Where to go if the roof is leaking in an apartment building? Deadlines for repairing roof leaks by the management company The roof leaks in winter, the management company does not respond.

With the onset of rainy autumn days in many cities and towns of our country, as a rule, the problem in housing and communal services is aggravated - leaking roofs.

Although the roof of an apartment building is part of the common property of the owners of this house, its current repairs must be carried out by a maintenance management company (MC) at the expense of payments made by residents. In receipts for rent there is such a line of expenses: "Fee for the maintenance and repair of housing." We are talking about current repairs, that is, patching up minor damage, and not about major repairs.

If the roof is leaking, where to look for the guilty? Who to complain to in this case?

1. So, if the roof is leaking in your house and there is a flood in your apartment, the first thing to do is call the emergency service by calling the control room of your management company, HOA or housing cooperative (numbers should be indicated on the information stand at the entrance).
2. Didn't find the phone numbers of the specified services? Call the unified control room of the mayor's office.
3. After, not without the help of housing department locksmiths, the flood stops, contact the managing organization. At the same time, be sure to insist on drawing up an act that will fully and in detail describe the damage caused to the premises by the flood. This should be done carefully and scrupulously, without missing the slightest detail. Thus, the assessment of damage to the apartment will be made with the maximum degree of accuracy. Be sure to make sure that you still have one copy of the drawn up act, this will help you avoid hassle in the event that the employees of the management company have a desire to rewrite the act and reduce the amount of damage caused.
   The act should be drawn up even if the damage to the apartment seems insignificant to you. Defects may show up later when the flood marks dry. To do this, you need to write an application in two copies, one of which should remain in your hands. Advice! Photograph or film all damaged property, as well as stains and drips on the ceiling and walls. Be sure to set the shooting date and time function on the camera. Shoot preferably in the presence of commission members, and let them endorse the photos or videos. In the event of litigation, these materials can be very useful to you.
4. While the employees of the managing organization draw up an act of the bay (they must do this no later than two days from the moment you apply), contact the appraisers to determine the amount of damage caused by the flood. By the way, checks and receipts for damaged furniture and equipment will be very helpful when assessing the damage to an apartment, since they document the value of an item.
5. After that, write a statement and carry it along with the results of the examination to the management company. Demand compensation for the damages caused within 10 days.
6. In case of refusal, file a lawsuit in court, where you continue to demand compensation from the Criminal Code for damages caused by the flood. The court will determine whether you are at fault or the management company is responsible.
   It is worth considering another important point: if at the general meeting the residents of the house decided that the roof was not required to be repaired, but such a disaster happened, then they must solve the problem on their own.

If the roof is leaking, where can I get money for repairs?

After the leak is fixed, it's time to think about a full repair. To do this, it is necessary to determine the financing of expensive work.
First of all, it can be the funds of the owners, which they have accumulated under the item “current repairs”. You need to meet with representatives of the Management Company, determine the approximate cost of the upcoming repairs and find out if the budget of the house allows you to allocate such an amount. If there is enough money, then the residents should hold a general meeting of owners and, at the voting, instruct their Management Company to repair the roof at the expense of current repairs.
More than 2/3 of all apartment owners must vote “FOR” (voting results are calculated according to the area of ​​apartments). It is important to remember that without the decision of the general meeting of owners, the Management Company simply does not have the right to spend this money even on the necessary work.
If there is not enough money, then you can offer the Management Company to carry out the necessary repairs at the expense of future payments, or introduce an additional payment for the owners. Such a decision must also be recorded by the decision of the general meeting of owners.
For residents of those houses where capital repairs have not been done even once in decades, in accordance with Article 16 of the Law “On Privatization”, the municipality was obliged to put the housing in order before transferring it to the ownership of citizens. If the local authorities have not fulfilled their obligations, then it is possible to seek major repairs at the expense of budgetary funds in court. True, in this case, the process may drag on for several years - local administrations do not have enough funds to comply with all court decisions.
Expert advice: “The management company is obliged to maintain the house in accordance with the law. Therefore, if they explain to you that the apartment will be flooded until the residents collect money for major repairs, then this, to put it mildly, is slyness. A roof leak is an emergency situation, and the Criminal Code is OBLIGED to eliminate the causes of the accident within a day!”
Knowing your rights and how to act, you will definitely achieve your goal with a little patience and perseverance in this process.
Good luck!

