On Tuesday, 18 August 2020 14:20:20 UTC+1, Mike Halmarack wrote:
On 18 Aug 2020 13:07:21 GMT, Tim Streater
wrote:

On 18 Aug 2020 at 13:26:52 BST, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Tue, 18 Aug 2020 13:06:06 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Here in this block of flats, the plastic rising main pipework passes
vertically through the airing cupboard of each flat to the flat above..

Since the introduction of water meters each flat has individual
pipework, modified from the original. The modification is shoddy and
prone to leakage, with significant property damage to individual flats
ensuing.

The last plumber who came to fix a leak in the pipework running
through my flat said the problem would recur because between the 2
joints in the original black pipework is a section of blue plastic
pipe that is of a different diameter. The flexing of the pipework over
time causes these joints to leak. The plumber described the blue
pipework as being agricultural stuff.

The management company of the flats has a brief to keep the service
charges low, which causes them to drag their feet when it comes to
repairs, then when damage occurs as a result, the management company
attempts to pass the cost on to individual flat owners rather than
taking the money out of the service charge kitty.

Despite numerous phone calls, emails and signed for letters the office
will not acknowledge the problem in writing or explain why they will
not fix it. So my next step will have to be a solicitors letter.

Any thoughts on this problem?

Only to ask whether solicitors' letters carry any weight these days.
Many decades ago, the recipient was supposed to collapse into a
quivering heap of jelly and capitulate, but I'm not sure that happens
any more. Don't they just get binned?

Is there a tenants committee? If not perhaps there should be.

Wer'e a bunch of oldies with long leases and joint freehold.
The management company was engaged with the brief to keep services
charges low, which they are.
Getting folks here to do anything much more than getting into and out
of (if lucky) ambulances is a task.

I suspect your lack of evidence for need for work may be the prime issue. A written letter resulting from a survey commissioned on the plumbing in question might be more convincing. It probably would be worth including a cost assessement of doing nothing versus acting too.


NT