Can L deduct from deposit for damage caused by T?

[investor68]

Hi MarsMug,

Yes, plumber replaced ball valve which was causing tank to keep overfilling. So excess water was going down overflow pipe. Overflow pipe on outside of tank was leaking also.

If water stopcock had been turned off then tank wouldn't have been overfilling and overflow wouldn't have been leaking so there wouldn't have been damage caused or as much damage caused.

What would be fair/right to charge please in these circumstances? Ppty will need drying out, ceiling and floors repaired/replaced.

Many thx in advance.

[Mars Mug]

If the leak was on the input side to the tank then turning off the water would have made a difference, but if on the output side the tank could continue to empty even with the water off. Has a plumber told you what happened?

[investor68]

Hi,

Pls can anyone advise what to do here? Tenants didn't do a handover of the house but left it empty for around a month without telling the Landlord - due to family difficulties apparently they had to care for an elderly family member some way away.

When they did meet LL and return keys, LL went to house to find water leak from water storage tank which because house left empty had dripped through ceiling to room below damaging ceiling and flooring and making house very damp in places.

Not long before leaving these Tenants told LL they had noticed "some water" months ago but it was a small leak which happened once and had not happened again so LL wasnt told about it when it happened and didn't think there was an ongoing problem. Ts then left house empty - and unheated - for around a month and did not turn off water (tho' TA does say it should do so).

LL is covered by insurance but has to pay a hefty excess to claim to get the damaged ceiling and floor sorted out. What's fair - should LL ask Ts to cover the whole excess or part of it? And can the amount be withheld from deposit (if so how do you do this with the govt scheme?

L accepts the cause of water leak is down to him but feels Ts shd have turned off water, not left place empty etc.

Any advice will be gratefully received.

Thx in advance.