Notify the right people promptly
If safe, tell the occupier above what you have observed and ask them to stop using a fixture that appears to trigger the water. Do not enter another home or interfere with communal supplies without permission.
Contact your landlord, building manager or managing agent using their repair or emergency route. Give the location, when the water started, whether it is still active, and any concern about electrics or a sagging ceiling. Immediate hazards need urgent professional attention.
The source may not be directly above
Water can run through floor or ceiling voids before reaching your flat. A visible mark near an upstairs bathroom does not establish which appliance, pipe or property is responsible. Shared pipework and concealed routes can complicate the picture.
Keep observations factual rather than assigning blame. An investigation can help establish the physical source; liability, repair responsibilities and insurance decisions are separate matters that depend on the circumstances and relevant agreements.
Prepare for a coordinated investigation
The investigator may need access to your flat, the home above, service cupboards or communal areas. Tell the team if access is restricted, if the property is occupied or if earlier repairs have already been attempted.
Ask who can authorise testing and opening-up work, and who will arrange access and making good. If the leak is intermittent, notes about normal fixture use and the timing of damage are particularly valuable.
- Keep dated photographs and correspondence.
- List the affected rooms and any previous findings.
- Ask the managing agent or insurer what authorisation is needed before commissioning work.
- Agree how occupants will be updated and how any necessary isolation will be managed.
When ADI may be able to help
When a concealed source remains unexplained, ADI can discuss an investigation and the access it may require. Explain that the problem involves flats and identify who is coordinating permission.
Do not treat a leak survey as an emergency electrical service or an automatic liability report. Check the survey scope and the documentation you need before booking.