water leaking again....

Hi, need advice on what to do.
About a year ago shower (first floor) started to leak with water dripping to the ground floor to the kitchen ceiling as was found after cutting the ceiling plaster and plaster in the toilet wall adjacent to the shower room wall by a plumber. As was identified by a plumber in the report the leakage was a result of the water leaking through the washers and penetrating to the wall and the ceiling. Insurance (via body corporate) company refused to cover the costs...
We paid all the costs to the plumber. Today we saw watery spots on the kitchen ceiling....again.
Who to pay for this? Should we call our insurance first or call the plumber who did the job and tell him to fix his workmanship or is there anything else? Very frustrating....
Would be grateful for your recommendations on what to do.

 

Sounds like a 2 storey townhouse and you have an internal leak. Definitely not body corporate. Contact your insurer.

 

Q :Who should pay for this
A : ........ YOU

Q : Should we call the plumber or insurance company first
A : Call the plumber first , but don't tell him to fix his workmanship

You were either happy with the job he did , or you were not .
If not , use the opportunity to get someone else .
the leak may well be nothing to do with anything he did



The original problem in the shower was a leaking Tap body red fibre washer that wasn't tightened , most likely a handyman or owners attempt at installing or repair ( pay cheap , fix twice)


*check the bath taps you probably did when you originally fixed the shower

 

Insurance wont fix the leak. Just the damage. And only after they know its repaired correctly. The assessor may want to inspect the repair.

Those braided flex hoses have become a damage issue with huge numbers of claims. Apparently many fail after 5-10 years and insurers are facing tens of thousands for some properties in damage. One industry group suggests all braided hoses should be removed in upstairs bathrooms to safeguard against damage. Apparently the AS requirements arent that tough and even 316 stainless products are failing well within the required 10 year period as the inner plastic is poor quality. Some say that 10 years is a joke and copper had a lifetime of use where plastic braided hose at 10 years is a problem just waiting to occur...The suggested flood isolation valve is a good idea - below

Are Water Flexible Hoses a Major Risk to Home Owners? - The Plumbette