A leaking water pipe in Batumi, Georgia

Various posts that do not fit in any other category
Santeri
Posts: 287
Joined: 2017-7-5 09:58

Unread post by Santeri » 2020-11-26 19:44

Half an year ago a a water pipe broke in our 8-storey building. We started hearing the water flowing inside walls and under the bathroom floor. In our downstairs neighbours flat walls were all wet and dripping water. Apparently the broken pipe is on one of the top floors and leaking through many floors including our apartment. Luckily the materials and insulation used in our flat kept most of the humidity out and we just hear the sound of water passing by inside the structures, and in our kitchen corner there is one small corner growing mould and sometimes little mushrooms.
Image The first reaction to the leak 2 weeks after it started was to tear down our walls to see if there was any leaking pipes. We showed them that our water mater was not running while there was the sound of water flowing and water dripping from downstairs walls. Luckily they were smart enough to understand that water can not leak out if there is no water coming in. Then by using water meter readings we managed to locate the flat with broken pipe. On the 6th floor the meter running like crazy day and night while owners were away, and when we turned their water switch off the water flowing sound stopped inside our walls. When the neighbours came back home they turned the water on and now it is still leaking after 6 weeks.

How can this happen? There are no communal fees or responsibility in houses. And if there are some shared costs, nobody is making their payments. That is why elevators are coin operated - nobody is paying their share of elevator maintenance fees. So, if your upstairs neighbour has a broken water pipe and naturally no money to fix it, there is nothing you or anybody else can do. The water keeps happily flowing down and ruining all apartments below. Same happens with empty frames around your flat. Humidity and temperature differences will quickly ruin the surrounding, finished flats in both old and new apartment building, and constructors have no responsibly.

A few months ago our downstairs neighbour put their flat for sale and a huge real estate agent sign under their kitchen window. Their walls are covered with black mould and the pipe is still leaking. Only a few more mushrooms in our flat but no mould. There was an empty frame on the 6th floor causing part of the leakage and they installed there windows probably for preventing some further damage. Also our downstairs neighbour started to renovate their flat to hide mold and water damage from potential buyers. The noise has become quite a nuisance, but we are lucky to have no termination time or even a rental agreement so we can leave anytime we want when this farce becomes intolerable.

Today there are very loud demolition noises coming from downstairs. We had to buy hearing protectors when ears started to hurt. The noise exceed all safety limits and new cracks are appearing to our walls, kitchen floor is sinking and we are afraid this building will collapse. According to our landlord they are transforming the water apartment into a commercial space by removing all the walls and cutting metal rods and pillars that are holding up the building. When we asked our landlord how long this ordeal will last, they replied:
They started repairing now so they do not know they will finish. We are sorry about this. It is non-controllable here in Batumi.
The same happens in new flats as well and especially when people buy empty black frames or make renovations before moving, but it is less likely to happen in old apartment buildings like ours.

Insructions for investing in real estate, buying or renting flats in Batumi, Georgia.



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