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water leaks and landlord paying excess

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1617

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 30 May 2012 - 08:55

French Fries....heavens (your story is worse than mine)!!! Keep me posted. Best of luck with next week

French fries5137

19

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 19:38

Hi, we are currently in the process of trying to claim money back from our landlord for a water leak. We have the water turned off permanently now except when the gardner comes, he turns it on for about an hour and then he (hopefully) turns it off after watering the garden. In the meantime the tank fills up sufficiently for us to have enough water in the house. This is not ideal and we still have larger than usual water bills but it has helped the situation. Our 'leak' has been ongoing for 10 months now, we have taken photos of the caved in car port, have created a spreadsheet showing all bills prior to the leak, have evidence from Howdra maintenance company, have had our meter changed twice and have been to court for a hearing (landlord (British) didn't show up). So far we have had to pay all the excess water bills ourselves, have paid RERA fees to lodge the complaint (3-5% of amount we are claiming) and have had to pay for all documents to be translated. We now have another court hearing next week and have been advised to request an official letter from DEWA stating that they believe we do have a leak. (This is despite the maintenance company not being able to find it (have had the carport dug up twice). Nightmare!! Will let you know how we get on next week.

100

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 16:19

I understand (from my previous posts on this topic which generated useful advice) that we are liable to pay only for consumption and the land lord is liable for the excess. Is this the case? How does one enforce it? how does one prove usage versus wastage? TIA Does anyone have any info on the LL paying excess water charges? We had a leak a few months ago which resulted in a 15,000aed DEWA bill for 1 month. Both the LL and DEWA claimed it was not their responsibility so firstly we disputed the charges with DEWA. Many discussions and meetings later they flat out refused to reduce the charges so we had to pay the bill in order to keep the water from being disconnected. We are now pursuing the LL for reimbursement but have no idea how this will go?? We are just renewing our lease now so if we don't get the money back we are planning to deduct the amount from the rent cheque.

1617

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 16:05

hope you get it sorted soon. When we had a water leak at our last villa, until we found and isolated it we were switching the mains tap off and then when we ran out of water from the tank feeding into the villa we switched it back on again to refill the tank, then off..... This went on for a while. Yep...done that. It just keeps right on going!! I actually feel sorry for our maintinance team now as I accost them with yet another sreadsheet every second day now!!

2171

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 15:52

hope you get it sorted soon. When we had a water leak at our last villa, until we found and isolated it we were switching the mains tap off and then when we ran out of water from the tank feeding into the villa we switched it back on again to refill the tank, then off..... This went on for a while.

1617

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 15:23

no - I do this too and thought I was getting like my dad (ie OCD and ****!!), but I also keep meaning to get into the habit of checking the metres once a week. We were doing 4 hourly checks at one point...that's all summarised on a spreadsheet too (although DH;s version of a speadsheet...he refuses to use excel and did the whole thing in word with a calculator!! I once took a look at some reporting from his old firm which was also in word...bish, bash, bosh, I put it into excel and dispensed with the calculator. He thought it was sorcery!!! DH is emailing me dying to start pulling up the bricks in the patio!! I dread to think what will face me when I get home!!

2171

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 15:17

no - I do this too and thought I was getting like my dad (ie OCD and ****!!), but I also keep meaning to get into the habit of checking the metres once a week.

1022

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 13:49

I have a spreadsheet with exactly the same info!!!.... Thought I was the only one.. lol

2362

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 13:46

Thanks October...I have a spreadsheet (with copies of bills attached) that summarises opening and closing reading for the month, units used and cost (I realise that I now sound like a mad control freak!!) and passed this onto our compound manager (the figures go back 12 months but I have more!! it's only the last three months that are 500-650% higher with Feb being the last normal bill. REgarding irrigation...at the risk of sounding overly blonde (guilty on that though!) would they have to dig up the entire garden? Thanks so much by the way to everyone. This is as boring to me as it is to all of you! :) suze63, not boring at all - as i am about to move into a villa i am reading your posts with interest (i am an excel control freak too!) :) edited by kelly1814 on 29/05/2012 <em>edited by kelly1814 on 29/05/2012</em>

