What to do if the basement in an apartment building is flooded

General provisions

In a commercial premises, equipment, furniture, goods are stored, and activities related to running a business are carried out.
Therefore, basement flooding is not only a direct threat to the safety of the property of a company or entrepreneur, but also the risk of cessation of activity for a certain period. In addition, the penetration of moisture gradually destroys the foundation of the building and contributes to the spread of fungi that are harmful to human health. You can recover damages resulting from an emergency from the person responsible for the incident.

Article 15 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation allows the victim to compensate for the following types of losses:

• Expenses associated with loss or damage to property.
• Costs associated with asset restoration.
• Lost income.

Compensation for harm to human health is regulated by § 2 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation; the following is recovered from the culprit:

• Costs of treatment and restoration of health.
• Lost wages or income due to illness.
• Moral damage.

However, to satisfy all requirements, it is important to follow formal procedures for recording the accident and its consequences.

Where to file a complaint

The drawn up flooding report must be kept by the injured party until compensation for the damage caused to it. If, after the inspection, the decision of the expert commission and the drawn up inspection report, the management company does not take any action to resolve the situation and eliminate the causes and consequences of the flood, complaints should be filed against the housing and communal services or management company to higher authorities:

• The State Housing Inspectorate, which will inspect the activities of the management company.
• Rospotrebnadzor is an organization that protects consumer rights.
• The prosecutor's office, if the situation requires judicial intervention in order to identify and punish the perpetrators.

Flooding of a house and basement is an unpleasant situation that requires action primarily from the interested party, that is, the residents themselves. Company managers very rarely solve such problems independently and in a timely manner.

Even if the management company admitted their own guilt in the incident, an additional, independent examination should be carried out to assess the causes and consequences of the accident. In a situation where the property located in a flooded basement was insured, but the required insurance does not cover the damage caused, it is necessary to go to court to recover the missing amount from the person responsible for the incident.

Causes of basement flooding

The appearance of water in the basement can be due to various circumstances.
Determining the cause of the incident plays an important role in identifying the culprit and compensating the injured party. They are indicated in the inspection report - the document on the basis of which damages are recovered. The main causes of basement flooding:

1. Improper drainage of storm and melt water . This type of flood is common in the spring when the snow melts, as well as in the summer and autumn when there is heavy rainfall.
2. High location of groundwater . Moisture seeps into the basement through cracks in the foundation, walls, and floors, which indicates poor waterproofing of the building.
3. Flooding of the basement by residents . Water pours into the room through the ceiling. This can happen either as a result of forgetfulness of citizens, or due to improper use of plumbing, accidents or repair work.
4. Breakdown of heating, sewer pipes or drainage systems.

The clarification of the circumstances of the flooding is carried out by a special commission, to which a representative of the Management Company, housing department or HOA is sent at the request of the owner of the premises.

Treating a basement after a sewer flood?

Strong sewer smell in the entrance - where to go if the basement stinks? In this article we will consider the possibilities of solving this unpleasant situation. An apartment building is a complex structure in which each apartment is indirectly connected to adjacent rooms and to the entrance. The microclimate in residential premises depends on the sanitary condition of all auxiliary and service areas of the house. Very often, residents have no idea what to do if there is a disgusting smell of sewage in the entrance, where to go and who to complain to.

Where to go if your commercial basement floods?

Emergency situations are handled by the building's utility company. According to the Rules and Standards for the Technical Operation of the Housing Stock, approved by Resolution of the State Construction Committee of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2003 N 170 (hereinafter referred to as Resolution 170), dispatch services are created in all settlements to service residential buildings. Typically, every management company has such a service.

Telephone numbers of control centers are posted on information boards, on the website of the Management Company or on the web resource of the municipal utility service. An application for flooding in the basement of an apartment building can be submitted by any owner or user of the premises. All calls to dispatchers are recorded in the application log.

According to Decree 170:

“Emergency malfunctions of interface pipelines (with fittings, fittings and devices of water supply, sewerage, hot water supply, central heating, gas equipment) are eliminated immediately from the moment they are detected or an application is received.”

A repair team is sent to the scene of the incident. If the management specialists have not arrived, you can call the city emergency service, which accepts applications around the clock.

Qualified personnel will shut off the water supply or take other measures to eliminate the cause of the flooding. However, emergency crews do not draw up reports on the causes of the flood. To prepare the document, you should contact the Criminal Code.

