# Rented apartment got flooded - landlord says 'no big deal'



## lemonaid (8 Jul 2009)

A friend of mine and his wife are in a conundrum. He is renting an apartment that got flooded throughout with about a foot of water during last week's flash floods. They have lost many expensive electrical appliances (all uninisured as they do not own the place). He and his wife spent days doing a cleanup and facilitated the landlord by being there to allow the drainage company etc in. The flood water was a mixture of rain and waste water from the underground drains and it got in everywhere, leaving smelly black silt in every nook and cranny when it had been pumped out.

The couple had to move out temporarily pending a decision but now the landlord feels that the place is dry enough for them to move back in a week later. A lick of paint and a couple of replacement pieces of furniture is all he is suggesting by way of repairs. 

Given that the dirty water was there for 12 hours we don't think this is  enough. Does anyone have any experience as to what happens to a building after it has been flooded and left sitting in water. Is it really safe and that simple - let it dry out for a few days, clean it with Flash, and give it a lick of paint and there you go -  back to a place that is safe to eat, sleep and cook there?? 

Also I wonder if he has the right to consider breaking his lease if he doesn't feel the apartment is up to the same standard as it was when they first took it on.

thanks!


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## BoscoTalking (8 Jul 2009)

lemonaid said:


> Given that the dirty water was there for 12 hours we don't think this is  enough. Does anyone have any experience as to what happens to a building after it has been flooded and left sitting in water. Is it really safe and that simple - let it dry out for a few days, clean it with Flash, and give it a lick of paint and there you go -  back to a place that is safe to eat, sleep and cook there??


given this is acceptable to owner occupiers i don't think its a major point to argue on, moreso i would be inclined to just walk and tell him to sue if he wants as it is not the same place as was agreed upon. 
The appliances are a different story - they can and should have been insured. As someone who was burgled in a rented house myself I learned the hard way.


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## Steve D (8 Jul 2009)

Often floods cause sewers to overflow resulting in the flood water being contaminated with human waste. If this has occurred then it is a public health issue and it may not be safe to live in the appartment until it is decontaminated. I would contact the local council and ask them to carry out a health and safety inspection before moving back in.


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## cancan (9 Jul 2009)

lemonaid said:


> (all uninisured as they do not own the place).


 
renters insurance?

Unless the landlord putys in multiple humifidiers for a looooong time, the place will never be right and mould could be an issue.


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## lemonaid (10 Jul 2009)

thanks for the repsonses guys - yes renters insurance will be a must from now on - pity that like pennypitstop they had to learn the importance of it the hard way. 

Anyway things have escalated to legal now as he is refusing to allow them to break the lease with immediate effect and without penalty, as according to him, the place is 'livable in' while the painters come in and the dehumidifiers remain on (and they empty them for him of course). 

They just don't want anything to do with the place anymore and can't stomach moving back in (especially like Steve D says with the knowledge what might have been in the water), but landlord says in that case he is keeping this month's rent to cover the month's 'notice to quit'. He says they are just suiting themselves and being too fussy - hence they should pay a penalty if they want to go!


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## Bronte (31 Jul 2009)

I think this landlord is dreadful.  He should allow the tenant's to go with no penalty.  I cannot believe they are even still there.  They should contact the PRTB to see what their rights are but I'm sure they must be entitled to leave as it sounds uninhabitable for the time being.


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## PaulyB63 (4 Aug 2009)

I'm quitting my house on the grounds of mould occuring in a few rooms. We felt it wasn't our place to be uprooted whilst work, investigations and repairs were carried out etc. The landlady was quite reasonable and just wanted us to serve 28 days notice which I did. 

This landlord sounds like a horror. Contact the local health board, the PRTB and your solicitor (just to outline where you're at and to get advice on what your rights are if the worst were to happen and the landlord decided to take matters further.) 

Wishing you all the best.....


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