What to Do if Neighbors Flooded You (or You Flooded Them)

Floods can happen in various ways: burst hot or cold water pipes, sewer blockage, pipe leak in the riser, or an open tap. But all of these can lead to serious consequences. Let's find out together with an expert what to do if the worst has already happened.

Yuri Kryukov — a legal expert, runs his blog on Instagram @vkursedela about the rights of co-owners and apartment owners.

If your neighbors flooded you. I was flooded by neighbors. What should I do?

Call the 24/7 dispatch service: a duty plumber will come to your place and either fix the leak or call a repair team.

Where to find the dispatch service phone number?

Search for the abbreviation ODS (unified dispatch services) and your address on Google. Or call the property management company.

Even better, look up and save the number right now so it's always at hand: ODS not only handles your building but also the area around it.

Can I fix the leak myself?

Yes, if it happened in your apartment. If you're flooding others, speak with your neighbors and make a joint decision.

Important: if the hot water pipe bursts, don't get too close — it can be dangerous.

Now you'll have to do repairs. How to get compensation?

Contact the property management company: the earlier, the better. Based on your application, a commission will prepare an act describing the cause of flooding and damage to property.

Try to negotiate with your neighbors. If they agree to compensate for the damage, ask for a receipt with payment terms.

How to assess the damage from flooding?

Many commercial organizations conduct damage assessments. The average cost of this service in Moscow is 8,000 to 25,000 rubles.

Important: before the expert assessment, invite the person responsible for the flood to be present during the inspection. Expert opinion can be used as evidence in court.

Does insurance help in such cases?

Yes! This is the ideal way to cover the damage. When signing the policy, carefully read the contract and ensure all necessary insurance events with compensation are described.

Pay attention that compensation is also paid to others who were affected if the flooding occurred due to your fault.

A neighbor refuses to admit fault. Can I sue them?

Of course. To file a lawsuit, you'll need:

• a complaint;
• an act of flooding: you must request it from the property management company right after the incident;
• an expert assessment of damage cost;
• documents related to expenses: for the expert, legal help, and other receipts;
• a written notice about calling the responsible party for the expert report;
• proof of payment of state fee (if you're filing a lawsuit against an individual).

Important: if you file a lawsuit against the property management company or housing cooperative for an amount up to 1 million rubles, you don’t have to pay the state fee.

I won the case, but the neighbor still refuses to pay compensation. What now?

Based on the court decision, obtain an enforcement order and submit it to the bailiffs: they will find a legal way to collect money from the debtor.

If the property management company is at fault. Several apartments were flooded. How to get compensation?

If the fault of the property management company is proven and documented, you need to assess the damage. With the expert report, you must submit a written claim.

If their response to the claim and suggested solutions don’t satisfy you, you can confidently go to court.

If our building is managed not by a property management company but by a housing cooperative?

Both the property management company and the housing cooperative bear equal responsibility for the common property of the building.

If you flooded neighbors. Neighbors demand a huge sum for repairs: what to do?

Try to be present when the damage report is being drawn up. If you disagree with the amount, insist on an independent expert assessment and resolve the issue through court.