Water in the basement of an apartment building: what to do and where to go 2021

The problem of basement flooding is relevant not only for residents of apartment buildings, but also for private properties.

Our publication will cover questions regarding the causes that lead to flooding. Let us touch upon questions about the measures that need to be taken to eliminate the situation that has arisen for residents of apartment buildings and private buildings. Let's talk about ways to prevent flooding.

The company must take measures to eliminate the accident and its consequences:

• Carry out measures to disinfest the basement;
• Carry out procedures to drain the room;
• Determine the reasons that led to the flooding;
• Take measures that will lead to eliminating the causes that led to this situation.

Owners of private properties often face the problem of flooding in the spring and autumn. It is at this time that groundwater increases, and in the absence of waterproofing or improper installation, this situation arises. The quality of materials in this situation also plays an important role.

In the basement, due to high humidity, mold and condensation often occur. In addition to the above reasons, it is impossible to store food in such a room; they are instantly exposed to mold. Flooding in the basement can even lead to the destruction of the structure.

To a greater extent, the causes of basement flooding are related to the plumbing condition of the water supply system, sewerage system, or high groundwater levels during certain periods of time.

The measures that need to be taken to remove dampness in the basement depend on the layout of the floor in relation to groundwater. Their placement can be below or above the floor in the basement.

Measures to isolate basements located below the groundwater point are carried out according to the scenario below:

1. Soil is removed along the general perimeter of the room from the outside.
2. The walls are cleaned from the outside to remove dirt and old fragments of waterproofing, if present.
3. The next step is to restore the waterproofing in the vertical and horizontal direction of the foundation, using specialized mixtures - water repellents.

Water repellent mixtures are a special material that has a water-repellent effect, is colorless, and does not create obstacles to the removal of moisture.

A drainage system is laid along the length of the walls of the room, which provides drainage of rain and melt water from the outer boundaries of the room.

The surface of such a gutter is covered with a grid, which creates protection from debris. Copper, steel or cast iron are mostly used for manufacturing. An equally important component of this system are collectors, with the help of which water is collected from numerous canals and transported to the main channel.

The main channel is an open depression or ditch from which water flows into the receiving water. In some cases, a pump is used.

To fill a ditch, in most cases a natural filter is used, for example, gravel or other similar material.

Measures regarding the waterproofing of the basement, where the floor level is above the water point of groundwater origin , are carried out a little differently:

1. The first measures described above regarding cleaning the soil and cleaning the walls are carried out similarly to the previous method.
2. Hydrophobic substances are used only for vertical waterproofing. For horizontal - waterproofing substances are pumped under maximum pressure through holes. I call a hole made by drilling walls at a specified distance.
3. A drainage system is made and the ditch is filled with the required materials.

This waterproofing option is considered the cheapest and not as labor-intensive, unlike the first system described. Crumpled clay plays a major role, creating a water-repellent effect. The composition of the material plays an important role, where the sand level should not exceed 15%. Clay in this ratio is considered fatty. Approximately 20% lime is added as an improving material.

Activities for the construction of such a structure are carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Using wood, I make formwork along the entire length of the building.
2. The pre-made clay mixture is placed in layers (about 10 cm), not forgetting to compact each layer as much as possible.
3. The screen width is considered necessary in the upper fragment of approximately 25 centimeters, in the lower fragment - 40 centimeters.
4. After all the work has been completed, it is necessary to create a blind area, the width of which must be at least 150 centimeters.

The first signal that indicates damaged waterproofing and the need for repair work is flooding of the basement. Measures to eliminate flooding can be carried out using the following methods: “clay castle” or drainage system, they are the most popular.

But in addition to these options , there are also methods that prevent water from accumulating in the basement :

• Independent rubbing of hydrophobic substances into the walls and floors of the room . However, this process is very labor-intensive and does not always give good results regarding water protection.
• Many people try to paint walls with liquid glass , which dries out and is washed away by water over time. The effect of this procedure is also short-lived.
• Some try to cover the floor with crushed stone , which leads to a temporary effect. This option is no different in efficiency from the first two.

Flooding of basements located in apartment buildings is now, unfortunately, not uncommon. How to act if you find water in the basement, where to turn, and what you can achieve with this - we’ll look at this in the article.

If water is found in the basement of your own home or entrance, you need to notify the emergency service. Residents make a call to the control room and call locksmiths from the management company to their home. Once they arrive, they will fix the problem and eliminate the cause of the leak, if it is possible to do this on site. Next, the act is drawn up. It must be kept by the party that suffered until compensation for damage caused during the flooding of the basement of an apartment building.

