Toilet water leak in rental property

I've had more repairs on new houses than I have on old ones.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't sleep well at night with water from the toilet dropping into the loungeroom.

 

I have had two separate properties where water dripped thru ceiling light fitting onto floor below.

One was a 2 storey townhouse and the other an apartment on the 4th floor of a 6th floor apartment.

In both cases after removal of the section of the gyprock ceiling, the source of the leak was found to be inadequate caulking (silicon beadin) around the bath/shower edge which allows the shower water to leak thru.

I have also heard this is quite common in newer apartment buildings.

 

Imagine sleeping on he lounge with your mouth open lol.

 

Again thank you very much for everyone who responded. Yes we could smell the disinfectant in the water leak (the toilet was washed and flushed multiple times that morning)

Unfortunately both my husband and I are not handy - you do not want to know how much we paid for a handyman to change a toilet seat; also to assemble our Ikea day bed. We are also time poor.

Agreed that new does not equal to less problem. We have IPs that were built during war-times or post-war times we have been really lucky with them (count the blessings!)

It reminds us how important it is to have a reliable and quality builder - so if you know anyone in SE Melbourne please send them my way. We are planning to build.

 

Thankyou for that mental image. Ewwww!

 

Prevents a dry mouth. I probably could market the idea.

 

You certainly could. Not sure you'd have too many takers though.

 

Hi guys, just an update about this case. After failing to get the landlord/PM to agree that this is an “urgent repair” and having to wait for 10 days for a plumber to even come and check it out, we decided to ask for compensation. And the response from the PM was:

“I will await for the plumber report to see the cause of this matter. If this was cause by defect of work then I will leave this to the plumber’s responsibility, otherwise I will discuss with the landlord about this.”

We were asking for compensation as we no longer able to eat/enjoy the dining area due to unpleasant odour and have been applying disinfectant to clean our floor/dining chairs and table every day.

I’m not sure why we have to deal with the plumber as this is not our property and we did not pay for the plumber.

Any advice/comment on this?

Thanks

 

You are talking about SE Melbourne so just call consumer.vic tomorrow for advice.

It’s really up to you now to move things forward.

 

Thanks for the feedback
So the plumber attended ?
We are assuming you were home, to allow access, did you make them a coffee and ask "why is it leaking" or "what oher repairs are required" ?
Is it actually FIXED now ?
Pointless going for compensation if it is ongoing....
What form of compensation are you asking for, 50% rent reduction due to loss of toilet and other rooms for the period impacted (then negotiate back) ?

 

Maybe if you just asked the plumber what was the problem at least that way you know ..is the problem fixed.good luck.

 

Some people pay good money for that in Bangkok.

Sounds like a poorly built home, maybe better off looking down the avenue of leaving.

 

The plumber attended and inspected the toilet - nothing visible he could see from the toilet. He took down the light fixture and took a peek and said it could be the sewer pipe leaking or the waterproof layer no longer working etc. However he will have to cut out part of the ceiling and have a proper look and will need authority from the landlord (which means coming back another day)

we were happy to leave but was told this does not make the house inhabitable and we are welcome to raise this with VCAT. Also the agent said to us that if the leak from this incident proven to be a “work defect” from the plumber we will have to chase this from the plumber.

I am not sure how much compensation to ask for. It feels like I’m dealing with the lowest of the low

 

As already advised, please contact consumer.vic.

They can advise about VCAT, whether something is an urgent repair etc - and there is also a new (free) mediation service.

 

thanks. I contacted consumer Vic who said that this is not considered as an “urgent repair” as the landlord provided us with an alternative which is literally the second toilet we have in the house. They advised that we could however consider claiming for compensation as we are not able to fully utilise the area as intended.

tbh I feel good and honest tenants like us are not protected and being exploited. I’m giving up and I just hope that I will find a better place when this lease expires.

this world is a horrible place. I have a few IP too and just have to remind myself “don’t be a landlord like them” - I now understand why the previous tenant didn’t stay

can’t wait to build my own place and I just hope I will have better experience with building

 

I tend to agree that’s its not urgent - but what did they say about the dripping water you thought was ‘toilet water’?

By the way, have you turned off the tap to the toilet and emptied the cistern - or at least put a bucket under the drip?