Where to go if there is a roof leak in an apartment building in 2021?

If you live on the top floor of an apartment building, then you probably know firsthand problems such as leaks. Of course, ideally, the management company to which your house belongs should take care that such problems do not arise, which is why regular roof inspections and periodic repairs are needed. But, unfortunately, as practice shows, problems still exist, especially when it comes to an old building. And many simply do not know how to write an application correctly or where to apply. This directly determines whether measures will be taken at all.

Therefore, we have compiled detailed instructions for you in case the roof of an apartment building is leaking: what to do and in what order. Act legally competently - and the problem will be solved with minimal losses!

Why do the roofs of high-rise buildings periodically leak?

It goes without saying that flows on the ceiling in your apartment are bad and fraught with certain problems. After all, dampness not only causes inconvenience to household members, but also has a bad effect on the house itself, destroying it over time. Its appearance deteriorates, wear accelerates, and mold develops:

Let's list the main causes of leaks in an apartment building so that you understand what is happening:

1. The most common reason is the use of low quality roofing material . Most often this is encountered in new buildings, when control over the purchase of necessary materials leaves much to be desired.
2. also tend to wear out , and their service life simply ends. In addition, they are affected by both precipitation and wind.
3. Another reason is an unqualified roof installation or repair process . Technological violations are allowed, for example, gaps between the joints of roofing sheets, or the fastening is not reliable enough, and the roof of the house quickly becomes loose, and you probably know how strong the wind is at such a height.
4. The roof is also damaged during mechanical cleaning and from sprouting plants .

Often the cause of condensation is too noticeable difference in air temperature in the attic and outside. In this case, the attic becomes damp, and this affects the condition of the upper apartments.

According to all current standards, the attic temperature in winter must correspond to the street temperature. Otherwise, when snow is blown into the attic windows by the wind, it will begin to melt and seep into the lower rooms in the form of moisture.

Causes of leaks

In apartment buildings, the roofs are most often flat with roll coverings, but there are also pitched roofs with a complex configuration. The more complex the roof, the more difficult it is to eliminate the leak.

What are the reasons for problems with roofing tightness?

Leaks are temporary or permanent, but always threaten to damage residents’ property

Some leaks appear only after heavy snowfalls or strong dock winds, others are caused by light rain.

After leaks from the roof, stains remain on the walls and ceiling, and fungus appears

It is especially dangerous if moisture gets into the electrical panel.

On pitched roofs, problems most often appear in places where the slopes adjoin flat vertical surfaces, in valleys, and at ridges. Flat roofs have an insufficient minimum slope, the roof surface is not divided into zones for water drainage, etc. Each mistake causes leaks, affects their intensity and, accordingly, can cause various material damages.

Who is responsible for the safety of the upper floor apartments?

So, let's start with who exactly is responsible for the integrity and safety of the roof of a residential apartment building. This is a management company or housing and communal services.

There is such an article as current repairs, where the funds of apartment owners are saved. And when this repair is necessary, a team must arrive and use the funds accumulated under the article to repair the roof:

At a meeting with representatives of the management company, you need to determine the approximate cost of the upcoming repairs and whether there will be enough funds for the item. Then, at a general meeting of residents, they vote to entrust the solution to the problem to the management company, and a certain number of apartment owners must vote positively.

Keep in mind that the voting results are calculated in accordance with the area of ​​the apartments and the vote of the owner of a one-room apartment is not at all the same as the vote of the owner of a five-room apartment. By the way, if it turns out that there are still not enough funds, you can offer to make repairs at the expense of future payments or introduce an additional payment right now.

Whatever decision the residents come to, it must be recorded as a decision of the general meeting of owners.

Where can I get money for major repairs to the roof of an apartment building?

The question is not as simple as it might seem. The roof and attic space are included in the list of property of the home owners; some management companies are trying to refuse to perform various works on this basis. Such actions are semi-legal; they may not do major repairs, but routine repairs, especially emergency ones, are required. The fact is that in receipts for payment of management services there is a separate line for housing maintenance costs. This includes ongoing roof repairs.