If the management company does not take any measures to eliminate the consequences of the flood in the basement, you should contact higher authorities.

In the event of flooding of the basement in a multi-storey building, residents should fill out an application and contact the organization involved in ensuring the safety of common property, which is responsible for the general sanitary and technical condition of the facility, which is your entrance, including the basement. Most often, the application paper is submitted to the address of representatives of housing and communal services - HOAs, housing departments, etc.

It is this company that undertakes to eliminate the consequences of a flood in the basement, which include the following points:

• carry out activities related to disinfestation of the basement;
• provide procedures for drying out the premises;
• determine the factors that caused the fire;
• eliminate the causes of the problems that have arisen.

Attention

If the application paper was ignored by the employees of the responsible company and left without any attention, it is necessary to write another application, but send it to the housing inspectorate.

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In accordance with Article 36 According to the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, a basement located in a multi-storey building acts as the common shared property of the residents. Therefore, if a flood occurs, the first step is to contact the management company of the apartment building, which is responsible for its condition. After all, the lack of timely measures taken can have unpleasant consequences:

• due to stagnant water in the basement, unpleasant odors are formed at the lower level;
• fungus and mold appear, which is dangerous to the health and life of residents;
• a favorable environment is formed for the life of various insects - mosquitoes, midges, fleas;
• under the influence of moisture, the foundation of the room is slowly but surely destroyed;
• since not only household utensils and pickles for the winter are stored in the basement, but important equipment, technical equipment that serves for an uninterrupted supply of water and heat, all this can break and lead to disruptions in the supply of utilities throughout the house.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to neutralize the consequences of a flood in the basement as early as possible, immediately after its signs are detected.

If during the inspection, the expert commission makes a decision, or draws up the appropriate act, the management organization still does not take any measures to resolve the current circumstances and eliminate the causes and consequences of the flood in the basement, it is necessary to file complaints against the housing and communal services or management company to higher authorities:

• state housing inspection (as a result of this, measures will be taken to check the activities of a particular company not only in relation to the flood that occurred, but also other objects; if neglect of duties is detected on the part of the building manager, the housing estate will impose sanctions);
• Rospotrebnadzor is an organization that protects consumer rights, so you can be sure that the flood in your home will be eliminated in the near future;
• prosecutor's office (you should act through this authority only when the case requires judicial proceedings to identify and punish the perpetrators).

Attention

A flood in the basement of an apartment building is an extremely unpleasant situation that requires urgent measures and actions from interested parties, i.e., from residents. It is extremely rare for management companies to resolve such problems on their own. Even if the employees of this organization admitted their guilt, an additional examination should be undertaken in order to assess the cause-and-effect relationships regarding the accident.

In case of advance insurance of property located in a flooded premises, you must contact the insurer. If the money received from him is not enough to cover the losses, it is necessary to write an application to the court in order to withdraw the missing amount of money from the culprit of the incident.

Here is the procedure to follow if the basement in an apartment building is flooded:

After inspecting the scene and establishing the fact of a flood, the next step is to draw up a report on the flooding of the basement of an apartment building. Through this document, the cause-and-effect relationships of the incident are established and the amount of damage incurred is determined. The paper is drawn up by the organization that maintains the apartment building. This could be a housing office, housing department, management company, homeowners' association, etc.

There is a specific template for drawing up an act on basement flooding. But there is no rigidly fixed form.

An expert group is also formed from the management company’s employees, which undertakes to assess the incident and its consequences. It must consist of at least two people and include members of the management committee and affected persons. They are the ones who are involved in drawing up the act, which will further act as a document for detailed identification of losses of intra-household property. Filling out is done by hand in free form.

There is a set of information that must be contained in the application form:

• address of the apartment building where the flood occurred;
• personal data of members of the management company who are directly related to the expert commission;
• Full name of the persons who inspected the technical floor;
• the causative factor of the leak, established as a result of the inspection (if it cannot be identified, a note is made that an assessment examination is required);
• complete descriptive characteristics of the damage;
• a list of property items that have deteriorated;
• date and signatures of all persons involved in the preparation of the document.

IMPORTANT

It is worth considering that the creation of the act must occur no later than 12 hours from the moment of calling the emergency service or management company.

