House Flooding

[that_someone_special]

I don''t know what to do.

Saturday our linen closet flooded, TWICE. We live in an old building, built in 1908 and it is broken up into condos. There are 2 units above us, and below us, the basement. Saturday morning I opened the linen closet door and felt little splashes of water on my hand. I look up and there is water dripping in. We take everything out of the closet, turn the water off to all of the units and see what is going on with the upstairs neighbor. Plumbing issues. Thankfully only a few gallons went through, so I was just going to wait to see before putting stuff back in the closet.

Fast forward a few hours and I hear the sound of running water. FI was about to take a shower, and I thought he was in the shower so I didn''t look. I switch rooms and the sound is DEF not the shower. I open the linen closet door and water is GUSHING IN.. like a waterfall. The basement had huge puddles and our closet ceiling looks like it''s going to cave in. I start screeching and FI goes upstairs and, omg, they never reconnected their plumbing, so they had a bathtub full of water pass through our closet, and they never noticed.

OK. So that was saturday. The condo assoc got a plumber out and fixed the clog saturday night. Sunday, we don''t contact her about the insurance because she said she would contact us. Monday, she isn''t home, so we leave a message with her roommate. TODAY we got a letter on our door stating that we should absolutely not try to contact her anymore and that in a few days someone from her insurance company will be contacting us- and if we HAVE to contact her, leave a note on her door. Meanwhile, our closet is ROTTING... the smell is soooo nasty (and even people two floors up on the other side of the building can smell it). The paint is bubbled everywhere and there is a HUGE crack in the ceiling of the closet that is making it bow down.

I am so confused on what we have a right to? Strangely enough, this happened 6 months ago too (the neighbor at the top) and we had insurance people out the next day, bright and early, 3 industrial fans and they checked everything.) I''m pretty certain my floor is rotting too, with how much water soaked through our floors into the basement

Does anyone know what rights we have? Or do we just wait more days for her insurance company and let the walls and floor rot even more?

Ugh I hate this woman so much. When they found out the flood happened again, she was LAUGHING her butt off.

 

[brightlight]

Date: 10/27/2009 5:09:32 PM
Author:swedish bean
I don't know what to do.

Saturday our linen closet flooded, TWICE. We live in an old building, built in 1908 and it is broken up into condos. There are 2 units above us, and below us, the basement. Saturday morning I opened the linen closet door and felt little splashes of water on my hand. I look up and there is water dripping in. We take everything out of the closet, turn the water off to all of the units and see what is going on with the upstairs neighbor. Plumbing issues. Thankfully only a few gallons went through, so I was just going to wait to see before putting stuff back in the closet.

Fast forward a few hours and I hear the sound of running water. FI was about to take a shower, and I thought he was in the shower so I didn't look. I switch rooms and the sound is DEF not the shower. I open the linen closet door and water is GUSHING IN.. like a waterfall. The basement had huge puddles and our closet ceiling looks like it's going to cave in. I start screeching and FI goes upstairs and, omg, they never reconnected their plumbing, so they had a bathtub full of water pass through our closet, and they never noticed.

OK. So that was saturday. The condo assoc got a plumber out and fixed the clog saturday night. Sunday, we don't contact her about the insurance because she said she would contact us. Monday, she isn't home, so we leave a message with her roommate. TODAY we got a letter on our door stating that we should absolutely not try to contact her anymore and that in a few days someone from her insurance company will be contacting us- and if we HAVE to contact her, leave a note on her door. Meanwhile, our closet is ROTTING... the smell is soooo nasty (and even people two floors up on the other side of the building can smell it). The paint is bubbled everywhere and there is a HUGE crack in the ceiling of the closet that is making it bow down.

I am so confused on what we have a right to? Strangely enough, this happened 6 months ago too (the neighbor at the top) and we had insurance people out the next day, bright and early, 3 industrial fans and they checked everything.) I'm pretty certain my floor is rotting too, with how much water soaked through our floors into the basement

Does anyone know what rights we have? Or do we just wait more days for her insurance company and let the walls and floor rot even more?

Ugh I hate this woman so much. When they found out the flood happened again, she was LAUGHING her butt off.

Wow, your neighbor is one mean lady. If her insurance company doesn't contact you by tomorrow, I think you should report her to the Condo Assoc. and see if they can get her to move faster since she clearly doesn't seem to care. This affects more than just your condo. Actually, shouldn't they have her insurance company on file? Tell them you're worried about mold. The longer it stays wet, the more likely you are to get mold. In the mean time, get a fan in there to dry it out. I'm surprised your neighbor's not worred about her floor. Can you have your insurance company call her?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Do you rent or own?

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 10/27/2009 7:55:07 PM
Author: MC
Do you rent or own?

We own.

 

[that_someone_special]

brightlight- that''s a good point about her floors as well... since the flooding happened in her bathroom (which is tile on cement slab) I am wondering if she is too stupid to care.. OR, and I wouldn''t put this past her, she is going to make a claim for herself as well.

She IS one mean lady. Her toilet flooded several years ago and she refused to fix it. Told FI to "Use an umbrella" if he didn''t like water splashing on him from above. He eventually had to take her to court and 2 years later got a payment of 30% of what he was owed (he paid to fix her plumbing and to get an entirely new ceiling put in)- just to be done with it. I REALLY HOPE she doesn''t pull that again.

 

[that_someone_special]

And does anyone know how fast mold can grow??? I''m really worried.....

 

[orbaya]

Wow, she sounds like a real B---h!

Is it possible for you to contact your insurance company and then let them duke it out with hers? Are you sure she even has insurance? Yes, she needed it to close on the condo, but is it possible she let it lapse? She probably thinks that if she stalls, you guys will pay for her damage again.