Contents of home repairs, item on receipt

But very often, after fixing leaks, you need to think about performing a full roof repair; who should finance this work?

Everything is much more complicated here. First, you should carefully study the article on payment for current repairs, how much money is there and where it went. Not all management companies provide this information; you will have to fight with them. As we have already mentioned, they all still consider residents their main enemies, who demand not only financial reports, but also the performance of official duties.

Find out how much free money you have and ask the management company to order design documentation and calculate the estimated cost of roofing work. It is desirable that among the residents there are builders who are able to at least roughly verify the honesty of the management company’s employees. If there is not enough actual money in the account, then you will have to hold a general meeting of the owners of the house and at it, under the protocol, instruct the management company to carry out such repairs. The missing money can be taken towards future payments for the maintenance of the house or additional targeted contributions can be made.

It is necessary to hold a meeting of residents and draw up minutes

You need to know that a major overhaul of a campaign can only be carried out after receiving a protocol order. At least 2/3 of the listed number of home owners must vote for this decision. This is a real way to solve the problem; all that is required is the consent of the apartment owners.

You can try to go another way - to demand your legal rights from local governments. In accordance with Article No. 16 of the Law “On Privatization”, the municipality was obliged to make major repairs to buildings whose depreciation period had expired at the time of privatization.

Law “On the privatization of housing stock in the Russian Federation.” Article 16

As practice shows, more than 99% of buildings before privatization were not repaired not only thoroughly, but also in emergency situations. The reason is always the same - lack of funds in the accounts of housing offices, although utility bills were paid by residents on time and in full. The law allows you to sue municipal authorities and demand monetary compensation from them for failure to fulfill their obligations. At present, there are no known cases in our country when these claims were resolved in favor of ordinary residents. Even isolated positive court decisions are not implemented; local authorities always refuse on the grounds of lack of available funds.

As for the timing of liquidation of leaks, the management company must fix the problem within 24 hours. If its representatives claim that repairs will begin only after the apartment owners collect additional money, then this is a direct deception. We must get used to fighting for our rights; this is the only way to make the huge bureaucratic mechanism function in the interests of the country’s residents. Patience, perseverance and reluctance to feel like a worthless cog is the key to positive changes in the country.

Video - The roof is leaking, but your Management Company is inactive? Contact the prosecutor's office

What repairs will be needed: current or major?

How quickly the management company reacts and how well it does everything depends on the exact situation in which the leak occurred. For example, streaks on the ceiling after rain indicate that the roof was not repaired on time and will continue to leak. But the leak itself will disappear with the rain.

In the long term, this is bad, because a constantly damp roof is a favorable environment for the development of mold and mildew. In addition, in such houses the electrical wiring often suffers and a short circuit occurs, which breaks down the entrance equipment and even poses a risk of fire. To eliminate this problem, routine repairs are needed:

In the case of constant leaks in different places, which increase from year to year and affect more and more apartments, we are already talking about the need for major roof repairs:

Who to call if the roof of your apartment is leaking

If the roof is leaking, you need to urgently call the emergency dispatch service of the management company or the HOA that services the apartment building. The number can be found on the organization’s website or at the information stand. When calling, you need to find out the full name of the dispatcher and the number under which the application was registered.

Dear readers! To solve your problem right now, get a free consultation

— contact the lawyer on duty in the online chat on the right or call: +7 (499) 938 6124 — Moscow and region.
+7 (812) 425 6761 — St. Petersburg and region. 8 (800) 350 8362 - Other regions of the Russian Federation You will not need to waste your time and nerves
- an experienced lawyer will solve all your problems!

Hotline

a dedicated hotline at 8-800-100-0004 , which a citizen can call free of charge from anywhere in Russia. Roof leaks, especially due to negligence of utility services, are a core problem of this government body.