1617

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 13:08

Thanks October...I have a spreadsheet (with copies of bills attached) that summarises opening and closing reading for the month, units used and cost (I realise that I now sound like a mad control freak!!) and passed this onto our compound manager (the figures go back 12 months but I have more!! it's only the last three months that are 500-650% higher with Feb being the last normal bill. REgarding irrigation...at the risk of sounding overly blonde (guilty on that though!) would they have to dig up the entire garden? Thanks so much by the way to everyone. This is as boring to me as it is to all of you! :)

2171

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 12:26

regarding consumption, do you have bills from a year ago to do a comparison between pre-leak bills and current bills month for month? I'm also wondering whether this sort of thing is covered under LL's buildings insurance (presuming they have this?) Hope you get it sorted. - have just yesterday helped a neighbour where I noticed the pavement in front of their metre had sunk badly overnight - they also yesterday had an excess consumption notice put on their door - now the DEWA guy had to have seen the hole in front of the metre as he had to stand in it to read the metre to realise there was excess consumption, so why he couldn't have put two and two together and put in a call-out is beyond me!

1022

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 12:12

Yes I agree... most people that have a leak seem to find a problem with irrigation. It does not matter if it is on or off for it to leak from the pipes leading to the pump...

1575

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 12:03

I'm in the process of setting that up although with our maintainance as I want the compound manager to be on the hook here, rather than telling me that we are using the water (despite spreadsheets that of 4 hourly meter readings that show how we are using water while we are asleep or out of the house!!). I have been nothing if not detailed on this!! Do you have an irrigation system in the garden? edited by derien on 29/05/2012 We do yes, although no obvious leaks / wet patches and the garden looks pretty dry. The excess use is irrespective of whether we have it on or off though. There may be a leak in the Irrigation system and the water is dissappearing underground. you must have each nozzle and pipe checked immediately.

1617

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 12:01

I'm in the process of setting that up although with our maintainance as I want the compound manager to be on the hook here, rather than telling me that we are using the water (despite spreadsheets that of 4 hourly meter readings that show how we are using water while we are asleep or out of the house!!). I have been nothing if not detailed on this!! Do you have an irrigation system in the garden? edited by derien on 29/05/2012 We do yes, although no obvious leaks / wet patches and the garden looks pretty dry. The excess use is irrespective of whether we have it on or off though.

1575

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 11:50

I'm in the process of setting that up although with our maintainance as I want the compound manager to be on the hook here, rather than telling me that we are using the water (despite spreadsheets that of 4 hourly meter readings that show how we are using water while we are asleep or out of the house!!). I have been nothing if not detailed on this!! Do you have an irrigation system in the garden? <em>edited by derien on 29/05/2012</em>

1617

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 11:31

I'm in the process of setting that up although with our maintainance as I want the compound manager to be on the hook here, rather than telling me that we are using the water (despite spreadsheets that of 4 hourly meter readings that show how we are using water while we are asleep or out of the house!!). I have been nothing if not detailed on this!!

1338

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 10:58

can you perhaps get DEWA and tool time to investigate together.....

1617

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 10:56

I have yes...Tool Time (recommendation from here). They've been 3 times, including the owner. they couldn't find a leak (although they did change the tank valve). Meter just keeps on going!!!

1338

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 10:43

have you got your own independent maintenance guys round?

1617

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 29 May 2012 - 10:14

Apologies for posting on this again and I'm worn out with it!!! 3 months ago our water bill increased by 500% and has been at this level for the subsequent two months. We have had DEWA to check the meter who said there was nothing wrong (although they did change the meter). Our own maintainance guys have been round to our house so many times always say 'there is no leak madam' and we have had the toilet valves changed as well as the tank valves. And we can still watch the meter moving round even when no water is being used (we use about 250 units while we are asleep). I understand (from my previous posts on this topic which generated useful advice) that we are liable to pay only for consumption and the land lord is liable for the excess. Is this the case? How does one enforce it? how does one prove usage versus wastage? TIA

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