Good luck, she sounds like a winner.

 

[radiantquest]

There has got to be a rule about that. Arent you supposed to file claims as soon as something happens. I understand that it happened on a weekend, but that means that she should have called on Monday morning and you would have hear from them right away. It sounds to me that she is trying to get out of calling them and filing a claim. Is there any way that you can find out the name of the company she uses and call yourself?

 

[brightlight]

I think the longer you wait, the worse the whole situation becomes. If you haven''t already, call your insurance company. That way, at least you''ll have it on record. Also, there''s a possibility that the insurance company may refuse to cover additional damage that resulted from waiting to have it repaired. I think the insurance company will hunt down your neighbor for you. Also call AND write your Condo Assoc. I, personally, would also go ahead and have someone come and evaluate the damage and do an estimate for repairs. Your insurance co. may do this for you. Then, I''d have a lawyer write and serve your neighbor a formal letter for damages. I think iit''s worth the money considering what happened last time with your neighbor.

 

[brightlight]

Date: 10/28/2009 12:49:18 PM
Author: radiantquest
There has got to be a rule about that. Arent you supposed to file claims as soon as something happens. I understand that it happened on a weekend, but that means that she should have called on Monday morning and you would have hear from them right away. It sounds to me that she is trying to get out of calling them and filing a claim. Is there any way that you can find out the name of the company she uses and call yourself?

I agree. I think she may be waiting it out, so you''ll pay for the repairs again.

 

[brightlight]

Date: 10/28/2009 2:43:38 AM
Author: swedish bean
And does anyone know how fast mold can grow??? I''m really worried.....

I don''t really know. Fortunately, it''s not summer. The only things I can recommend are airing it out with a fan constantly and opening nearby windows if possible.

 

[that_someone_special]

Ok So I called the insurance company and told them I didn''t have a claim number, or any information other than she is insured through this company and they helped me out.

I got the adjustors number and the claim number, which she filed. The lady helping me on the phone could not believe that no one had contacted us yet......

She switched me over to the adjuster (got his VM) so I left a stern message. HA!

lol... I can''t believe I did this myself. Im such a wuss. I kept thinking, AH HELLZ NO we are NOT going through this again. Thanks brightlight and everyone! I will keep ya updated.

It''s just that I walked into the house today and the SMELL WAS TERRIBLE. It smells like musty grossness.

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Date: 10/28/2009 4:16:44 PM
Author: swedish bean
Ok So I called the insurance company and told them I didn''t have a claim number, or any information other than she is insured through this company and they helped me out.


I got the adjustors number and the claim number, which she filed. The lady helping me on the phone could not believe that no one had contacted us yet......

She switched me over to the adjuster (got his VM) so I left a stern message. HA!


lol... I can''t believe I did this myself. Im such a wuss. I kept thinking, AH HELLZ NO we are NOT going through this again. Thanks brightlight and everyone! I will keep ya updated.


It''s just that I walked into the house today and the SMELL WAS TERRIBLE. It smells like musty grossness.

Dude, I saw what you were able to do to your earlobes. You are not a wuss.

Good for you for taking control of the situation. Don''t forget to take photos, keep receipts, and perhaps even keep a journal detailing info as it progresses. Good luck!

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 10/28/2009 6:54:16 PM
Author: fleur-de-lis

Date: 10/28/2009 4:16:44 PM

Author: swedish bean

Ok So I called the insurance company and told them I didn''t have a claim number, or any information other than she is insured through this company and they helped me out.



I got the adjustors number and the claim number, which she filed. The lady helping me on the phone could not believe that no one had contacted us yet......

She switched me over to the adjuster (got his VM) so I left a stern message. HA!



lol... I can''t believe I did this myself. Im such a wuss. I kept thinking, AH HELLZ NO we are NOT going through this again. Thanks brightlight and everyone! I will keep ya updated.



It''s just that I walked into the house today and the SMELL WAS TERRIBLE. It smells like musty grossness.

Dude, I saw what you were able to do to your earlobes. You are not a wuss.

Good for you for taking control of the situation. Don''t forget to take photos, keep receipts, and perhaps even keep a journal detailing info as it progresses. Good luck!

OHHH great idea on the journal!! I DID take pictures, and a quick iphone video where you can kinda see but def hear the water pouring in.

 

[jewelerman]

I AGREE...DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!From the minute it happened...Get tough woth her and dont give up...If this were me I would think about moving out of this place...sounds like it will continue to be one bad thing after another.I would also contact her superiors.

 

[that_someone_special]

I just wanted to update real quick here. I HATE her insurance company. They are morons. They won''t send out an adjuster until they can prove to themselves that it''s upstairs ladies fault

I ended up having to go through our insurance company until hers gets their act together.

Meanwhile, the place is still rotting and smells.

 

[orbaya]

Good grief.

Once your insurance company sees that it''s the other woman''s fault, your company will go after hers. How are they supposed to determine if it is this woman''s fault if they won''t send someone to survey the damage??

 

[that_someone_special]

Oh now I am all sorts of

Our insurance company said they WILL NOT cover any damage to our walls or floor and we now need to contact the condo assoc (which is actually just the 6 units here). I am on my LAST thread of patience. They told me they will basically only cover the paint to the walls. hmmmmmm.....


I am just

apparently even if we had 3 inches of water in our unit and all flooring was ruined, it would still be under the condos insurance. Which, I''m sorry, does NOT make sense to me. What the hell to we have insurance for then? We OWN, not RENT and we have more than just personal items invested into our building. lsdkjf;ljkdsklj!