But before involving third parties, you need to demand that the management company fix the leak, for example:

• in Moscow, educational institution "Kurchatovsky" by phone 196-09-86;
• in St. Petersburg, Management Company "Cosmoservice" at number 332-05-05;
• in Krasnodar Management Company "Krasnodar", phone 991-21-00;
• in Rostov-on-Don LLC PKF "YUG-TT" at number 278-09-52.

Where to complain

The next action after the phone call is a written complaint to the following authorities:

1. The management company is a commercial organization to which residents pay monthly amounts for maintenance of the common property of an apartment building, including the roof.
2. The State Housing Inspectorate is a government agency whose main function is to control the activities and timely fulfillment of obligations by housing and communal services.
3. Rospotrebnadzor is a government body that is often called upon to solve problems with public utilities. Violation of the terms of the contract by the management company, combined with a threat to the life and health of citizens, the growth of mold and mildew due to dampness, is the specificity of Rospotrebnadzor.

The following must be attached to the complaint:

• certificates of ownership of living space or lease agreements;
• certificates of absence of maintenance debt;
• photo and video evidence of leaks;
• act of the Criminal Code on the incident;
• information about previously taken actions (calls, appeals).

You can file a complaint with these authorities one by one or simultaneously.

We write a complaint/statement about a leak

Papers are drawn up according to standard rules. The document must be written in literate language, contain references to clauses of the contract and laws, and not contain emotionally charged statements or fluff.

The complaint has the following structure:

1. A header indicating the full name of the manager, the name of the management company or government agency, data of the initiators of the complaint: their full name, addresses.
2. Below is the name of the document - complaint or statement.
3. In the main part, you need to describe the problem in detail, indicate the exact locations of the leaks, the date and time the flood began, and list the damage.
4. It is important to apply for a commission to fix the leak.
5. At the end of the claim, the participants and their signatures are listed.

IMPORTANT! Anonymous complaints will not be considered.

You can deliver the document to the addressee yourself, register 2 copies in the office, and leave one of them as evidence.

You can also use the services of the Russian Post by sending a registered letter with notification.

Another option is to use Internet resources: official websites of government agencies, the State Services portal, RosZhKH. There you have the opportunity to leave an appeal to any government authorities and complain about the inaction of the Criminal Code.

Claim to the management company for compensation for damage due to flooding

Pre-trial paperwork in the Criminal Code is a mandatory stage for resolving a dispute and voluntary compensation for damage to victims of roof leaks.
First, you need to make a calculation of compensation for damage based on expert data. The cost of the appraiser's services is also subject to reimbursement at the expense of the guilty party.

The claim to the Criminal Code contains the following information:

1. Full name, name of the management company, details of the sender, his telephone number and address, grounds for ownership and use of the apartment.
2. The title of the document is a claim (demand) for damages.
3. In the main part, the initiator describes on what day and time the flooding occurred and names the commission that drew up the act. It is also necessary to indicate that requests were made by telephone to the emergency dispatch service, appeals were written, and the damage was linked to the fact of flooding. List the damage in accordance with the expert opinion and state the amount. Demand compensation for damage in accordance with Art. 1064 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation by transfer to an account.
4. It is imperative to stipulate that if within 20 days from the receipt of the claim the demands remain unanswered, the initiator will go to court.
5. At the end there is a date of compilation and a signature.
6. The attachments will include a copy of the certificate of ownership, a report on the condition of the apartment drawn up by the residents, an extract from the call log, and an expert’s opinion.

There is a leak: what should be done first?

So, it's happened: there's a wet spot on your ceiling, or water is dripping directly onto your furniture. What to do? First of all, you need to immediately call the management company’s hotline and call the emergency service (all numbers are usually indicated at the entrances).

The management company itself must carry out maintenance and repair of roofs at the expense of those payments that residents regularly make. Those. she doesn’t do it “out of her own pocket,” which means that since you pay regularly, you have the right to demand appropriate work. If you're interested, right on your rent receipts you can find an expense line such as fees for housing maintenance and repairs.