The act must necessarily contain information about who exactly is the potential culprit for flooding the basement of an apartment building - the tenant of the first floor of the building, the management company, the repair office. It is in his name that all claims are sent, and it is this person who is responsible for the consequences of his actions. In the event of a peaceful settlement of the issue, the guilty party, which is usually the management company, has two ways to restore property:

• carrying out repairs using your own efforts;
• payment of financial compensation.

Attention

If peaceful negotiations do not lead to anything, the injured party has the right to file a claim in court, attaching a certificate of ownership, an extract from the Unified State Register, an act, a conclusion from an appraisal or management company, and receipts confirming the fact of payment of the duty. According to Art. 1064 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, compensation for damage is carried out in full.

The main causes of floods in the basement are the following:

• incorrect design of ebb tides;
• seasonal increase in groundwater volume;
• sewerage breakthrough;
• faulty drains;
• unlawful acts of persons living on the first floor;
• emergency situations on water supply lines;
• heating system breakthrough;
• breakdown of communications.

Additional Information

It is on the basis of the cause that caused the flood that the specific culprit of the incident is determined.

Based on the act drawn up at the initial stage, further work is carried out related to identifying the perpetrators and direct compensation for damage. Both homeowners and their legal “representatives” - members of the HOA, employees of the management company, and the municipality - can go to court. Before going to court, the amount of damage is determined by recording the flood and conducting an independent examination, analyzing the cost of damaged property and the necessary repair work.

If the organization is inactive, or its actions contradict the interests of residents, as well as legal norms, it is possible to file a complaint with higher authorities (their list was previously agreed upon). Most often, the document is of a collective nature and is drawn up on behalf of several people. The document must contain a claim and possible solutions to the problem. It is also necessary to include signatures and the date of compilation.

a collective complaint to housing and communal services in case of basement flooding can be downloaded here.

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Let's consider cases when water appeared in the basement of an apartment building, what to do and what measures to take. If the management company fails to act, the legislation of the Russian Federation comes into play to protect the rights of apartment owners.

Its manifestation will be felt by residents of the first and even middle floors, as well as everyone who enters the entrance. If the leak in the sewer system is not repaired as soon as possible, things in apartments may become saturated with an unpleasant odor, which will ruin their performance characteristics.

Any work related to the engineering systems of an apartment building should be performed by professionals. If those in charge are in no hurry to carry out work to eliminate the stench, and it is no longer possible to endure the inconvenience, a safe option is to invite specialists from a private company in the relevant field of activity.

Its services will be paid, but it will still be possible to quickly eliminate the problem of living in the house with a disk. Where to go for help? According to the law, the management company or other organization servicing the house is responsible for the condition of the basement.

These structures should be contacted if an odor is detected in the basement. Workers are required to quickly respond to the call, eliminate the cause of the breakthrough, clean the premises, and do not forget to replace leaking pipes. Also, at the end of the work, disinfection is carried out after a breakthrough.

• The first step is to contact the company responsible for the home.

• Real estate
• Housing and communal services
• Good afternoon In our new apartment building there is water in the basement. There is mold in the apartment. The wallpaper has fallen off twice already. We contacted Roszhkh.

As a result, water was pumped out of the basement. But after the rains, the water comes back into the basement. They explained to us that during construction the developer did not make a drainage system.

They also explained to us that constant pumping of water can lead to rupture of the soil and the house can settle and even collapse.

Return to the list of tips House management A basement in an apartment building is a space that seems to be located in a residential building, but still it is not an entrance or even an attic in status. Although it falls under the responsibility of the management company, residents often find that the management company is lazy in fulfilling its responsibilities when it comes to the basement.

It’s especially unpleasant when this happens at the moment when a leak forms in the basement and the management company workers refuse to fix it. Excuses from the management company A leak in the basement only at first glance looks like a trifle.

Constant dampness negatively affects the walls and foundation of the house. Over time, peeling may begin, cracks may appear, and before you know it, your home will need repairs.

In addition to such radical troubles, water in the basement threatens the appearance of mold, unpleasant odors and even mosquitoes.

The main reasons are:

• A break in the integrity of the sewer system pipes, as a result of which all the waste accumulates on the basement floor.
• Perhaps water has leaked from the water supply; it creates excess moisture in the basement, leading to the appearance of fungus and smelly mold.
• The basement is flooded with groundwater. This often happens after heavy rain or sudden melting of snow. If there are no drains or drainage on the technical floor, then groundwater stagnates, also causing deterioration in air quality.
• The odor problem may be caused by the fact that a lot of biological material has accumulated in the lowest room (the corpses of stray animals, rodents, their excrement).

