Eltham Landlords: A Leak Plan for HMOs and Lets

Every Eltham landlord, and especially anyone running an HMO, should have a written leak plan before the first call comes in: the stopcock and isolation valves labelled, a one-page “water off” sheet for every tenant, seals and traps checked at each inspection, and a clear rule on what tenants can authorise if they cannot reach you. The repair itself is your job as landlord; Thames Water’s wording is “If you rent your property, your landlord is responsible for fixing leaks.” The plan is what keeps a dripping trap from becoming a ceiling, a claim and a tenant dispute.

Why HMOs leak more

A shared house is used harder than a family home. Four or five adults means four or five showers a day, more washing machine cycles and more people who do not know the house. In practice that means:

• bath and shower sealant wears out faster;
• waste traps get knocked, loosened and blocked with hair;
• toilets get more use, so fill valves and flush seals wear sooner;
• nobody feels it is “their” job to report a small drip.

In Eltham, a lot of HMOs are inter-war semis in New Eltham, Avery Hill and towards Mottingham, with the bathroom over the kitchen. A slow leak from a shower tray will show as a kitchen ceiling stain, and by then the joist and plaster are wet.

The leak plan, in one page

Put this in writing, give it to every tenant at check-in, and stick a copy inside the kitchen cupboard by the stopcock.

1. Label the main stopcock with a bright tag saying “WATER OFF: turn clockwise”.
2. Label each isolation valve: toilet feeds, under the kitchen sink, washing machine, and any valves on the cylinder or shower.
3. Write down where the consumer unit is and which switch covers the bathroom and kitchen lights.
4. Give tenants your number and our number, and say which to ring first.
5. Agree in writing what tenants may do if they cannot reach you, for example “call the emergency plumber and approve up to the first visit”.
6. Show every new tenant where the stopcock is, in person, and ask them to turn it.
7. Test the stopcock yourself at each inspection.
8. Keep a log of every leak, repair and inspection, with dates and photos.

What to check at each inspection

A quarterly or six-monthly look at these catches most leaks before they show:

• Shower and bath sealant: gaps, mould behind it, black lines.
• Under the bath panel if it is removable: any drips or tide marks.
• Waste traps under basins and sinks: tight, not weeping.
• Toilets: running on into the pan, rocking pans, damp floor round the base.
• Ceilings below bathrooms: faint stains or bubbling paint.
• Water meter: note the reading, check it again with everything off.
• Loft tanks and pipes: lagged and covered before winter.
• Outside taps: isolated and drained for winter.

Who pays for what

• You (the landlord): internal plumbing, the supply pipe up to the boundary, and a drain serving only your property inside its boundary.
• Thames Water: the public water main and sewers, and since 1 October 2011 drains shared by two or more properties.
• Tenants: damage they cause through misuse, such as wipes down the toilet. You can discuss recharging, but fix it first.

Thames Water expects a known leak on your side fixed within four weeks. If the property is metered and you do, you may be able to claim a leak allowance.

Licensing in Greenwich

Eltham is in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Mandatory HMO licensing applies across England to larger shared houses (five or more people forming two or more households). Whether Greenwich currently runs an additional licensing scheme for smaller HMOs is something to check on Royal Greenwich’s HMO licensing page, as schemes are renewed and changed. Licence conditions commonly include keeping the property in good repair, so a leak log is useful evidence.

For a borough with a wider scheme, see our guide to Sydenham landlords and Lewisham’s HMO licensing. For a single-let house, our Orpington landlord guide covers the basics.

Hidden leaks and insurance

Landlord buildings insurance usually covers escape of water damage, and many policies include trace and access to find a hidden leak. Tell your insurer early. A clear record of inspections and prompt repairs helps a claim go smoothly and shows you were not negligent. Our insurance help page explains the report we provide.

If a boiler is losing pressure or there is a warm patch on a floor, there may be a hidden heating leak. Eltham’s 1930s semis often have heating pipes buried in the front-room slab. We can trace those from above with leak detection in Eltham. The boiler itself needs a Gas Safe registered engineer, and so does the annual gas safety check; we do not do gas work.

When to call

Call us when a tenant reports water through a ceiling, a burst pipe, no water, or a toilet out of action in a one-toilet house. We cover water leaks in Eltham, and we can deal with your tenants directly to get access.

Need a plumber now?

Call 07868 281022 and tell us the postcode, what is leaking, whether the water is off, and the tenant’s number. We agree the price with you before any work starts.