Last night just after midnight my wife wakes me up to inform me that there is water all over the kitchen and dining room floor, after a short time sucking up water with the shop-vac I notice it is coming from under the wall and surmise that all this water is coming from the Condo next door. I go bang on the door and can clearly hear the water running and can see water coming out the front door, no one comes, and there are no tracks in the week old snow in front of the garage. I tell the Mrs. to call 911 and let them know I will be busting down the door. She gets the fire dept on the phone and I bust in, there is a good 2 inches of standing water and water is squirting up from under an outside wall next to the front door, I turn off the water at the main. The the fireman on the phone thanks me because now he does not have to come out and break down the door. I then squeegee as much of it as I can out the front door. Then I go home and begin the clean up there. I end up filling the 5 gallon shop-vac 4 times and My hardwood floors are destroyed with the panels warping and cracking and my new carpet is wet all along where it meets the wood.
First thing this morning we call our insurance and we are covered, but they say it's not our responsibility it is that of the other owner, but if we would like they will just take care of it all and deal with the other owner.
We finally heard from the other owner about an hour ago, it is a property management company that buys and rents outs condos. They wanted me to pay for the damage done to the door, saying I caused significant damage. Ya, think???!!! Luckily it was my wife that spoke to them because I would have gone ballistic, she just laughed at the "Maroon" on the phone. I call my insurance company and they say, "don't speak to them, We'll take it from here."
That story reminded me of the time I was working 2nd shift at a company I used to work for. A couple of hours after I got home and getting ready for bed I heard water running from the kitchen area. One of the hoses going to the Washing machine in the pantry by the kitchen. Water all over the kitchen going into the game room and den. At least I was awake and caught it be for it flooded the whole house. I woke every one up and it took us a couple of hours to clean it up.
That sucks! I agree that this is a time for a great INS company to step in. Nice of them too. Thanks for the reminder of what a true "Maroon" is! So much for thanking you... Heck, I will! Thanks! Nice to know there are people like yourself still out there in the world. Unbelievable.
Last night just after midnight my wife wakes me up to inform me that there is water all over the kitchen and dining room floor, after a short time sucking up water with the shop-vac I notice it is coming from under the wall and surmise that all this water is coming from the Condo next door. I go bang on the door and can clearly hear the water running and can see water coming out the front door, no one comes, and there are no tracks in the week old snow in front of the garage. I tell the Mrs. to call 911 and let them know I will be busting down the door. She gets the fire dept on the phone and I bust in, there is a good 2 inches of standing water and water is squirting up from under an outside wall next to the front door, I turn off the water at the main. The the fireman on the phone thanks me because now he does not have to come out and break down the door. I then squeegee as much of it as I can out the front door. Then I go home and begin the clean up there. I end up filling the 5 gallon shop-vac 4 times and My hardwood floors are destroyed with the panels warping and cracking and my new carpet is wet all along where it meets the wood.
First thing this morning we call our insurance and we are covered, but they say it's not our responsibility it is that of the other owner, but if we would like they will just take care of it all and deal with the other owner.
We finally heard from the other owner about an hour ago, it is a property management company that buys and rents outs condos. They wanted me to pay for the damage done to the door, saying I caused significant damage. Ya, think???!!! Luckily it was my wife that spoke to them because I would have gone ballistic, she just laughed at maroon on the phone. I call my insurance company and they say, "don't speak to them, We'll take it from here."
You sure the "maroon" is not you? LOL!! I got a chuckle of that!
My insurance company is one of the big ones and they can afford teams of high priced lawyers.
Your insurance company will work it out with the owner's and their insurance. If the property management company contacts you refer them to your insurance company. Technically the damage to the door was caused by the flood emmanating from the unit next door to you. Some smart realtors may try to shift blame to anyone besides themselves, do not play the game.
Responding to an emergency situation is not breaking and entering. What if there was an injured and incapacitated person inside that needed help? I live in and own a town home condo and it is in the by-laws that the association may enter my home in just such an instance, when others are being put in jeopardy. If the fire department or police broke down the door is that breaking and entering?
I got the "Maroon" reference. I grew up on Bugs Bunny.
I'm not surprised by the insurance company's position. The adjusters job is to save money for the company, and I have had them tell me outright lies. They are used to dealing with people who are intimidated by them. I am not. I have had them try to snow me, and I tell them I enjoy these contests. My favorite line, which I have used on adjusters more than once is: "You need to understand something. We're playin' Poker. You have a pair of 2s. I have a Full House, Aces over Ladies, and I'm callin' your bluff".