However, the verdict rendered by experts after inspecting the basement, as well as a correctly drawn up act, are evidence and legal basis for the management company to compensate for the damage caused. That is why, before filling it out, you must carefully study the sample and strictly follow it. Residents of apartment buildings served by management companies should remember that it is the management company that is responsible for monitoring the condition of pipes and other equipment. And it is the management company that is responsible for pumping out sewage, disinfecting and cleaning the premises after it is flooded. How to draw up a report If you discover water in the basement of your own home, you must inform the emergency service by calling the control room and call the locksmiths of the Criminal Code. After arrival, specialists will fix the problem and stop the leak, if this can be done on site. Next, you need to draw up a flooding act.

Emergency malfunctions of pipelines and their connections (with fittings, fittings and devices for water supply, sewerage, hot water supply, central heating, gas equipment) are eliminated immediately,” the Rules say. So there can be no delays or waiting for summer in this case. speech.

Therefore, you must contact the management company first by phone. If they refuse to accept your application, then you will have to go and submit your application in writing in duplicate and register it. What are the consequences of inaction for the Criminal Code? If the Criminal Code continues to ignore you, then you need to go to the State Housing Inspectorate and Rospotrebnadzor. After submitting an application to these authorities, they will organize an inspection. Based on its results, the Criminal Code will be ordered to eliminate the malfunctions. In addition, in accordance with Article 6.4. When a pipe breaks, water appears, or a smell appears in the basement, we start calling the housing and communal services, hoping for a quick solution. Often utility companies offer to pay for repairs separately. But this is not correct, since the basement is a common property of the house, and we already pay for its maintenance in payment receipts every month. The management company is obliged to investigate and repair all damage and pump out water at its own expense. It happens that housing and communal services employees themselves, when changing someone’s pipes or carrying out their work, drain water into the basement. In any case, you need to call the dispatcher and write a complaint to your company.

There are “Rules and Standards for the Technical Operation of the Housing Stock”, approved by Decree of the State Construction Committee of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2003 No. 170. They, in particular, say that basements must be clean and dry, have ventilation and lighting.

Flooding of a basement in a residential apartment building is considered to be the entry of water into it under the influence of various factors. When water appears in an apartment building, what should you do?

First of all, the emergency service is called to find out the cause of the flood, and a special flood report is drawn up . This document, if drawn up correctly and on time, is the basis for filing a complaint with the management company.

ATTENTION! According to the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, the basement in a residential building is considered the common shared property of all living residents, therefore, if flooding is detected, it is necessary to contact it.

There are several causal factors that cause basement flooding:

• Seasonal surface waters . A rather rare factor, but it also occurs. This includes active snow melting or heavy and prolonged rains. Partial or complete flooding may occur due to violations in the drainage of storm and melt water.
• A sewer pipe break or an accident in the drainage line. A broken sewer can result in the use of unsuitable equipment or poorly performed pipe replacement work.
• Flooding with groundwater . Basically, groundwater regularly rises to the surface, especially during autumn and spring. It is impossible to determine their level of rise in advance.
• Flooding by residents of the first floors . The basement may be flooded due to renovation work or improper use of plumbing by apartment owners.
• Breakdown of the heating system. In this situation, the first step is to find out the cause of the flooding, and then determine the culprit.

Quite often, the basement is flooded not only with water, but also with sewage from the drainage system.

This can be affected by blockages in the general building sewer system and main networks.

If a sewer flood occurs, where should you contact first? The company that maintains and operates sewerage equipment in an apartment building is responsible for what happened. The management company is responsible for repairs not carried out on time.

The management company also has an administrative unit that must monitor the water level in the soil, remove collected water, and maintain groundwater pumping equipment in good condition.

ATTENTION! Employees of the management company must monitor engineering and communication systems to prevent flooding of the basement with sewage, especially if the house is old and is more than 50 years old.

The use and untimely replacement of pipes that have reached the end of their service life can lead to similar unpleasant consequences. In this situation, the management company must completely eliminate the consequences, namely:

1. Pump out the sewage.
2. Carry out disinfection.
3. Clean the room.

Whatever the circumstances of the flooding, it is first necessary to conduct an expert assessment of the reasons for the occurrence of this emergency situation. This guarantees compensation for the loss incurred and holding the guilty party accountable.

