Escaping water does damage quickly. A slow leak under a bath can rot a floor in months, and a burst pipe can ruin a home in an hour. If the leak comes from pipework, tanks or drains your landlord is responsible for, they must repair it and may have to compensate you for what it has damaged.
Leaks between flats are a particular problem in Haringey's converted houses and estate blocks, where tenants are often passed between the repairs team and the neighbour above without anything being fixed.
Signs your landlord should be dealing with
- Dripping or running water from ceilings, walls or under floors
- Water pooling around the bath, toilet, sink or boiler
- A water tank or cylinder that overflows or leaks
- Swollen floorboards, lifting laminate or stained carpets
- Water coming in from the flat or communal pipework above
Why it happens and who is responsible
Typical causes are corroded or badly jointed pipes, failed seals and wastes, leaking tanks and cylinders, defective communal risers and blocked drains that back up into the home.
Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 the landlord must keep in repair and proper working order the installations for the supply of water and for sanitation, including pipes, tanks, basins, sinks, baths and toilets. For flats, this covers installations that serve your home and are owned or controlled by the landlord, even if they sit outside your flat. If the leak comes from a neighbour's home and your landlord also owns that flat or the pipework, they are responsible for stopping it.
How it affects you
Beyond the damage to floors, ceilings and belongings, long-running leaks cause mould, attract pests and can make electrics dangerous. You may be left without a usable bathroom or kitchen.
Evidence that helps your claim
- Photos and video of the leak and the damage as soon as it happens
- A list of damaged belongings with approximate values and any receipts
- Reports to the landlord, with dates and reference numbers
- Notes of conversations with neighbours about the source
- Water bills, if a leak has pushed up a metered bill
You can send photos and documents to us through the secure evidence upload page.
What you can claim
A successful claim for water leaks and flooding usually has two parts. First, an agreement or court order that the landlord carries out the repairs by a fixed date. Second, compensation for the period you lived with the problem after the landlord knew about it, worked out as a share of your rent, plus the cost of damaged belongings and any extra expenses. If your health has suffered, that is assessed separately. Our compensation calculator gives an illustration.
What to do next
- Report it in writing to your landlord if you have not already, and keep a copy.
- Keep recording the problem with dated photos.
- Use the complaints process if you rent from Haringey Council or a housing association. You do not have to finish it before getting legal advice.
- Ask us for a free assessment. If you have a claim, it can be run on a no win no fee basis.
Not sure whether you have a claim? It takes two minutes to find out and costs nothing.
Questions tenants ask
The flat above keeps flooding mine. Can I claim against my landlord?
If your landlord owns or controls the flat above or the pipework the water comes from, yes. Where the flat above has a different owner, your landlord is still responsible for repairing the damage to the structure of your home, such as the ceiling.
Will my landlord pay for my damaged furniture?
Damaged belongings can be claimed as part of a housing disrepair claim where the damage was caused by the landlord's failure to repair after they knew about the problem. Keep photos and a list. If you have contents insurance, tell your insurer as well.
A pipe burst without warning. Is the landlord liable?
A landlord is not usually liable for a sudden failure inside your home they had no notice of, but they must repair it promptly once told. They can be liable from the outset if the defect is in a part of the building they keep control of, such as communal pipes.