Often, owners of private houses over time are faced with a leak on the roof. This is not affected by either the material of the roof or the quality of the work. Leakage can be prevented only by timely maintenance and overhaul, as well as periodic inspection of the roof.

Why is it flowing

A leak can become quite unexpected and repair work can be difficult. For example, if the roof leaks during a rain that lasts for several days, or if the snow starts to melt at that time.

As a result, you have to save yourself with basins, other containers and vessels. At the same time, a quick repair of the current roof will not be an effective solution, since the next precipitation will again lead to leakage.

To solve the problem, you need to understand why the roof is leaking. With the correct definition of the reasons, you can even try to cope on your own, without resorting to the cost of professional services. The roof may leak due to:

• the appearance of cracks in the roof - its individual parts can be displaced due to the influence of weather conditions, as a result of which a leak occurs at the junction;
• problems with condensate - if the heat, hydro and vapor barriers, as well as the ventilation system, were not installed correctly, moisture can accumulate and the roof will leak;
• the materials from which the roof is made can also wear out, in this regard, wood is the most subject to wear.

After finding out the reasons, you can begin to eliminate them, on your own or with the help of professionals. Let's figure out what to do if the roof is leaking.

What to do

Let's try to understand how to fix a roof leak. Regardless of the reasons, they will have to be eliminated with the help of repairs. Under favorable weather conditions, major repairs can be carried out. However, as a rule, it is necessary to eliminate the leak quickly, for this current repairs are carried out. For these purposes, you need to inspect the roof and find the place of the leak.

If you can not determine it visually, then this can lead to additional problems. Examine the leak carefully and find the area that was damaged. After that, depending on its location and on the type of roof, you can get to work.

If the roofing material is a metal tile, then you will have to remove its damaged element with a nail puller or other tool.

When doing this, be careful not to damage other metal sheets. Then, instead of the damaged sheet, a new one should be put. Similarly, roof tiles made of other materials are repaired.

If a roof leak has formed at the butt joints, then the resulting gap will have to be repaired with something. As a rule, this place is located between the roof and the chimney. The resulting gap should be sealed with galvanized iron, or an element on a bitumen basis.

The process of eliminating a leak will contain several stages.

• First, the material is applied to the joint, while covering a much larger area than the gap. In this case, the material must be given the correct shape, for example, if iron is used, then it must be bent.
• Secondly, with the help of an elastic material, seal the joints and all openings, and quite carefully to get a sealed surface. Otherwise, the leak will continue.

In conclusion, the roof is restored with the same material of which its undamaged part consists.

If the roof is leaking due to damage to the ridge, for example, if this piece of wood begins to rot, then this part will have to be replaced. In addition, of course, you will have to replace other parts that have been damaged.

To do this, damaged roof parts must be dismantled. For example, pull out the boards, which will require the extraction of nails from them. The next stage is cleaning from humus, rust, etc. After the place is cleared, you can install new elements.

It should be noted that after independently carrying out such repairs, it will be necessary to periodically check these places for leaks and, if necessary, repeat all the described manipulations, or call specialists or carry out a major overhaul of the roof.

Roof leaks are experienced by the residents of the upper floor and the residents of the lower floors below them. In a 5-story panel building covered with roll materials, water can penetrate to the 4th and even 3rd floor. In brick 9-story buildings, the 9th, 8th floor is exposed to leakage. And how unsightly the room looks, into which water flows from the ceiling of the last floor!

In addition, leaks are often observed in apartments and staircases. In this case, water can reach the 1st floor, running down the stairs without obstacles. Such a disaster is fraught with the penetration of water into the electrical panels located on the site, which will lead to a short circuit and “burnout” of the switchboards. This is serious damage, fraught not only with water invasion and dampness, but can also lead to accidents. Therefore, repairs should be carried out immediately.

What and who can help with a roof leak?