If a problem with basement flooding is discovered, then there are organizations that must restore the violated rights of the owners of an apartment building:

• Emergency dispatch service. It should record the time of the complaint by the injured party, which may be important in determining the guilty party.
• Management company or housing and communal services company. They are responsible for creating the commission, as well as drawing up the flooding act.
• Evaluation and expert company. Its employees are documenting the factors that influenced the flooding. They also calculate the amount of damage caused.

If water is found in the basement, the first thing you need to do is:

1. Call the emergency dispatch service.
2. Call a mechanic from the management company, who should fix the leak if possible.

Then a special commission is created, which is composed of at least two employees of the management company.

They must draw up an act. It is necessary to fully determine the damage that was caused to common property.

There is no established form for filling out the act. You can fill it out in free form by hand. However, each management company can provide its own sample of forms in which the necessary information is entered.

When filling out the act, it is advisable to adhere to some rules:

• The document must be drawn up no later than 12 hours from the moment of notification of the emergency service or management company.
• The commission should include: the injured party, representatives of the Criminal Code and the guilty party. If the guilty person is not immediately identified, then it is necessary to make a note about this in the act.
• The act is signed by all members of the commission.

The main points to be filled out in the act:

1. Date of preparation.
2. The address where the emergency occurred.
3. Initials and positions of the participants included in the commission.
4. Initials of the persons conducting the inspection.
5. The cause of the flood and its source.
6. A detailed description of the existing damage, as well as damaged property.

The flooding act is an important document that decides the future fate of the guilty person. It should remain with the injured party until the situation is resolved.

The following individuals and legal entities can apply to the authorized bodies or the court to receive compensation:

• Homeowners. Apartment owners can assemble an initiative group to solve the problem.
• HOA employee. For example, a HOA lawyer can represent and defend the rights of homeowners in court and other authorities.
• Management Company. If the flooded basement was under the jurisdiction of the management company, then she can personally demand compensation for damage.
• Municipality. In the case where a residential building is listed on the balance sheet of the city authorities, representatives of the administration can file a statement of claim in court.

Constant flooding of the basement contributes to the appearance of fungal infections on the walls, dampness, insects and leads to the gradual destruction of the foundation of the house. This problem cannot be ignored. If the management company does not solve the unpleasant situation that has arisen, then it is necessary to complain to higher authorities.

If the consequences of flooding are not eliminated, you can file a complaint with the following authorities:

1. State Housing Inspectorate . Its main purpose is to check the activities of the management company.
2. Rospotrebnadzor . Protects the rights of property owners.
3. Prosecutor's office. Finds the guilty persons and also establishes punishment for them.

Basement flooding is a rather unpleasant situation, which first of all requires active action on the part of the affected owners. Even if the management company admitted its guilt, it is recommended to conduct an additional examination to assess the consequences.

IMPORTANT! If the property located in the basement was insured, but the required insurance did not cover the damage incurred, then you can seek help from the court to recover the remaining amount from the person responsible for the flood.

According to statistics, most often the person responsible for basement flooding is the management company. Therefore, it is she who should be responsible for flooding.

The management company must take all necessary measures to restore the integrity of communications, as well as compensate for damage to owners who lost valuable property located in the basement . Unfortunately, quite often the Criminal Code avoids admitting its guilt.

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What to do if a basement used for commercial purposes is flooded - step-by-step instructions

After detecting a flood in the room, it is recommended to take the following actions:

1. Turn off electricity in the room to prevent short circuits.
2. Find out the cause of the flooding.
3. Eliminate the cause of the flood. If you cannot do this yourself, call emergency services.
4. Collect evidence of the incident: record flooding and damage to property using a camera, phone, or video camera. At this stage, you can invite the person responsible for the incident to verify that the damage was caused.
5. Eliminate consequences.
6. Call the employees of the Management Company to draw up a flood report.

Even if the guilty party has agreed to compensate for the damage caused by the flood, you should not neglect the collection of material evidence. In the future, refusal to pay expenses or disagreement with the amount of compensation payment is possible.

Drawing up a flood report

The flood report is drawn up by a commission, which includes:

• The owner or representative of the owner of a flooded commercial premises.
• The person at fault or his representative (if the cause of the flooding has been established).
• An employee of the building maintenance organization.

Other persons may be included in the commission.
It is better to ask neighbors or witnesses to the incident, who can then speak in court. It is advisable to invite the chairman or chief engineer from the housing department or management company. The form of the flood report has not been established.
The document can be written by hand on a regular blank sheet of paper. But representatives of the management organization usually already have a standard printed form that can be quickly filled out on the spot.