The second step is to think about where else you will go if your roof is leaking. One call, as practice shows, is not enough - it is quickly “forgotten”. Especially if leakage occurs regularly!

In such a case, the utility company should carry out a normal inspection and find the causes of the problem, and initiate major roof repairs if necessary. Therefore, if you call, then make the person answering the call formalize it in the form of a formal complaint indicating the time of the call.

The dispatcher should soon send a technical specialist or team to you to assess the damage and draw up a report.

Responsibility

Not everyone knows where to go if their roof leaks. If stains or wet spots appear in the apartment, you need to call the utility service dispatchers. It is the housing and communal services and the management company that in 2021 are the responsible persons when such a problem arises.
The complaint must be recorded and transferred to a specialist who is required to arrive on site and inspect the extent of the damage.

Each month, apartment owners contribute personal funds for maintenance and major repairs. And when the need arises, the accumulated funds should be used to repair the roof of an apartment building.

Residents and representatives of the management company must determine the approximate cost of the upcoming repair work. After which a general meeting of residents is held, where a decision is made by voting to assign the problem to the management company.

ATTENTION! The votes are counted by the area of ​​the apartments, and not by the number of residents who voted.

If funds are not enough, you can repair the roof against future payments. The decision made must be recorded in the minutes of the general meeting.

What should the arriving team do?

So, if your call or appeal was responded to, then, having a leak inspection report in hand, you will be able to obtain repairs and even compensation for the damage caused (the need for repairs, damaged furniture, etc.).

It also happens that after calling the operator of the management company, the specialists did not go to the site, or they came and left, having stayed purely formally and without drawing up a report. If this does not happen, you need to write a statement indicating all the damage. And record them in photos and videos, just set the correct date and time of shooting in the settings of your device or camera so that they are indicated in the photographs.

When submitting an application to the management company, you will need the following documents:

• The original title document for your apartment if you are the only owner, or all others if you are more than one.
• Your original passport and the initial inspection report of the apartment after the flood.
• Photos and video materials on electronic media.

For convenience, follow this plan:

Therefore, if the roof is leaking, use this sample application to the management company:

Also, if you have such an opportunity, also inspect the roof and determine the location of the leak - it is also advisable to record it in a photo. Most likely it is not at all in the place where you think, i.e. not above your ceiling, but much further. It’s just that water is looking for ways to penetrate down and often flows throughout the filling of the roofing pie. The saddest situation is when major repairs have never been done at all for decades. This is where you will have to achieve your goal, but more on that later.

Your application must be reviewed within 14 calendar days and after that some action must be taken. It is advisable that such a statement is written not only by you, but also by all affected apartment owners, then the complaint is already considered collective and the utility workers begin to work faster. If you do not know the full name of the head of the company, you can simply indicate the position or ask such a question on the hotline.

The application itself is allowed to be submitted both in printed form and in handwritten form. The main thing is to outline the essence of the problem of eliminating roof defects and compensate for the material damage caused. You can hand over the application personally when visiting the management company, having all the necessary documents in hand, or send it by mail with a notification letter - in this case, you do not have the right to refuse to consider the problem.

But, if you see that after your appeal there is still no action, then write a letter of claim to the head of the management company based on the Law on the Protection of Rights and send it again with a notification letter. Here is a sample of such a complaint:

The application must indicate the exact time when the leak was noticed, the exact time when you contacted the management company and to whom exactly, the names of the employees who refused or were unable to help you. In addition, you can complain about the management company to the Housing Inspectorate, and this is easier than immediately filing a lawsuit:

Appointment of the commission

Its members include: a technical specialist of the Criminal Code, representatives of the Housing Inspectorate, and local administration. The final composition of the commission depends on the ownership of the house, the scale of the problem, and the degree of neglect of its solution. It is appointed by order of the head of the management organization, the Housing Inspectorate - depending on the initiator of the inspection.

