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What to do about water leakage in my flat from the flat above? (Unresponsive owner, old building, repair costs)

Ramalingam Kalirajan |9777 Answers |Ask -Follow

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Sep 09, 2024

Ramalingam Kalirajan has over 23 years of experience in mutual funds and financial planning.
He has an MBA in finance from the University of Madras and is a certified financial planner.
He is the director and chief financial planner at Holistic Investment, a Chennai-based firm that offers financial planning and wealth management advice.... more

Question by N on Sep 09, 2024Hindi

Hello Sir I'm experiencing a distressing issue with water seepage in my ground-floor flat, specifically in the bathroom and bedroom ceilings, which are directly below the bathrooms of the flat above. The persistent leakage has caused paint and plaster to peel off, resulting in unsightly damage and a potential safety hazard. Despite bringing this to the attention of the owner of the above flat, they have been unresponsive, suggesting that I should contact the builder (who is no longer in operation, given the building's age of 34 years). They expect me to bear the repair costs and accommodate the convenience of their tenant. I'm seeking guidance on the best course of action to resolve this matter.

Ans: I understand how frustrating this situation is. Here’s what you can do:

Document the Damage: Take photos and videos of the seepage and the damage caused.

Approach the Society/Association: If your building has a housing society or an apartment owners' association, file a complaint with them. They may mediate the issue and hold the owner of the above flat accountable for repairs.

Send a Formal Notice: Draft a legal notice to the owner of the above flat, demanding they fix the leakage or share repair costs.

Legal Action: If they remain unresponsive, you may need to consult a property lawyer and take legal steps, such as filing a case in the consumer court for negligence.

Resolving this quickly will ensure your property remains safe.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information to be as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision.

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Anu Krishna |1651 Answers |Ask -Follow

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Nov 23, 2022

Question by AK - Nov 23, 2022Hindi

Hello Mam,Seeking your advice for below problem, which may be different from the usual ones which you receive.There is an issue of water leakage in my flat which is coming directly from flat which is above us. The owner of the flat agrees with that also.The problem is he doesn't want to get it fixed for now.Reason being, he is blessed with kid recently and as per him doctor has advised not to let anybody inside house for a month or two.But now the problem is that because of this our day-to-day life is getting impacted.Due to constant dripping of water, it's very difficult to sleep in night. There is danger of slipping also (I have also little kid in the house). If I put bucket under the same then stored water attracts mosquitoes and flies. The ceiling of flat is also getting damaged. This has been going on since 2 weeks. I tried to explain the same to him as well but no solutions till now.The problem is in one of the bathroom of above flat and it will not take more than 2-3 hours to get it fixed but how can I persuade him?I don't want to get in argument mode for such petty things and have a feeling of guilt. I do understand his problems but people should understand other's concerns.So need your advice what should I do? This is creating unnecessary mental problems.

Ans:

Dear AK,

Most of the conflicts that we face on life arise simply because of our ego that stands as a wall between people.

The simplest way to drop that ego is to drop the assumption that someone is out to get us or someone wants to harm us.

I am glad that you understand your neighbour’s problem and it’s only fair when you ask him to understand yours.

Easiest way is to be kind and invite them home and treat them with respect and genuine compassion.

Love heals, as we all know and a few kind words from you may allow your neighbour to see that him not complying with repair at his end is causing you agony.

Have you tried this? If you haven’t, then let me tell you, it always works.

Going on an offense v/s bringing in goodness. I do not mean to sound goody-goody but do this with a lot of genuineness.

And of course, continue the goodness even after your problem is solved. It is easier being kind than be hostile.

The latter sucks your energy out and kindness helps you think and act better.
All the best!

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