Contents of the flood report

The flood report contains the following information:

• Date of examination.
• Date of occupancy of the premises.
• Composition of the commission.
• Address of the property being surveyed.
• Fact and cause of flooding.
• List of damaged property, extent of damage.
• Cause-and-effect relationship between flooding and damage caused.

All members of the commission sign the document, and the seal of the service organization is affixed. If one of those present refuses to sign, this fact is reflected in the flooding report.

Attention! To determine the amount of damage received, you should additionally obtain a report from an appraisal company. The services are paid, but without this document it is impossible to justify the amount of claims in court.

The video story will tell you about the intricacies of writing the act of flooding the premises

Probable causes of the incident

A basement can become flooded for a variety of reasons. To determine the factor that ultimately led to its flooding, it is necessary to call the emergency service and draw up a flood report. It is necessary to demand elimination of the consequences and compensation for damage from the culprit of the incident.

The most likely reasons why basement flooding occurs:

• A seasonal increase in groundwater levels is a rare factor, but still occurs. It is impossible to predict and prevent it, and in this case there is simply no one to make a claim, with the exception of those houses that are in the risk zone that the house may flood for natural reasons. In other cases, flooding with groundwater refers to force majeure situations;
• improper drainage of tides for precipitation, which causes water from prolonged rains or melted snow to cause flooding. In this case, the management company is responsible;
• faulty sewer drains, which causes the basement to be flooded not just with water, but with sewage;
• flooding of the basement can occur due to the fault of residents of the first floor who forgot to turn off the water, improperly used plumbing, and so on, although the damage in this case will be minimal;
• accident on the water supply line, violation of its tightness and subsequent breakthrough. Most often this happens due to the use of outdated equipment, untimely repairs and lack of preventive inspection of basements, in particular water pipes, clogged sewer networks and the desire of the management company to save money;
• A breakdown of the heating system most often occurs due to the factors described above, although it is up to the emergency service to find out the cause of the breakdown.

Unfortunately, most situations with basement flooding in a residential apartment building are due to the fault of management companies, who, due to the desire to make money, save on timely repairs and replacement of old, worn-out equipment with new, modern ones.

Very often, management companies shy away from admitting their own guilt in what happened. However, the verdict rendered by experts after inspecting the basement, as well as a correctly drawn up act, are evidence and legal basis for the management company to compensate for the damage caused. That is why, before filling it out, you must carefully study the sample and strictly follow it.

Residents of apartment buildings served by management companies should remember that it is the management company that is responsible for monitoring the condition of pipes and other equipment. And it is the management company that is responsible for pumping out sewage, disinfecting and cleaning the premises after it is flooded.

Determining the culprit of the incident and filing claims

It is not always easy for the injured party to find whom to make claims for damages. Usually the culprits are the residents (tenants) of the apartment above or the management company. The latter is responsible for the condition of common property.

The service organization is responsible for the waterproofing of walls and foundations, the maintenance of pipes in common areas, the condition of storm drains, as well as for water risers, heating, and radiators located in apartments.

In addition, when causing losses to the tenant, the contents of the lease agreement should be taken into account.
The agreement may include additional conditions for the use of non-residential premises. For example, carrying out waterproofing work, carrying out repairs, etc. If it is difficult to determine the culprit of the flooding, it is better to contact a lawyer .
They will help identify the defendant and draw up a statement of claim. Extrajudicial and judicial methods are used to recover expenses received. It is best for the injured party if the culprit agrees to pay for the damage. However, if there are disagreements, the issue will have to be resolved in court, which significantly delays the process of collecting funds for repairs of the premises and payment of other expenses.

The basement of the house stinks where to call

VIDEO ON THE TOPIC: Tin. Cleaning the sewer in the basement. Clearing the blockage. Level 80 plumber.

Basement odor can occur for a variety of reasons. Most basements are quite damp, condensation forms on the walls, and sometimes flooding occurs with groundwater and sedimentary water. An additional contribution to the total humidity is made by water supply and sewerage pipes. In addition, very often there is no normal air circulation in the basements of apartment buildings.

The ventilation system either does not work at all or does not work properly. Oddly enough, unpleasant odors can occur both in old basements and in the basements of fairly new houses and new buildings.

Dear readers! Our articles talk about typical ways to resolve legal issues, but each case is unique. If you want to find out how to solve your particular problem, please use the online consultant form on the right or call the numbers provided on the website.