Photo 1 - Covering a leaking roof with new roofing material
Photo 2 - Roofing with a bitumen-polymer roll

Photo 3 - Modern roll materials
Photo 4 - Repair of the roof of an apartment building

About, what to do if the roof in an apartment building is leaking, there are many different hints:

• seek help from public utilities, a housing cooperative, a society of co-owners;
• write an application to the city executive committee, the State Housing Inspectorate;
• file a lawsuit;
• gather the neighbors of the entrance to solve the problem;
• try to prevent the leak on your own.

As experience shows, in our time nothing helps, except for the initiative and funds of the owners who suffer from the development of roof leaks. However, you need to try other methods, and suddenly - someone will help at least partially, or your house has been put on scheduled repairs!

Repairs at the expense of tenants

To the question: “What to do if the roof in an apartment building is leaking?”, Today there is one correct answer. "Needs to be renovated!" Residents themselves collect money for material and work, and thus solve the problem. What else to do? From managers come refusals, delays, replies. The decision of the court can be expected for years. If careless people live in the entrance, who are not bothered by a leak, then the residents of those apartments in which leakage is observed have to “take the rap”. In this case, you can try to resolve the issue of partial compensation from the company that pays the monthly rent.

How and what to do if the roof leaks in an apartment building?

The prevention of leakage depends on the shape of the coating and the roofing materials used. Let's consider the most common case of leakage of a flat roof covered with rolled bituminous materials. Most of the houses were covered with roofing material in the past. Of course, over a long period of operation, the roofing material managed to wear out, areas peeled off from the sun and precipitation appeared.

Photo 5 - Detachment of roofing material
Photo 6 - Crack

1. First you need to inspect the coating and determine the level of damage visually.

2. The best way to eliminate troubles is to completely cover the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe entire plane with new roofing material (f. 1-2). Those owners of high-rise buildings who decide to cover the entire house are doing the right thing. For this, there are many high-quality materials (form 3). If there are no funds to cover the entire house, at least one entrance is completely repaired. Such a solution may eliminate lesions, but does not guarantee complete protection. The tricky thing about flat roof leaks is that water can move through the ceiling in any direction. If the roof is "leaky" at the junction or near the drainpipe, then there is a chance that the leakage will stop if these places are sealed (form 4).

3. When the problems of the financial plan do not allow blocking the entire entrance, you can try to fix the leak with selective repairs. The success of such repairs will be temporary (if any). But, if the overhaul of your house with the replacement of the roof is planned in a couple of years, then you should try to fix the situation for at least a few seasons. At the same time, cracks, swelling, delamination at the joints are closed (f. 5.6)

4. Often the owner who experiences the “waterfall” the most tries to correct the situation on his own or with the help of specialists. If he has a 2-room apartment with a total area of ​​56 sq.m, he buys one or two 10-meter rolls of rubemast or other similar material. This coating can cover 20 sq.m. planes at the sites of injury. New roofing material is laid on the most emergency areas. In places near drainpipes and in other areas, the plane can be treated with a special polymer mastic.

How to repair?

When swollen, the lesions are opened crosswise with a cutting tool and the edges are turned away. Then the mastic is applied inside with a spatula, and the edges are returned to their place and nailed. The damaged area is covered with a patch that is several cm larger than the damage. Opened seams are cleaned, smeared with mastic and nailed. If there is material, a patch is applied on top along the entire seam. Cracks are sealed in a similar way with mastic, and a “patch” is applied on top. In places where damage is frequent, lay a strip or two of new material.

With leaks in an apartment, when it drips from above, it is necessary to repair the roof of an apartment building, because its damage is the cause of this trouble. In reality, the property of residents is damaged, it is also possible to create short circuits in the electrical network, which leads to fires. The question arises of where to turn in such situations, even with small leaks. After all, with excessive moisture in the living room, a fungus appears and mold grows. Local measures do not lead to anything, it is necessary to eliminate the main reason, for which you should contact (CC).

Where to go

When a roof leak occurs, the question is who should repair the roof. This should be done by the management company, which is engaged in the maintenance of the housing economy of a multi-storey building. Damaged or worn roofing leads to the fact that the hermetic coating is broken, due to which atmospheric precipitation penetrates into the roof pie. Such problematic situations often concern residents of the upper floors. If wet spots occur on the ceiling or walls, the cause is a roof leak.

