Who pays for water damage?

I live on the ground floor of a six-storey building. This building has a history of water leaking from the main drainage pipe due to union failure from pipes fed into it. The Community in the past has informed me that this damage is not their responsibility. This means that I have to locate the owners and pay for the repairs to both the offending pipe and also the damage to my apartment. I have previously been called upon to make such payments. Do I have some form of redress?

E R S (Costa Blanca)

The standard procedure is to inform the Administrator of the situation. He should then contact the upstairs neighbour, the expert plumber, and the Community insurance company. The expert plumber fixes the pipe and makes a report showing whether the water originates from a main down-pipe or from inside the upstairs apartment. His entry into the upstairs flat is authorised by the Administrator. In no case can you be held liable for damage not caused by you. You may have to bring this up at the AGM.

Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana and Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.