Before finding a leak in the roof, you can simulate a leak (using a thin stream from a watering can) or use a flaw detector. If direct dialogue with the management company is not successful, then you will need to contact the Housing Inspectorate and local administration, which monitor the work of management companies.

How to claim compensation for damage caused?

When the plumbers arrive and the flood stops, but the damage is too noticeable, contact the management company again. You must have a drawn up report in your hands, which describes in detail all the damage due to the leak (you have the right to demand from the employees one copy of the drawn up report). If there is none, employees of the management company are able to rewrite a single copy in their own interests.

In principle, you have the right to make an assessment of the damage yourself, as long as it is based on real prices. After all, the management company may not agree with the amount, and an independent expert will have to be involved. Therefore, it is easier to initially order an assessment from an independent appraisal company and include the cost of its services there, in the cost of the claim amount. The amount collected includes repair estimates, sales receipts, the cost of building materials such as whitewash or paint, and even the restoration of elements. And, of course, the cost of damaged items that have been exposed to water, equipment and furniture.

But we will warn you here against a common mistake: do not draw up a document that is more solid than it should be. Of course, if you previously had a bad repair in your room, then you would like to consider the leak as a wonderful opportunity to rip off more money from the company and make better repairs. But, according to the law, the company must only restore the room to its original condition, the way it was before the leak. And therefore, you cannot include in the estimate wallpaper that is more expensive than what you already have, or another type of finishing.

File a claim for damages within 10 days. To do this, you will need an additional act, which is drawn up in the presence of a commission from the management company and the house manager. It’s ideal if you still have receipts and documents for damaged equipment and furniture, or estimates for fresh repairs.

If the management company does not want to compensate for the damage, then you can file a lawsuit. But the court will begin to figure out who is to blame for the leak, and whether the company has anything to do with it. And indeed, sometimes it’s not an unsuitable roof. Then the residents of the house get together and decide whether the leak occurred because the roof was not repaired on time. If not, then they solve the problem on their own, turning to private companies and spending money on repairs. This option also has a right to life, at least it costs much less nerves.

If the commission draws up an act and reports the amount of damage to the management company, you must be reimbursed. For this purpose, a special agreement is drawn up - a document that must be certified by a notary. As practice shows, most often such companies do not agree with the indicated amounts, so it is better not to overestimate them. As a last resort, everything will have to be resolved through the courts.

In any case, the law is on your side:

What to do first

It is necessary to document and clearly record the fact of leakage. If a citizen does not own construction tools, then it is enough to capture the leak using photo and video recording equipment and then call the management organization.

If possible, you should personally contact specialists who are obliged to respond to the residents’ application and conduct an examination on the basis of clause 5 of Government Decree No. 491 of 08/13/2006. The managing organization must accept the application. It should be prepared in two copies. One (with a note from a management company specialist about acceptance of the document for consideration) remains with the interested person.

Recording a roof leak

It must be performed by a specialist from the management organization. According to Appendix 2 of the Decree of the State Construction Committee of the Russian Federation No. 170, adopted in 2003, a leak report must be drawn up on the day the resident applies. The problem itself is eliminated within 24 hours after contacting.

The management organization may not send specialists and deliberately not draw up an act. Then you need to do this yourself, with simultaneous photo and video recording, and the presence of witnesses, including neighbors. The act must sequentially indicate:

• address of the apartment, information about its owners, homeowners;
• date, time, place of leakage;
• technical description of the problem - size of the bay, degree of damage (walls, wallpaper) - this is necessary for subsequent damage assessment.

The document must be signed by the author of the document and witnesses. If the document is drawn up by representatives of the management organization, then in addition to the owner of the apartment and witnesses, it is signed by a technical specialist. It is advisable to attach photo and video materials to the act.

How to insist on roof repairs?

According to the law, the management company must give you a written response within 14 days and form a special commission that will inspect the roof of the house and decide what kind of repairs will be needed.

