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How long after plumbing work completed can the company be held responsible.

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  • How long after plumbing work completed can the company be held responsible.

    We had a wet room fitted and have endless problems.

    Initially the installer looked to have done a good job but the following day we noticed a copper pipe that we assume should have run along side the joists and between the wetroom floor and the ceiling below, it had apparantly been laid too low and had pushed through and was protruding through the ceiling in a small closet below the wetroom. We called the workman back and pointed out his error and instead of undoing all the vinyl flooring work upstairs they lowered the closet ceiling below to just cover and accommodate the protruding pipe & we were ok with that.

    The shower water never drained away efficiantly and always created a large puddle round the drain but we assumed this was normal and when a couple of years later the hallway ceiling directly below the bathroom drain showed signs of water damage we assumed it had overflowed and called in our home insurance to repair the ceiling. When the ceiling was removed for replacement the wetwoom pipework was exposed and was a terrible mish mash of plastic waste water pipes with bends creases and kinks going up and down over and under the joists. The plastic pipes showed signs of being heated in order to bend them.

    We immediatly called up the company who installed the wetroom and they couldnt appologise enough blaming the employee who did it and who was no longer in their employ. Obviously as it turned out it should have been the company that repaired my ceiling as the damage was clearly due to the pipework but lucky for them the ceiling was already down so they were able to rectify the pipework from beneath the wetroom before the ceiling was replaced under my insurance claim which also covered the full redecoration of my hall.

    Earlier this year when removing stored items in boxes on a large shelf in the hallway (again beneath the wetroom drain) for spring cleaning we realised the whole ceiling here once again had a huge water stain and the back wall was damp with mould and the paper was coming off the wall, coats hanging on the coat rack against the wall were damaged by the damp and items in storage boxes completely ruined. This time it became evident that the glue holding the vynl flooring up the walls of the wetroom was insufficient and had allowed damp and water to seep down through, soaking into the joists, the wall & plasterboard ceiling. None of this was obvious to the eye in the bathroom as all the seals looked fine, it was only after close inspection under the lip of the seal where the wall tiles end that you could feel the vynl was just laying against the wall and not glued in place.

    I contacted the company again but he was very unhelpful saying it was not his responsibility as work was now 3 years old. However the achitect persuaded him to put the work right and he has replaced the floor but he refuses to repair my ceiling or replace my damaged items saying he only replaced the floor as a goodwill gesture.

    Can anyone please tell me if he is right about the time scale?


    There would need be a long period for underfloor bad workmanship like this to totally fail before a consumer could even notice there is a problem. Had I not removed the storage boxes when I did goodness knows when this recent damage would have been noticed this latest issue. Also the original pipework would never have been exposed if I had not organised the ceiling repair and because the original ceiling was old type artex they had to completely replace it.
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  • #2
    Re: How long after plumbing work completed can the company be held responsible.

    Originally posted by marleymouse View Post
    I contacted the company again but he was very unhelpful saying it was not his responsibility as work was now 3 years old.
    Just like an overfilled septic tank, he's full of crap.

    However the architect persuaded him to put the work right and he has replaced the floor but he refuses to repair my ceiling or replace my damaged items saying he only replaced the floor as a goodwill gesture.
    Does he belong to any trade bodies to whom you can take your complaint?
    Can anyone please tell me if he is right about the time scale?
    I'm sure that anyone - or nearly anyone - can tell you that he's full of stercus tauri.

    Vide section 5 (link) of the Limitation Act 1980.

    Even if you'd not noticed Mr Bodger's incompetence until some years later, section 32 (link) could arguably provide for postponement of the start of the limitation period to when you could reasonably have become aware of the inept work of his alleged plumber.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: How long after plumbing work completed can the company be held responsible.

      Still, at least the oaf hasn't submitted another bill for, as well as installing the wet room, having created a rather moist room as well.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: How long after plumbing work completed can the company be held responsible.

        I am in the bathroom installation business, and have been in court regarding installation claims, in the past regarding other peoples work, and judges up here can vary on their decisions............ I know the company I am working with gives a 5 year guarantee, but different companies do vary............SO a couple of questions first............ Have you still got a copy of his original written Quote (if he provided one)................. Do you still have a copy of his written invoice? (again if he provided one) ..............................If you have is there ANYTHING on either regarding guarantee or more importantly length of guarantee. ......................Also how long ago (to the nearest month if you can) was this work done, I only ask as you have already mentioned 3yrs has gone by
        Last edited by Gorang; 23rd October 2013, 18:59:PM. Reason: added a bit

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        • #5
          Re: How long after plumbing work completed can the company be held responsible.

          Originally posted by CleverClogs View Post
          Just like an overfilled septic tank, he's full of crap.


          Does he belong to any trade bodies to whom you can take your complaint?

          I'm sure that anyone - or nearly anyone - can tell you that he's full of stercus tauri.

          Vide section 5 (link) of the Limitation Act 1980.

          Even if you'd not noticed Mr Bodger's incompetence until some years later, section 32 (link) could arguably provide for postponement of the start of the limitation period to when you could reasonably have become aware of the inept work of his alleged plumber.
          Thanks for the info I will def check out the points you have mentioned :0)

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: How long after plumbing work completed can the company be held responsible.

            Originally posted by Gorang View Post
            I am in the bathroom installation business, and have been in court regarding installation claims, in the past regarding other peoples work, and judges up here can vary on their decisions............ I know the company I am working with gives a 5 year guarantee, but different companies do vary............SO a couple of questions first............ Have you still got a copy of his original written Quote (if he provided one)................. Do you still have a copy of his written invoice? (again if he provided one) ..............................If you have is there ANYTHING on either regarding guarantee or more importantly length of guarantee. ......................Also how long ago (to the nearest month if you can) was this work done, I only ask as you have already mentioned 3yrs has gone by
            I will check over all the dates as you suggest, I do have all the original paperwork but not sure if it mentions quarantee.
            I do not have any paperwork for when repairs were carried out but I do have emails which mention repair work planned and dates plus I took photos of all the damage including the rubbish pipework.

            Comment

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