Waste water sitting under our entire flat...

[name_1]

Hi everyone, just come across this site in our desperate search for advice regarding a situation with our George Wimpey flat.

This is a rather long post, and quite detailed, but I thought I should tell the whole story!

We have been told that we may have to have the entire floor of our flat removed thanks to water damage, from the laminate right the way down to the concrete floor. That's the membrane beneath the floorboards, the chipboard floor beneath that, the joists that the chipboard sits on and the insulation that sits throughout. And for good measure we may need to have some of our walls replaced. We have a leaking waste pipe, and the waste water has travelled under the entire flat damaging much of the above.

We'd like some advice as to how to proceed. Although Wimpey have said they will fix it, we want to ensure that it gets done to a decent standard and to find out if we are due something in terms of compensation (eg alternative accommodation etc). We have approached the buildings insurer, but they have said that unless we're making a claim (I'm not sure we are), then they aren't interested.

If there's anybody out there who might have some advice as to how to proceed that would be wonderful!

The details of what happened are below:

We moved into the flat in Dec '04.

It is a 2-bed, with all rooms (bar the ensuite) running off a central, window-less hall. It is on the first floor (downstairs has no visible water damage, the water seems to be sat under our floor/above their ceiling).

We've had a number of leaks in the main bathroom which are (it turns out) unrelated to the main problem, the largest of which was in Jan 06 when the pipe feeding water into the cistern leaked when we were away for the weekend. This left both the bathroom and the en suite (they back onto each other) with water coming up through the grouting of the tiling and thoroughly ruining it with water marks. We had another leak in May which was less bad.

Around April/May we started noticing some mould growing near the floor by our front door. I thought it might be to do with drying washing in the main bathroom, and spent a while leaving the doors that lead to the hall open, along with windows in these adjoining rooms in order to allow proper ventilation.

In June, when it was clear that this wasn't solving the problem, we contacted Wimpey to ask them to send someone out to investigate. Over the course of the next couple of months plumbers visited us at least three times to try and find the source of the mould. Over this time they cut at least ten 6-inch square holes in the plasterboard walls and ceiling both in and outside our flat around the front door trying to find a leaking pipe. They couldn't find anything.

The last time they visited they realised that there was a build-up of water just below floor level behind the bath in the main bathroom (the main bathroom is about two to three metres from the mould and the area where they were cutting holes to identify where they thought the leak was). They mopped this water up and found that there was also a build up of water beneath the floor of the entire bathroom and ensuite. This water was sitting underneath the chipboard which our laminate sits on, and was on the concrete floor which forms the base of our flat. It had soaked into the insulation and joists that fills the space between the conrete floor and the chipboard floor. They attributed this to the leak which occured in January and said that the mould by the door was a result of the water slowly travelling under the floor and down the hall and then appearing by the front door. They then said that they would get some decorators in who would take up the floor in the bathrooms and put some humidifiers in to dry it out and sort it all out.

Wimpey then sent someone else over who decided that this was not the right diagnosis at all. They identified the source of the problem as the main waste pipe which runs behind our bathrooms and serves all the flats on the four floors above us. They sent a specialist in who could get access to this pipe and he found and fixed a crack in it. He is of the opinion that the crack may well have been leaking ever since we moved into the flat and, having cut a hole in the floor, he saw how degraded the insulation was and the joists that sit between it holding the chipboard foor in place. Needless to say that the insulation does not smell pleasant (although, somehow, the flat doesn't smell bad, thankfully). The specialist is of the opinion that if the water has reached the front door it is probably underneath the entire flat and will require the complete removal of our laminate, the membrane beneath, the chipboard floor, the joists that this sits on and the insulation. We'll then need to get humidifiers in, dry it out and then relay the insulation, joists etc etc. As inconvenient as this is, he also said that the moisture down one wall could indicate that some of the walls need rebuilding (he also cut another hole and found a key part of a wall to be in very bad condition).

This specialist rang GW explaining what he found and suggested GW would see to the problem room by room as not to disturb us too much (!). GW do seem to be fixing this problem, although it has taken an age to identify it.

I am completely lost as to where to turn for advice here. I am concerned that GW will not fix the problem properly to a good standard and would like to get an independent third party in to verify the work. However, the insurance for the building is paid for by Wimpey, which makes me worry about their independence. And on a brief call to them today they basically said they weren't interested unless we were making a claim - which I'm not sure we will be, at least with regard to the building work, since Wimpey should fix everything.

It seems likely that we will need to move out while the work is being completed since I do not want to live in the flat while such significant work is being done.

Wimpey may offer this, but I still feel that we need to get external advice independent of Wimpey. Should I find a solicitor/surveyor myself? Might I be able to claim for the cost of this from Wimpey?

Your advice would be fantastic.

Thanks in advance,

James

[Tony]

Hi James,

This sounds like a complete nightmare - lucily you can't smell anything yet, but I am sure it is just a matter of time.

In answer to your last two questions, I would receommend instructing your own solicitor who will without a doubt want an independent opinion regarding the damage.

I can recommend http://www.pannone.com

Hope this helps,

Kind regards,

Tony

[SarahL]

Hi James,
It sounds like you are having a terrible time. I bought an apartment in Leeds from GW in December 2004. From the start I have been very unhappy with the sound proofing in my flat. GW have been completely unhelpful and I was forced to pay for acoustic tests myself. The flat failed the tests and therefore my flat does not comply with building regulations.

You must make a claim to the NHBC, the body who effectively guarantee the work of house builders. You need to do this before you have been in your property for 2 years. Their claims number is 0870 241 4329. The NHBC will sort this out for you.

I would also suggest that you contact the environmental health department of your local council. It sounds like you have raw sewage contamination to your home and this is potentially very risky to your health.

All the best.
Sarah.