It is extremely important to ensure that the commission's decision is implemented, and not just exists on paper. Until then, experts advise:

• Step 1. Assemble a special commission from the residents of the building, which will include the senior and affected apartment owners.
• Step 2. Register the status of this commission at a meeting of apartment owners and contact public utilities with a request to allow all these commission members to monitor the progress of repairs.
• Step 3. When permission is received, the commission will have the right to familiarize itself with the plan of the work itself, the estimate and ensure that high-quality building materials are purchased.
• Step 4. If something goes wrong, the commission submits a collective statement, and these will no longer be the words of any one resident of the house.

Of course, such a commission is not needed in all cases - only if your utility providers are unscrupulous. If the repairs have not begun, then it makes sense to immediately go to court.

And be vigilant when residents are asked to raise money for major repairs on their own. In fact, a roof leak is an emergency, and the management company must eliminate the causes of the leak within a day, no more.

How to quickly repair flat roofs

Prices for bitumen mastic

Bitumen mastic

We will consider the case of flat roofs; such structures most often leak, and they are much easier to repair than pitched roofs. Of course, in the future you can demand from the management organization to carry out full repairs, including major ones with a complete replacement of roofing materials. But you will have time to calmly fight for your rights in various authorities and not worry that the next rain will increase the damage many times over.

It is recommended to work with a special water-displacing polymer material for quick repair of flat roofs with roll coatings based on modified or ordinary bitumen.

Repair composition

The composition is specially designed for quick roof repairs and can be used in any weather, including rain. Does not require much practical knowledge or special expensive construction tools and devices.

Step 1: Inspect the roof surface for leaks.

Let's say right away that sometimes it is quite difficult to detect them, especially for old houses. Each roof repair in such buildings was done without dismantling the leaky layers of waterproofing; during operation, the roofing pie can have more than ten layers. Which one is leaking and where exactly is very difficult to find out. The leak can be located tens of meters away from the place where water or snow accumulates, or from places adjacent to vertical architectural structures. Currently, there are special devices for detecting leaks, but such a service costs several times more than the roof repair process itself. And you can only call a specialized company in big cities; small regional centers have no idea about such complex technology.

Leak detector TROTEC PD 200

Step 2. Clean the roof surfaces from vegetation, debris and dirt.

There is no need to dry the water; it will be removed with a special component included in the repair mixture. Remove vegetation with plastic brushes; using metal brushes is strictly prohibited.

Surface cleaning

Step 3. Mix the composition thoroughly in the container.

If the roof needs to be repaired in winter, then the solution must be heated for a day in a warm room. Before starting work, carefully read the manufacturer's instructions. Mix the composition with a mixer attachment at medium speed.

The mixture is mixed with a mixer or drill with an attachment

Practical advice. Do not turn on the mixer at high speeds; in this mode, many air bubbles are formed, which negatively affect the quality of the repair mixture.

In what cases will you have to go to court?

As practice shows, the management company often refuses to compensate for damage caused by roof leaks. Therefore, in case of serious damage, you still have to go to court, where it is important to fill out the documents correctly, attach evidence in the form of information media and attached photographs of the attic and roof with leaks:

If the management company refuses to compensate for the damage, then, in addition to the housing inspection, they turn to the district prosecutor's office or court. And there they are already demanding not only compensation for material damage, but also for that caused to health. True, if just the thought of having to tinker so much with documents makes you feel bad, then it makes sense to turn to specialized firms or a good lawyer.

They really have more experience in such appeals and will write the appeal more competently. After all, often the owner of a problem apartment receives a refusal only because he stumbled on some legal subtleties.

But we hope that your case will not end up in court - do the right thing from the very beginning, and the problem will most likely be resolved!

Appeal to higher authorities

If the management organization does not want to work, then it will be necessary to seek protection from higher authorities. To do this, you must fill out an application. Where can I complain about the management company? You need to contact the Housing Inspectorate, government bodies that administer justice or oversee compliance with the law.