When leaks appear, do not expect the situation to get worse. After all, regularly weeping walls and ceilings help the fungus to multiply, which can be very difficult to destroy. It should be noted that only the elimination of the cause of the leak will eliminate the growth of microorganisms, and before that it is useless to carry out repair work in the apartment.

Therefore, if signs of leakage are detected, you should immediately contact the Criminal Code. The fastest way is to call the control room by phone. It is necessary that the operator record the call in the form of a complaint from you, indicating the time of the call and the name of the tenant. But in reality, such verbal statements lead nowhere. The best way is a written application to the management company.

A complaint

A few words about how to write an application to the HOA or housing department. An application to the Housing Office is written in free form, you only need to indicate the last name, first name, patronymic and place of registration of the applicant. When submitting a letter about a roof leak, you need to make sure that the complaint is accepted by the official representative, who noted on the second application for a roof leak according to the sample number, his position and signature.

A complaint about a roof leak must be made in duplicate, while keeping the first sample of the application. An employee of the Criminal Code is obliged to send a technician as soon as possible, who will assess the damage and draw up an act on the roof leak. But in practice, the technical staff members are not, or their visit does not change anything for the better. CC is not taking steps to fix the problem. In the current situation, when the roof is leaking in an apartment building, it is required to write an application to the housing and communal services about a roof leak, which is addressed to the head of the Criminal Code.

An application for repair of a roof according to the model should be drawn up as completely and accurately as possible. Before handling it, you should photograph the damage caused, stamping the date on the device. This will be the evidence base for subsequent appeals to the courts, so that the Criminal Code will finally start repairing the roof in your apartment building. On photo and video recordings, you need to record all leaks on ceilings and walls, damage to property. The claim must be supplemented by checks for damaged items, this is also attached to the claim against the Criminal Code.

In case of roof leaks in several residential premises, complain all separately by writing a statement according to the model. This will increase the likelihood of a quick analysis and prompt action to eliminate the problem in the apartment. Also, such requests can speed up the overhaul.

When submitting a written application for roof repair according to the model below, the homeowner is obliged to take with him an identity card and a copy of it, as well as documentation confirming the ownership of the apartment at the place of registration.

Sample Complaint

A little about how to write an application for a roof repair. A roof leak claim must be made accordingly. Here is an example of such a complaint:

Head of the management company

Petrov Petr Petrovich

From Ivanov Ivan Ivanovich,

living at:

st. Builders, house 12, apartment 356,

phone 89123456789

Statement

I, Ivanov Ivan Ivanovich, live on the top floor of the building at 12 Stroiteley Street. Since October 2017, the ceiling and walls in my apartment have been constantly damp due to leaking roofing, because the roof is in disrepair.

Flooding situations occur during precipitation. After leaking roofing, the walls and ceiling in the kitchen and bedroom are wet, fungus and mold growth are observed on them. Due to high humidity, the health and well-being of our family is under constant threat.

We repeatedly contacted the control room due to the roof leaking. After that, a technician came to us, who drew up a report on the leakage of the roof. After that, no action followed.

After appeals, the walls in the apartment and the ceiling flow immediately after precipitation. Video footage of the damage to my property and photos of the damage are attached to this application. When viewing them, you can see that the situation has become worse, the places of leaks have increased many times over.

Every month I pay for the maintenance of the living quarters, I have no debts for utilities. The receipts also include payment for major repairs to the house. In accordance with the current Decree No. 17 of September 27, 2003 "On approval of the rules and norms for the technical operation of the housing stock" your management company is responsible for keeping the roofing equipment in good condition.

As a result, I ask you to repair the roof and repair my apartment. Send a commission that will draw up a report on the leakage of the roof according to the model and evaluate the damage caused.

Signature and date

Management of the Criminal Code

After applying for utility work to restore the roof, the management company must dismantle it within fourteen days. To verify the complaint, a commission is organized with specialists from the Criminal Code and representatives of the house committee. They constitute an act of roof leakage. Neighbors can be invited to supervise the inspection to confirm that the roof is leaking.

After that, the employees of the Criminal Code write a defective statement, according to which the organization of the repair is financed and the losses incurred when the roof leaks on the top floor are compensated. When nothing happened within the deadlines by which, according to the law, a response to the application should follow, then you need to complain about the actions of the Criminal Code to higher organizations in the region where the victim lives.

