people nowadays? I don't mind sharing cost.. so..why cooperate also cannot?

michaellee: Whoa.. so does she know you broke into her unit? But how did u do that? Break the lock..? Lucky she didn't make noise about that

This post has been edited by @Adele: Mar 14 2011, 03:34 PM

I knock on her door and she opened it and I went in. She just stared blankly. And I told her for lying to me about everything, I will not pay for anything anymore.

Adele :
Nope, my neighbour upstairs paid for leakage, 2x fast response U have not so good luck haha..
Yes, every week send letters to all parties.

Michaelee, ur da man !

edit : oh yes, state in yr letter u willing to share costs, just to expedite things ..

This post has been edited by dripinrain: Mar 14 2011, 03:55 PM

Thank you all for your advise. I will try the above methods. Thank you!!

personally, i would rather go bug the condo management until they do something about it... check your condo house rules and most likely you will find that the management has some responsibility... go bug the management and bug the management and bug the management until they do something...

Can anyone recommend me a good contractor to check on the leaking?

Appreciate if you have personal experience with the contractor i.e. fixed your leaking before and done a good job.

Thanks

i had the same problem just recently.....you must get the owner upstairs to repair it...i enquired the management office last time...they say if they dun repair...they will need to make a report...
it's very troublesome....coz if upstairs not cooperating.....need to wait for them to take action....time consuming....

best is to get the owner's phone number fr management company and liaise with them directly