To the prosecutor's office

It monitors the implementation of the law and has the right to make a proposal to eliminate the violation in accordance with Art. 24 Federal Law No. 2202-1 dated January 17, 1992. Measures on it must be taken within a month after the prosecutor’s response to the problem. The complaint must be filed in accordance with Art. 7 Federal Law No. 59 dated 02.05.2006. Her anonymity is excluded. A sample application to the prosecutor's office can be found on our website. The document is reviewed within 30 days from the date of submission.

To court

The statement of claim should be drawn up according to the rules of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation (Articles 131-132). If the management organization stubbornly refuses to repair the roof, then residents can do this at their own expense (all expenses should be recorded). Next, you will have to demand recovery of the amounts spent on repairs directly from the management company. All claims and demands are set out in the statement of claim; a standard sample can be found on our website.

Required documents

To file a claim you will need:

• a copy of the applicant's passport;
• copies of documents confirming the leak – report, answers from the management organization;
• results of examinations, if they were carried out before filing a claim;
• a receipt for payment of the state duty - depends on the value of the claim.

Documents can be submitted in person or through a legal representative. The authority of the intermediary should be confirmed by a notarized power of attorney.

Where to get money for major roof repairs in an apartment building

The funds are paid regularly by the residents of the house. The money is accumulated in a special account or is managed by a regional operator. The management organization must pay for the roof repairs. If there is insufficient funds, additional financial assistance from residents may be required. The problem is solved taking into account the scale of the leak. In most cases, it is eliminated during routine repairs, which are carried out by the management organization at the expense of monthly payments from residents.

Summing up

If the roof leaks, you should take the initiative to force the management organization to fulfill the terms of the apartment building maintenance agreement. You can solve the problem at your own expense and then recover it from the management company. But to do this, you will need to prove that the residents took all measures (sent reminder statements, contacted the management organization personally) to solve the problem peacefully. In conflict situations, it is important to obtain timely support from a qualified lawyer (available free of charge on the website).

If the residents have repaired the roof

If the roof is constantly leaking, the management company is inactive, and it becomes impossible to live in the apartments, the owners can repair the roof themselves. In this case, you need to carefully collect receipts.

The roof is part of the common property, the maintenance of which is carried out by the management company under the contract. Accordingly, this is her responsibility. After completing the work, you must contact the management company with a written request to reimburse the money to the residents or offset these amounts against future payments. If there is a refusal, you need to go to court.

It is important to know that the management company can only perform routine work, for example, caulking joints, replacing corrugated sheets or slates, galvanizing metal structures.

It is also necessary to take into account that part of the roofing work may be included in the list of major repairs (global replacement of pipes), then for compensation you will have to apply to a specialized Fund, into whose account residents paid monthly amounts established by law. Or decide on the issue of reimbursement of expenses from a special account at a general meeting of residents. Offset or compensation is possible in the amount of what the owners have accumulated at the moment; the rest will have to be paid for themselves.

The main causes of roof leaks in an apartment building

The most important reason for roof leaks in apartment buildings is a violation of the tightness of the roof covering. It may appear due to a number of circumstances.

For example:

1. In older houses, this may be due to the life of the coating.
2. Low-quality roofing material can also cause leaks.
3. Due to errors and non-compliance with installation technology, when laying the roof, the tightness may also subsequently be compromised and condensation may form.
4. Various types of mechanical influences can damage the integrity of the roof. For example, during snow removal work, damage was caused by shovels on a slate roof.
5. Due to insufficient contact between the walls of the house, smoke ducts and the roof, cracks may form. This is especially true for pitched roofs. Leaks usually occur at joints.
6. Damage to roof waterproofing by plant roots.
7. The edges of the carpet may not be secured correctly and may become blown by the wind. This often occurs on flat roofs.
8. Leaks are also greatly influenced by temperature. A leak can form if the air temperature in the attic is not up to standard. Ice may form and clog the drainage system.