When even after that the repair is not carried out, then it is necessary to apply to the judicial authorities with the collected evidence. The form and forms of claims are available in court and on the Internet.

Roof restoration

Employees of the Criminal Code when restoring the roof should contact the contractor that carries out such repairs. In this case, it may be necessary to draw up another statement about the leakage from the affected tenant to the address of the contractor. After that, a representative comes from the contracting company who inspects the damage and leaks and makes an estimate for the restoration of the roofing.

Then the estimate sheet is sent to the Criminal Code, which, in agreement with the advanced price list, draws up an agreement with the contractor for the organization of roof repairs. All costs for the restoration of the roof are divided between the owners of the residential building.

Often, utilities delay the repair work to restore the roof on a written complaint. As a result, you need to constantly remind about the presence of a leak by phone or come to the Criminal Code yourself. The actions of housing services should be checked at all stages of roof restoration until the leakage stops. To do this, you need to organize several neighbors who are concerned about this problem, and draw up a collective appeal. This is a great help when delaying repairs. In the absence of progress, you should go to court with a claim for the inaction of housing services.

Residents of the upper floors know firsthand what a roof leak in an apartment building is. The roof can leak during periods of heavy rains, winter thaws and spring snowmelt. In addition, leaks can be associated with condensate accumulating under the roofing carpet, as well as with microcracks in rolled materials.

The roof can leak both in long-built houses and in new buildings. A common cause of leakage is a leak in the roof covering. The causes of leakage in old and new houses are different. In buildings that have been in operation for a long time, this may be due to the service life of the coating. The main cause of roof depressurization in new buildings is poor-quality roofing material or errors that occur during installation work when laying the “roofing pie”.

Consider the most common causes of flat and pitched roof leaks.

Flat roof leakage occurs:

• in case of violation of the integrity of the roofing carpet in the process of snow removal and removal of ice;
• after the expiration date of roofing materials;
• in case of violation of the technology of installation of roofing;
• due to poor quality roofing material;
• due to damage to the roofing or waterproofing by plant roots.

The cause of roof leakage may be damage during snow removal.

The roof leaks even when the edges of the roofing carpet are blown out and lifted by the wind. The reason again is non-compliance with the technology of gluing rolled materials.

On pitched roofs, leaks occur at the junction of the roof to vertical surfaces (to walls, ventilation and smoke ducts, etc.). The reason lies in the poor-quality arrangement of their points of contact, as well as in the improper arrangement of valleys, gutters and grooves.

The temperature regime also has a great influence on leakage. They arise when it is violated in the under-roof space (attic). In accordance with regulatory documents, the air temperature in the attic in winter should have the same indicators as the outside.

If the attic is warm, the snow on the roof begins to melt, ice and icicles form, clogging the drainage systems. The massive melting of snow in the spring exacerbates the situation, as water accumulates on the roof surface without having time to drain, penetrating through the most vulnerable places of the roofing.

The roof is leaking in the apartment: what to do and who to contact

So, the roof is leaking - what to do? First of all, you need to take pictures of the leaks in your apartment or make a video so that you can see the damage caused to you. Capture every moment and every little thing. It is desirable that the photographs be in color with date and time stamps. Photo and video materials in the future can become irrefutable proof of the fact of damage to your property.

Photos from the scene will be an essential argument when applying to court

• First of all, you need to contact the manager of the utility service to which your house is attached. The application is submitted orally or in writing. A more reliable option is to make a written statement, as your verbal request may go unnoticed.
• In the application, you must indicate your details, as well as the details of the addressee.
• In the main part of the document, you must state the problem, indicating the location of the leak, indicate the date and time, and also what material damage you have suffered.
• It is recommended to attach photographs and video materials, which were mentioned above, to the letter.
• In the final part of the application, it is necessary to ask for the drawing up of an act to eliminate the leak and to compensate for the damage.
• Requests must be clearly worded and numbered.
• Don't forget to keep one copy of the statement for yourself as proof that you handled a problem that remained unresolved.
• You can send it to the addressee by registered mail or hand it in.
• When you register your application with the utility, your copy must be signed.
• When applying, do not forget to bring your passport and its photocopy, as well as documents confirming your right to housing.