It's fast and free! The pipeline needs to be urgently replaced, and the management company servicing the house is deliberately delaying the process of a costly procedure.

When filing a written complaint by mail, a citizen must indicate: the name of the government body to which he is sending a written appeal, or the last name, first name, patronymic of the relevant official, or the position of the relevant person, his last name, first name, patronymic, last - if available, postal the address to which the response should be sent, notification of forwarding of the request. In the text of the complaint itself, it is necessary to describe the essence of the violation of rights, the circumstances under which it occurred, and indicate detailed information about the organization and officials on whose part the violation was committed.

Who should I complain about the unpleasant smell?

If there is an unpleasant smell of sewage, mold, or any other smell coming from the basement, then, most likely, certain difficulties have arisen with the maintenance of this room: either the management company does not service the basement in a particular apartment building at all, or it does it rarely and improperly.

Of course, not all management companies do their work flawlessly, so the course of action when a persistent unpleasant odor appears from the basement is approximately the same in all cases. It should be noted that if a smell from the basement is felt in the apartment and entrance for a long time, this will already indicate that the management company is not fulfilling its obligations in accordance with the concluded agreement. Where to contact?

• First of all, you need to contact the management company specialists directly. If, after several telephone calls, work to eliminate the smell from the basement has not begun, then you should visit the organization in person, providing a written application, or send an application there by mail. As a rule, after personally submitting a written statement, the management company’s employees begin to work faster, completely eliminating all problems with unpleasant odors. But this approach doesn’t always work either.
• If a written appeal and a personal visit to the management company have no effect, then the residents of the house (or one resident who is bothered by the smell) can send an individual or collective complaint by contacting the housing inspectorate or other regulatory authority in their city. As a last resort, it is recommended to apply directly to Rospotrebnadzor, where they are also obliged to respond to the complaint. All requests to these organizations must also be in writing. It is worth noting that authorities respond faster to individual statements than to collective complaints, because the latter take a long time to sort out and coordinate.
• The application is drawn up in free form, but with a mandatory header, which will indicate the originator of the complaint (full name, place of residence, place of work, etc.), the organization to which the complaint is sent, and the official. You should not write a statement with emotions - the text should be dry and concise, with a clearly formulated problem and requirements.

For example, the text of the statement may look like this: “From the basements of an apartment building of such and such, which are not functional and in use, an unpleasant odor of such and such spreads to the entire entrance and apartments of the residents of the building. An oral appeal to the management company by telephone, as well as a written statement, had no impact. We are asking you to conduct a sanitary and epidemiological examination of the basement of such and such an apartment building in order to identify the root cause of the unpleasant smell inside residential premises. Based on the results of the examination, an order must be issued to the management company to eliminate the violations discovered during the inspection. We ask you to report in writing about the results of the work carried out within the time limits established by current legislation.”

A written message works better than a phone call.

It often happens that correspondence with regulatory authorities and Rospotrebnadzor is seriously delayed due to bureaucratic delays and other reasons, so an unpleasant smell from the basement can torment the residents of the house for a long time. In addition, the management company can often solve the problem before conducting an inspection and making a decision.

In this case, after the problem with the unpleasant odor from the basement has been resolved, it will be possible to re-apply to the regulatory authorities with a statement and complaint against the management company, in which it is worth noting the improper performance of the duties prescribed by the contract.

Who should have the keys to the basement?

At a minimum, the organization that manages the house must have the keys to the basement. Additionally, keys can be issued to emergency dispatch service employees and workers who maintain the house, since their work also involves basements. You need to clean it, ventilate it, treat it against rodents, and make sure it doesn’t flood.

It is recommended to hang an information sheet near the entrance to the basement indicating the contact details of the person who holds the keys.

Leaks through shut-off valves

Symptoms: water flows from the control valve or vent in the elevator unit, water meter or on one of the risers.

Causes:

• Destruction of the gasket on the valve of the screw valve;
• Debris (scale, sand, etc.) between the valve and seat;
• Broken thread. In this case, the valve rotates when you try to tighten it;
• Leakage of a plug valve due to scratches or cavities on the surface of the valve or body.

Plug valve: sealing is ensured by grinding the valve to the body
Solutions:

1. Briefly open and close the screw valve. If the cause of the leak is debris that has gotten under the valve, it will be carried away by the flow of water and the valve will close;
2. If the valve does not shut off the water and does not turn, it usually requires replacing the gasket. A new gasket can be cut from an old truck inner tube. To replace, simply unscrew the valve head from the body;