What would you do?

[The_Tonk]

On a job this week changing bath and basin and retiling bathroom.
Old bath and basin out new bath in and water back on, fill bath ready to start tiling, turn tap off, hear a hissing noise coming from where basin has been removed, think one of the caps may be loose but when checking water found to be coming from below floor. water back off floorboard up leak found.
Section of pipe removed, and on inspection the pipe is found to be corroded and a small hole has formed.
(Pipe all green where flux has not been cleaned off when pipe work was installed many years ago)
Hole in pipe was not directly cause by me but the badly corroded pipe has failed possibly with the pressure of the water going back on or due to adjusting pipe work above floor when fitting new bath.
Section of pipe replaced water back on and tested, all good.
Neighbour in house below returned from their holiday and complained saying there bedroom below was soaked, carpets and curtains wet, ceiling all stained and cracked!
Not convinced this to be the case I asked to see damage, not to happy with my request they finally let me in to see. Only damage found was 3 or 4 damp marks on ceiling about the size of a 50p coin. Convinced her ceiling is going to fall down neighbour has said they plan to call her insurance.
Would of liked to get a closer look from a ladder but the neighbour was not having it and just wants to contact insurance. From the floor level the ceiling looks ok no other damage/sign of water was found. carpets dry. (was around 24hrs after burst pipe).

If this happened to you would you view it as your fault?
What about the neighbour? (I would guess repainting ceiling should fix)

Water was only back on for no more than a few minutes before leak was found.

 

[tamz]

Sounds like she will claim on your insurance and they will pay out. You should have delt with it straight away by either offering her some cash or saying you would get it repainted. It will be cheaper for you to pay a painter than claim on your insurance as you will have an excess.

 

[The_Tonk]

I did offer to get it painted for her but she was not having it!

 

[tamz]

pig :smile:

 

[Resolute]

Did you take photos of the damage? She could make it worse in order to get a better claim!

Hope she sees sense though.

 

[The_Tonk]

second that!
Would insurance get involved when it such a small amount of damage? (3 or 4 stains about the size of a 50p)

 

[The_Tonk]

She would not let me tak a picture, that was my 1st thought!

 

[Resolute]

She would not let me tak a picture, that was my 1st thought!

Get onto your insurance company and if a claim comes through tell them you'd not admitting liability for any more then a small stain.

 

[tamz]

They will probably send someone out, one of their approved contractors. They don't care what the damage is and will make a meal of it if they can.

I do some work from time to time for a local builder who does all insurance work. He has his own plumber and i cover sometimes for holidays etc.
A job last year he rung me and asked if i could go disconnect a rad. Went to the job and it was a 800K1 that had pulled off the hall wall. It was on plastic pipe so the joints were fine. It had been fitted with spitdrivas and they had pulled through the plasterboard leaving half inch holes but no damage. The builders surveyor arrived around the same time and was speaking to the woman saying what we will do is take down the plasterboard, resheet it, and paint and wallpaper the hall for you. I'll drop in some sample wall paper books and carpet samples for you etc etc.
I was thinking wtf. This is going to be a 10K job I could have screwed i back on the wall with 4 spring toggles.

 

[Phil]

The whole insurance industry is rotten to the core and a waste of money.

 

[Orry Clayton]

Tell her good luck claiming on your insurance, as you don't have any... (even if you do)

 

[peteheat]

Call her in the morning all apologetic and confess that you didn't renew your insurance, please don't tell your neighbour (original customer) I'll make sure the ceiling is painted for you.

You may get threatened with court etc but stand fast I've never had one follow through.

 

[Masood]

I did offer to get it painted for her but she was not having it!

She would not let me tak a picture, that was my 1st thought!

She's obviously rubbing her hands with glee thinking she'll get her whole room redecorated FOC. I'd have just whipped my phone out and taken pics, TBH,wouldn't have asked her permission! But hindsight is always 20/20... 🙂

 

[petercj]

I did offer to get it painted for her but she was not having it!

If you've offered to put things right, and she's rejected that offer, that's her prerogative, i.e. if she wants to stand the cost of repair she can.

If she wants to screw her insurance, it's no skin off your nose.

If anyone approaches you re paying for the damage, they will have to allow you to have your own assessment done.

If they get the work done, and then approach you having ignored your offer to fully assess the situation, tell them to do one.

 

[moony]

^ good advice