What actions should be expected from utilities

What to expect from the utilities after filing your report that you have a roof leak in your apartment? Consider the options in their possible sequence:

• After submitting an application, you have the right to expect the arrival of a plumber or locksmith. He will not be able to fix the leak on his own, but he must at least fix it. It is possible that the locksmith will try to convince you of the insignificance of the leak and its quick self-elimination. You can agree with this and continue to substitute basins during the rain, engage in continuous repairs, bringing your apartment into a divine form. If all this bothers you, go to the second step.
• Submit an application addressed to the head of the communal service and expect the arrival of a commission consisting of representatives of the housing and communal services, as well as members of the house committee. The commission is obliged to record and assess the damage caused. Photos taken and endorsed in the presence of members of the commission will be very useful. Don't settle for a redecoration of your apartment, insist on repairing the roof. Without this, you will not get rid of the problem.
• If the problem persists and your roof is still leaking, the next step is to contact your local or city utility. The commission is obliged to draw up an act indicating the nature and causes of damage. Neighbors can be invited as independent observers.

The management company is obliged to send utility workers to you

Going to court

Going to court is the last resort in solving your problem. For the court, you will need a list of documents, including a leak report drawn up by the commission, a copy of the application for applying to the housing and communal services, photos and videos you took, a document on the cost of damage. In the application, you must indicate the reason for the appeal, how much time has passed since the flood, the coordinates of the utility service you applied to, the names of the workers who ignored your request. To achieve a result, you will have to spend a lot of effort and time, but they are worth it. Roof repair will save you from leaking, if not forever, but for a long time.

If your roof is still leaking even after repeated treatment, go to court

Search for a leak

Alternative solutions to the problem are also possible. For example, fix a leak on your own. But in order to do this, you first need to find this place.

It should also be remembered that fixing a leaking roof is a serious job that requires professional execution. To find damage, it is necessary to analyze and determine the nature of the roof flow.

Leaks are:

• Storm - formed during rain or a short time after it.
• Snow - associated with active snowmelt or thawing of the lower layer due to heat exchange between snow and warm roofing material.
• "Dry" - when condensate accumulates in the under-roof space, it can be in the warm and dry season.
• "Flickering" - appear haphazardly, from time to time, the factors of their appearance are unknown. The reason may be in microcracks in the roofing material, in the wrong arrangement of the parapet, in the blowing of precipitation under the roof, etc.

Pitched roof leaks should be repaired by professionals with the appropriate equipment.

After analyzing the causes of leaks, it is necessary to engage in their physical search. On a flat roof, the task is easier. To determine the place to be repaired, you need to compare the leak in the apartment with the corresponding area on the roof. This can be done by measuring with a regular tape measure. A reference point can be access wells, veterinary canals, outlets for sewer pipes.

If the roof damage can be seen with the naked eye, the problem is only partially solved, since there may be air bubbles under the rolled materials used to cover flat roofs. Over time, they burst and accumulate moisture, gradually transferring it to the floor slab. Patches placed on visible damage do not solve the problem, as water can accumulate under the waterproofing.

When examining a pitched roof, it is better to start from the attic. It is necessary to check the waterproofing, flooring, rafters and ceilings. Wet spots, mold, and rotting of wooden structures will be visible at the places of leakage. It should also be remembered that on pitched roofs with sheeting, there are cases of water running off at quite large distances from the place of leakage. Places of mechanical damage to a metal roof made without hydro and vapor barrier will be visible through the light.

Minor roof repairs are required to be carried out by utilities annually in the summer.

During an external examination of the roof, attention is paid to the junction of the roof slopes, the outlets of communications and drainage systems. Fallen leaves and other debris in these areas can also cause water to accumulate, seeping into the joints of roofing materials "backflow".

It is important to know! According to the standards, scheduled inspections of the roof are carried out twice a year - in the spring after the snow melts and in the fall before the onset of the winter season. Any problem is easier to prevent than fix.

Residents of the upper floors suffering from roof leaks can take care of themselves to avoid trouble and remind the housing maintenance office to carry out a routine roof inspection if it has not been repaired for a long time. Service organizations quite often neglect their duties, so their actions should be subject to control by residents as well.