landlord insurance claim

[REDSAW]

looking for input!

did a job last july 07 2012,

a 70year old woman landlord called me in to her tenanted property to look at some bathroom damage.

her letting agents did a patch job to a part of the chipboard floor in front and under the toilet in the bathroom on the first floor as it had collapsed. she called me in to raise the level of the piece laid as it was 3mm shallower than the existing flooring as she wanted to get lino down properly so it showed no ridges. she also asked me to look under that part of the floor for any leaking pipes while i am doing it. the only pipe in the area was the feed to the toilet cistern 3 foot away and all was good.
also in with the work i suggested tat the bath reseal to wall as she was asking what may of caused the rot in the floor panel. i also told her it was probably splashing bathwater and urine on the floor as it stunk.. job took 2-3 hours.

so, for the last 2 days she has been after me as the floor and cieling has sagged some 3'' and wanted me to go around and see what the problem is so i booked it in for next wednesday, until today....she is mouthing off demanding i drop everything and get there NOW!. she says the letting agent had sent one of their people around and he took one look at it and told her to get the person who laid the floor as it is dangerous?.
she was ranting on that i had laid the flooring and it was not water tight! (wrong carpet fitter laid it), that i had re-done all the floor (wrong, only a 3x2 section), that the bath seal should last more than a year and was not done properly!!.

she then goes on to tell me to go there replace all the bathroom floors, joists and ceiling below or i should furnish her with my p.l so she can claim against it!!!!wtf?
i dont think she has insurance herself!

i spoke to my insurers and they say, if they go and asses the situation using there time even not at my fault then my premium may go up!!

is she having it on or what?:annoyed:

 

[Leo21]

Bummer, go and see for yourself. But get there as soon as you can to cover yourself.

 

[Atouchofgas]

I would say she's trying to pull a fast one. It's a rented prop, what having the letting agents be doing? Have they had other tradesman in? Jobs over a year old away so it is out of warranty. That's just my thoughts

 

[REDSAW]

cant seem to get around my head that no water was touched, and the bath seal was done as a precaution 'while i was there'!!

if the damage is like that, why not report sooner and why after 12 months?

imo, the tenants are negligent and the landlord is trying to achieve a fast one.

how long does a bath seal last, under what conditions & how secure is the bath to wall?

 

[hammers4spanner]

Shes out for a bath refurb via your public liabilty by sounds of it ,

i have yet to see a bathroom that has not had some form of water damage over time and rented properties are even worse as tennants dont give a monkeys if the pee over the floor or splash half the contents of the bath over the floor .

i would say to her its a year on so do one

 

[REDSAW]

i did do. lol.
but she is threatening to claim against me one way or another and then asks for my pl, details instead.
not sure if i have to entertain her at all but covered it with the insurers just in case.

i think she is just taking the agents 'opinion' as gospel!

any one heard of an insurance claim because the bath seal had failed and every one failed to notice after 12 months?

 

[Leo21]

Tell her you'll see her in court! Don't give your pl details! Go and see it and do a written report.

 

[hammers4spanner]

If its that bad then surely she should keep the deposit from tennants for not reporting damage early enough , stand your ground i would trying it on flick her 20p and tell her to call someone who gives a fudge

 

[tamz]

Tell her to fk off. The sagging is a structural problem.

 

[REDSAW]

Tell her you'll see her in court! Don't give your pl details! Go and see it and do a written report.

why do i need to go and see it?

surly the damage is caused by water, how has water damage got to do with me, or has it?

is this the right thing to do, dont give her my pl details? as she wants me to call her this evening as she wont call my mobile as it costs a lot of money haha

 

[Leo21]

To cover yourself, you need to attend IMHO. Use it for your defence, it won't look good if you don't!

 

[ne1ls0n]

i would not give her any details and let her know you will be taking it up with a lawyer/courts and she what she says then, replacing a bit of flooring and a bath seal doesent amount to that. call her bluff

 

[REDSAW]

i told her that i would come next wednesday, but i will be charging her for my time as it was over a year ago.
she refuses to pay my fee!.
i told her i dont work for nothing and i dont guarantee work for ever.

this is not the issue though as i know the bath seal has not failed without the bath sinking through the chipboard flooring, i have done too many and non have failed to cause damage!
the damage has been done by water coming over the bath, sink or toilet and under the lino rotting the floor.

even if the seal had failed then whos to say the kids have not also splashed the water over the sides and ingresses behind the pedastal/pipes lino joint?

tbh rather not entertain going around unless i really have too!!

 

[Plum Bob 66]

i told her that i would come next wednesday, but i will be charging her for my time as it was over a year ago.
she refuses to pay my fee!.
i told her i dont work for nothing and i dont guarantee work for ever.

this is not the issue though as i know the bath seal has not failed without the bath sinking through the chipboard flooring, i have done too many and non have failed to cause damage!
the damage has been done by water coming over the bath, sink or toilet and under the lino rotting the floor.

even if the seal had failed then whos to say the kids have not also splashed the water over the sides and ingresses behind the pedastal/pipes lino joint?

tbh rather not entertain going around unless i really have too!!

Tbh mate, from what I've read from your posts your a reputable tradesman with a major client base who would no doubt vouch for your integrity. You've done nothing wrong here, she's trying to pull a fast one. You should politely tell her to go **** herself !

 

[REDSAW]

barged in there this afternoon, told the tennant i had come to asses. lol.

the bath seal (although mankey) is still intact throughout.

the floor under the toilet pan to the right of the pedestal (18mm osb), is still sound under foot and toilet shows no leaks and bowl still contains its water level.

if you look at the pedestal thats where the water looks like its coming from, it could be to do with the A RAB'S washing their clothes in the basin as it was full of wet clothes?

cant see where blame lies on me prat!!!!

 

[Atouchofgas]

Did you take a photo of the clothes in the sink? Gives you back up to the cause of the prob

 

[Rickster123]

The place looks rank mate. Sounds like she's after a free bathroom paid for by your insurance. Tell her to jog on.

 

[Killy Bing]

Stick to your guns!!

 

[Koogatubac]

Agree, looks like shes trying to get freebies, detest people like this. Tell her to sling her hook! Your experience and past jobs overshadow her ignorance and rudeness

 

[REDSAW]

Did you take a photo of the clothes in the sink? Gives you back up to the cause of the prob

pfft!.

i realized that after i was driving away as my focus was on the floor and seal all intact, so no, i didnt get one of the laundry lol.
thing is theres no track from the bath so that shows the seal is not to blame,

you can see the wet where its ran down to the floor though, and we all know water dont go up haha.

 

[Atouchofgas]

Depends if your trying to **** the highest!

 

[Leo21]

barged in there this afternoon, told the tennant i had come to asses. lol.

the bath seal (although mankey) is still intact throughout.

the floor under the toilet pan to the right of the pedestal (18mm osb), is still sound under foot and toilet shows no leaks and bowl still contains its water level.

if you look at the pedestal thats where the water looks like its coming from, it could be to do with the A RAB'S washing their clothes in the basin as it was full of wet clothes?

cant see where blame lies on me prat!!!!
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You can tell her where to stick it now, and you've seen it and can be very descriptive about the job and she can f**k off!

 

[REDSAW]

bet that cieling comes down soon right onto the sofa!!!

 

[Rickster123]

bet that cieling comes down soon right onto the sofa!!!

No there's always a brand new plasma tv where a ceiling comes down. And a cabinet of priceless china.