Many people dream of living in an apartment, because housing and communal services take on many worries, unlike a private house or cottage. However, everything has a downside. There are many owners in the house, each is responsible for only one apartment, but what if the pipes in the basement burst or the roof leaks? Well, in the first case, everything is also clear, no one wants to sit without water, so they will hand over the money, hire a craftsman, and everything will be sorted out. What if the roof of an apartment building leaks? What to do in this case? It is clear that except for the owner, on whose head water is flowing, no one is interested in this problem. And while you are placing basins and being on duty at the source of the leak, no one will even think about collecting money for such a large-scale repair. Or maybe there is another way? Let's try to find out.
Old building - get ready for renovation
With the onset of spring, residents of old houses should be the first to be vigilant. However, this is not the only reason that can lead to roof leaks. Sometimes this is due to condensation that collects due to a violation of heat exchange. But most often, due to age, microcracks appear in the rolled materials and in the roof itself. It will only get worse, because water has a destructive effect on any materials, which means that the cracks will only increase. As a result, we are faced with the fact that the roof of an apartment building is leaking. We will look at what to do in this situation in some detail, but for now let’s allow ourselves one more digression.
Consequences of leakage
If the roof of an apartment building leaks, then this is a negative moment for every resident, even for people whose apartments are located on the ground floor. This is due to various reasons:
- the finish and appearance of furniture located in apartments on the upper floors of the building are destroyed;
- the living comfort of all citizens is deteriorating;
- fungus appears on walls or other surfaces, and it can spread to other apartments;
- flooding of the attic and even staircases occurs;
- Residents develop various diseases due to increased dampness;
- there is a possibility of roof collapse;
- There is a possibility that moisture will get on electrical wiring or various devices.
Various measures must be taken as soon as possible when a leak is detected. If repair work is carried out competently and promptly, then all negative consequences of violating the integrity of the roof are prevented.
An unpleasant surprise
If residents of old high-rise buildings are mentally prepared for the fact that the roof is worn out and may not withstand it, then for a resident of a new building this is, to put it mildly, a surprise. Moreover, the reason is the same - a violation of the roof’s tightness. Most likely, in this case, low-quality material was used to cover the roof or errors were made during the installation process. In any case, the tenant is not to blame and has every right to seek repairs. However, most of us are perplexed by the situation when the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do, who to contact, how to protect your rights? Let's get straight to this issue.
For what reasons do roofs leak?
So, the roof of an apartment building is leaking: what to do? To do this, you need to contact the housing department or management company, but effective repairs are only possible when the cause of the leak is determined.
There may be various reasons for this problem to occur. They are presented in the table below.
| Cause of leakage | Its features |
| Changes to the sealing system | This reason occurs in old houses, and this is due to wear and tear or deterioration in the quality of the materials used in the process of forming the roofing pie. Due to the deterioration of sealing, it is possible for moisture to penetrate directly under the roof |
| Use of low-quality materials | To reduce the cost of apartments, developers often use roofing materials that have expired. They cannot provide the proper level of sealing, and also will not last very long. |
| Damage to roof covering | This can be done through mechanical action, when snow or ice is removed from the roof |
| Incorrect installation technology | Often developers turn to people who are not specialists to perform various works, and therefore make gross mistakes in the process of forming a roofing structure. This causes leaks |
| Errors were made when installing additional elements | It is not uncommon for moisture to penetrate through areas where the roof covering connects to parts of the ventilation system, chimneys, or other items required for installation on the roof. |
Regardless of the cause, leaks should be repaired promptly. If your roof is leaking, where should you go? To do this, you must first contact the Criminal Code or Housing Department.
If this does not lead to the desired result, then you will have to go to the prosecutor’s office or file a statement in court.
Where to call
First you need to try to eliminate the consequences, that is, place buckets and basins under the resulting leak. Of course, it is very unpleasant that this affected you specifically, but nevertheless it is worth trying to save the property of both your own and those of the neighbors below who are innocent of what is happening. But now you need to pick up the phone and call the utility service to which your house is attached. You are not the only one with them, and probably no one will be in a hurry to respond to the call. However, you cannot hesitate when the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do? Submitting a written statement is a much faster way to get action.
The roof is leaking in an apartment building, where to contact
When an apartment owner discovers that there is water on the ceiling, the first question he has is where to go if the roof is leaking. In such a situation, you should know that there is a certain procedure to follow if the roof in the apartment is leaking. You need to stick to something like this:
- Call the dispatch service of the housing department to which the house belongs and report the problem. You should definitely check the name of the dispatcher and find out under what number the complaint was registered. In addition to oral application, there is a more reliable way - submitting an application in writing. The application is drawn up according to the sample and submitted to the utility service. The claim must indicate the reason for the appeal, the address of residence and the full name of the owner of the residential premises in which the roof leaked.