Flooding of an apartment due to the fault of the management company or housing office - who will compensate for the damage, how to defend your rights?

Knowing the cause of the leak, you will be able to identify the problem, why the roof of your apartment building began to leak.

Official appeal

It is recommended to write the application in two copies . In your application, describe in great detail when the roof leak occurred and under what circumstances it happened. Don’t forget to write down how things are at the moment, whether water continues to drip from the ceiling, and what steps you have taken to eliminate the consequences.

To solve this issue, there are the following methods:

• We contact the utility service to which your home belongs.
• Call a private housing and utility organization chosen by the owners themselves.
• We are asking the city authorities to receive a subsidy for roof repairs.
• Collecting money from residents to hire a team of workers.

As you can see, there are many options, but the main point is the availability of funds. If the problem is resolved by the utility service, it will first begin checking the residents for debt .
They will not begin repair work until the required amount is paid in full. If you don't want to contact the utility company, then you should be prepared to take the even more difficult step of going to your neighbors to prove how much money it will take to repair the roof and get the owners to pay for it.

We are writing the third copy of the application

Therefore, you can immediately prepare for this turn of events and write a statement in triplicate. We submit the third copy addressed to the head of the public utility service. In this case, a whole commission will come to you to review the incident. The key reasons for ceiling leaks in an apartment are the banal wear and tear of buildings. But at the same time it is necessary to find out the reason for what is happening. When checking the roof from the outside, the following reasons can be identified:

• Punctures or cracks that appeared during snow removal.
• Coating wear.
• At the time of installation of the roofing material, the technology was violated.
• Low quality coating was used.

All of the above are often found in new buildings.

We fight roof leaks on our own

This can also happen: after visiting various authorities for a month, the owner realizes that absolutely no one is interested in his problems. In this case, take an official estimate with the amount needed to carry out repair work, divide it by the number of apartments and contact your neighbors. To simplify the procedure for collecting money, you can promise that you will submit all documentation to the court to reimburse the management company’s expenses. Funds are collected in this case so that while the proceedings are ongoing, you do not have to save the property.

If organizing your neighbors is extremely problematic, stop blocking the water leak in your apartment. Water will begin to flood the apartments located below you, and residents will feel inconvenienced. This will allow you to get more companions. At the same time, be sure to continue to defend your rights in court. Even after some time, you will get your money back.

Let's sum it up

Now you know what to do if your roof leaks. There are no unsolvable problems; the most important thing is that you must know your rights. If you regularly pay for housing and communal services, you can count on a prompt response. There are many difficulties in this area. But if more than half of the owners are in arrears in payments, then the management company simply will not have enough money to carry out repair work. Housing and communal services employees themselves also have no desire to carry out roof repairs, citing a lack of money and the need for support from the state. Thus, it turns out that in each case the problem must be solved individually.

The ceiling is leaking: who to call?

First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the consequence, that is, place containers for the resulting leak. Of course, it is extremely unpleasant that this misfortune has affected you, but nevertheless it is necessary to save property, not only your own, but also your neighbors below.

We call the utility service to which your home belongs. Considering that you are not the only one with them, there is a high probability that your application will not be responded to quickly. At the same time, do not hesitate. In this case, it makes sense to send the application in writing . This is a more effective way to get action.

Why does it flow

At least half of apartment residents have experienced problems associated with flooding. The neighbors living above you periodically flood. And one can only sympathize with the citizens living on the top floors.

Because, with the arrival of the rainy season, they have a very hard time. The fact is that the roof located above the upper floor tends to periodically leak.

It occurs for two main reasons - failure of the sealing of the coating or its destruction. According to the rules, roof repairs should take place during the dry season, that is, in the summer.

But utility services, as always, rely on chance, and on the fact that there will be no damage this time. And they happen, moreover, with frightening frequency and frequency. So what should residents who are flooded from above and suffer from unforeseen circumstances do?