My insurance adjuster sent over a reclamation team, they have taken photos and ripped up my flooring, I now have a dozen industrial blowers and a giant dehumidifier running. He also contacted the owners of the other condo and told them to get it cleaned up right away so as not to incur further billing for additional reclamation procedures that may result from them dragging their feet. He also told me to hire a contractor and get an estimate for new flooring and his team would be back Monday to inspect the drywall and base boards to see how much of it will need to be ripped out and rebuilt after it has dried out. This guy is a real go-getter and not taking any guff from the other parties involved.
The insulation inside the wall will need to be replaced too.
Have your insurance guy not close the claim after the repairs are done. Then have your house tested for mold every year until you are satisfied there is none.
By not closing the claim any future mold repairs will be covered, if related to the original claim.
Nice to hear you've got someone on the job. Who's your insurance?
Do you rent or own? I ask because I'm confused with just who the other person is. Is the place attached to yours a rental?
I find all this interesting because my sister has a property management company in Columbus. She even owns a few condos that she rents out. I hope it's not one of her properties, but then you wouldn't have got that response from her; she'd take care of it rather than blow you off.
Nice to hear you've got someone on the job. Who's your insurance?
State Farm
Quote:
Do you rent or own? I ask because I'm confused with just who the other person is. Is the place attached to yours a rental?
We own as do most of the folks in the community, but there is a company or person that has bought a bunch of units over the last 15 years, they rent them out. The guy that actually lives next door is renting the place from this property management group or a person who uses this outfit of Maroons to manage his holdings. The neighbor is a good guy, a young professional, he's just never home. I spoke to him earlier today and he thanked me for busting in and turning off the water and saving all his stuff.
Guy,
Glad it all worked out for ya'
Make sure the contractors get everything checked for mold
under the water damage. Something that could creep up
later if not properly addressed initially.
The insulation inside the wall will need to be replaced too.
Have your insurance guy not close the claim after the repairs are done. Then have your house tested for mold every year until you are satisfied there is none.
By not closing the claim any future mold repairs will be covered, if related to the original claim.
There is naturally occuring mold in the environment, so testing will result in a mold positive. Once you get rid of the water, the mold will also go away. It's only dangerous when you distrub it.
Responding to an emergency situation is not breaking and entering. What if there was an injured and incapacitated person inside that needed help? I live in and own a town home condo and it is in the by-laws that the association may enter my home in just such an instance, when others are being put in jeopardy. If the fire department or police broke down the door is that breaking and entering?
It is a little different YOU kicking a door in and the association or Police doing it.
I think EVERY burglar in the world would use that line " I was worried someone inside may be hurt."
Guy, sharing walls with that management company is a good reason I can't bring myself to share a wall.
A good reason to have good insurance.
What you did is behave like a good neighbor. What THEY did was act like a maroon. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Kh7nLplWo
Just because I'm a condo owner, what was the cause of the leak? Maybe a frozen burst pipe, bad faucet, broken hose to washer, or my favorite of all cracked commode tank?
Being both a former Realtor and a current Property Manager, as well as a General Contractor, I can tell you, don't get caught up in the "mold" hysteria. Mold requires 2 things to grow, food and water (kinda like most living organisms). If you eliminate the water, the mold will die. (The food is the paper on the back of the sheetrock or drywall) Mold has become the latest and greatest of the scare tactics out there today. Before that it was radon and before that it was UFFI.
Do you know what the cure for radon is? Open a window. If you read the study that was done that created the radon panic, you will find that your kids would have to live in the basement, never go outside, never grow over 3 feet tall and then they will have a 3% higher chance of getting cancer. Hell, if they stay in the basement that much, they will probably have mushrooms growing out of their ears.
Let the insurance company handle it and due to the "moroon", make sure not to forget the $6,000 oriental rug that had to be thrown out and the 80" flat screen TV that was laying flat under the tree and not yet installed that was ruined by the water.
Maroon from a property management company
So much for thanking you... Heck, I will! Thanks! Nice to know there are people like yourself still out there in the world. 
If you read the study that was done that created the radon panic, you will find that your kids would have to live in the basement, never go outside, never grow over 3 feet tall and then they will have a 3% higher chance of getting cancer. Hell, if they stay in the basement that much, they will probably have mushrooms growing out of their ears.
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