- When submitting a written application, you should attach photographs depicting the problem area in the apartment. It is advisable that the photographs be dated and in color. It is also possible to video record the fact of a leak, providing information on electronic media.
- When describing the problem that has arisen in the application, you should indicate in detail where the leak was discovered, whether it is permanent, on what day this phenomenon appeared, whether there was damage to property, whether there are minor children or sick people, as well as elderly people in the residential premises.
- The final part of the application must contain a request to consider the issue and take the necessary measures to eliminate the problem. You should also indicate the need to draw up an act and compensation for the resulting material damage.
- The facts in the application must be presented clearly and objectively.
- You should make a copy of the application and leave this copy with the person filing the complaint.
- It is necessary to ensure that in the process of accepting the application, it bears the signature of the person who accepted the document for consideration.
If the owner does not have the opportunity to visit the housing department in person, the complaint can be sent by registered mail.
When visiting in person, you should have with you your passport, a photocopy of its main pages, a document confirming the right to an apartment, and also a copy of it.
Official appeal
It must be written in two copies. In your application, tell in detail when the roof leak occurred and under what circumstances you noticed it. Do not forget to indicate how things are now, whether water continues to flow from the ceiling, and the measures taken to eliminate the consequences.
While you are getting ready to go to the utility companies, we will touch a little on the legal side of the issue. So, the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do? Belarus, like most former Soviet republics, offers residents several options for resolving such issues:
- Contact the utility service to which the house is assigned in the area.
- Call a private housing company chosen by the residents themselves.
- Contact the city authorities for subsidies for roof repairs.
- Collect money from residents and hire a team of workers.
As you can see, there are many options, but the key point is material resources. If the problem is solved by the utility service, it will definitely check whether there are debtor tenants in the house. No one will undertake repairs until the stated amounts are fully repaid. If you don’t want to get involved with utility services, then there will be even more ambitious visits to residents in order to prove what amount is needed and for what, and to encourage people to pay it.
Substantiation of the application
However, we got a little distracted. Let's get back to the main problem: the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do and who to contact? The main thing now is to draw up the application correctly. To do this, it is necessary to capture the roof leak that occurred. Take pictures from different angles so that all the details are clearly visible. In your application, please include your details, telephone number and full address. In the main part, tell about the location of the leak, time, date and damage caused. It will be very good if the number is printed on the pictures. All of them will become evidence in the case.
In the final part, ask to fix the leak and begin repair work. All photographs and application must be in duplicate. One package is handed over to the utility service, the second remains with you. The receiving dispatcher must sign it.
Finding out the reasons
Now it's time for the utility to act. They already have a statement that the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do? The reasons must be clarified on the first day. To do this, they will send you a locksmith or plumber. However, he will not do anything, but will only record the incident. It is advisable to invite an additional neighbor. There is a chance that the plumber will consider the leak to be minor and ask you to wait. If you agree, you will be putting out basins for a very long time during the rains. If it doesn’t triple, you need to move on.
Second statement
In principle, you can immediately prepare and write three versions of the letter. It is submitted to the head of the utility service. Now a whole commission will come to examine exactly how the roof is leaking in an apartment building, and what to do. The main reasons for this phenomenon are the banal wear and tear of buildings. However, everything remains to be seen. An inspection of the roof from the outside can confirm the following reasons:
- Punctures or cracks formed during snow removal.
- Coating wear.
- Violation of the technology for laying roofing material.
- Use of low-quality coating. New buildings often suffer from this.
Complaint to the prosecutor's office
Based on what has been said, it already becomes clear why the roof of an apartment building is leaking. What to do? The causes of the leak are known, but all services responsible for repairs continue to disown you. Then the last resort remains - write a letter to the prosecutor's office. Make a copy of your application and attach a photo with the date the letter was sent so that the competent authorities can see that the problem has not yet been resolved.
List of documents for the court
This is the last resort you can go to if the roof of an apartment building is leaking. We looked at what to do and where to go step by step. For the court, you will need to collect a leak report, which was drawn up by the commission. Attach a copy of the application to the housing and communal services, photographic materials and documents on damage assessment.
Please also explain the reason for your request. That is, indicate how much time has passed since the leak, which authorities you have already contacted. Don't forget to mention the names of employees who were unable or unwilling to help you. There is one more document that is very useful to present in court. This is an official act with the preparation of estimates for funds and materials that will be needed for repair and restoration work. This is done by an independent appraisal company. Later, the court will decide who should pay this amount, and you can hire workers to carry out the repairs.
