Application for roof repair in housing and communal services

Signs and consequences of a roof leak

The tightness of the roof is a significant parameter of the reliability and safety of the entire structure. This is especially important in situations where there are violations in the surface layer of a high-rise building. In this case, the residents of the upper floor suffer, as well as in case of severe flooding during periods of increased precipitation - and the neighbors on the floors below.

As a rule, the ceiling in an apartment begins to leak when the damage to the roofing surface is strong enough, and water flows or high humidity have already reached the living space.

In some cases, a constantly wet ceiling becomes a problem, and sometimes the situation becomes much more critical and a real flood occurs. Constant indoor humidity creates favorable conditions for the development of mold and mildew, which makes living in an apartment dangerous and cannot be eliminated by simple renovation of the premises.

A correctly drawn up and timely submitted application to the housing office will be the reason for the management company to carry out repair work, which must be completed as soon as possible. The application must be submitted at the first sign of a leak, since if it leaks once, it will continue to do so until the tightness is restored, and can lead to:

• The need for serious and expensive repairs in the apartment due to damaged finishing of both walls and ceiling;
• The development of dangerous diseases due to high indoor humidity;
• The appearance of harmful microorganisms, fungus, mold, which are unsafe for health.

Important!
There is no point in carrying out repairs in an apartment that is subject to constant flooding from the roof without first eliminating the leak and restoring the tightness of the roof. Roofs can leak both in new buildings and in old high-rise buildings, and the causes of this problem can be:

• Violations of the integrity of the coating during snow removal and ice removal;
• The service life of roofing materials has expired;
• Violation of the technology for laying roofing materials;
• Low quality of building materials used;
• Damage to the integrity of plants or trees.

Strong winds can also cause damage to the roofing carpet, but most often this occurs due to improper installation of the covering.

For pitched roofs, the weak point is the area where the roof adheres to ventilation or smoke ducts, as well as to the points of contact with the walls. In addition, a large temperature difference between outdoor temperatures and those in the attic contributes to leaks in the under-roof space, which also leads to leaks.

It’s not just the kitchen or hallway that can suffer from water seepage, it all depends on the location of the damage. Water can leak from the roof in any room, but most often these are places on corner walls.

The appearance of moisture can be seasonal (during rain or melting snow), as well as unsystematic (accumulation of condensation in the under-roof space, microcracks, etc.). In any case, you should draw up an application and submit it to the housing office or management company immediately.

How to write an application

The application usually states the following:

• details (full name);
• address;
• phone number;
• a detailed description of the problem indicating the exact location of the leak, the time of occurrence, including not only the date, but also the time. In the same part of the statement, a verdict is made on the amount of material damage;
• photographs and/or videos confirming the fact and severity of the leak are attached to the letter;
• a request to draw up an act to eliminate the consequences and carry out repairs is placed in the final part of the letter.

Don't leave out the details! Formulate your request clearly! If there are several requirements, number them. The information in the application must be structured. This way the letter will go into action faster. You don't have to rewrite it or apply again. Keep one copy for yourself! If something happens, this will serve as proof of the fact of the complaint.

There is no special application form. You are allowed to compile it at home yourself on a blank A4 sheet or do it on site at the housing and communal services department. Hand the letter personally into the hands of the responsible employee. After this, the document is registered and secured with your personal signature. At the registration stage, the victim will be asked for a passport along with a copy and documents for the apartment.

Which authorities to contact?

Those who are faced with such a problem always have a question - which housing or utility authority should contact. You can contact the Housing Office by phone and tell them about the problem, making a demand to fix it. In this case, you should write down the name and position of the employee who accepted the complaint, as well as record the date and time of filing the application. Typically, in such cases, the utility authority rarely responds properly to the problem, as opposed to submitting a written application.

Attention! According to housing and communal services standards, inspection of the condition of roofs of apartment buildings should occur twice a year, before the rainy season and after the snow melts, and all deficiencies identified during inspections should be eliminated in a timely manner.

Residents of the top floor can themselves remind the management company or housing office employees to carry out a roof inspection in order to protect their home from leaks.

The entire apartment building, and therefore its roof, general communications and other publicly accessible facilities, is at the disposal of the management company, which must be responsible for its integrity and performance.

What to do if the roof is leaking and where to go, as well as other important nuances of this problem are covered in the video:

How and where should I apply?

Documents are submitted in two copies. The management specialist who receives the document must indicate its receipt with his signature. He must also indicate the date when the application was received by the company.

It is imperative to ensure that the employee records the reception in a special journal in which incoming files are noted.

Another option is to send your application by mail . But in this case it is necessary to use registered letters with notification.

Before you send a letter, you need to make an inventory of everything included in it. This filing scheme is used in situations where employees of the management company do not want to accept documents in person.

Complaint to the Housing Inspectorate about the inaction of the management company.

A statement of claim to the court against the management company.

Where can I complain about the management company? You can learn about how to complain about the Criminal Code to the Housing Inspectorate, Rospotrebnadzor, the prosecutor's office and the court from our articles.

Application rules and sample application

If the roof of a high-rise building is leaking, and you are the lucky one living on the top floor, then a correctly filed complaint is the key to quickly eliminating the problem and eliminating the need for expensive repairs in the apartment.
Important! Before writing a statement, you should definitely take a photograph of the leak site in order to have physical evidence that may be needed if you need to go to court.

An example of what a sample application for roof repair looks like is shown in the picture:

It is very important that the application contains complete and correct details of the addressee and the owner of the affected apartment, and it is necessary to copy the written text and, if necessary, be able to provide a copy to the court or other authorities.

The main part of the document should state the essence of the problem as accurately as possible and specifically indicate the location of the leak (toilet, corridor, kitchen, etc.). It is also worth indicating the time and date of the appearance of signs of leakage, the extent of damage and the material damage incurred. Photo and video materials confirming the act of damage to property can also be attached to the sample submitted to the Housing Office.

The application must also include a request to eliminate defects in the roofing, as well as indicate your other requirements (for example, compensation for material damage). All requests must be formulated very clearly and be numbered.

The written statement or complaint must be in two copies, both must indicate the date and name of the housing office or management company employee who accepted it, in order to have evidence of inaction if it is necessary to file a claim in court.

You can submit your application either by visiting the institution yourself or by sending it by registered mail. When submitting in person, you must have with you documents confirming your identity, as well as the right to own the property of the apartment.

Attention! An application for roof repair can be written as shown in the example, or in any form, but with the obligatory indication of the details of the parties.

After submitting the application in writing and registering it in incoming correspondence, the management company cannot leave the applicant unanswered and will have to respond to the complaint.

Actions of utility workers after receiving a complaint in writing:

• The arrival of a locksmith or plumber and his attempts to record the fact of a leak, but at the same time try to persuade the owners that there is no need for roofing repairs;
• The arrival of a utility commission specially created for this occasion, which will record the fact of the leak, will draw up a document on the material damage caused. It is worth agreeing not only to repair your apartment, but also to a full inspection and repair of damaged areas of the roof;
• If the management company is inactive, then you should first submit the same application to the city utility service. If there is no reaction here, then the court will be the last resort.

When applying to the judicial authorities, filing a statement of claim, it is necessary to describe in it all the authorities that have not responded to the complaints, indicate all available facts and data in order to provide as much material as possible for the proceedings. It is possible to achieve a positive result in such a trial, but it often takes a lot of time and moral strength. But having achieved a positive court decision and roof repairs, you can not be afraid of rain and snow, knowing that the apartment will be dry.

Mandatory information in the application

An application to a company is usually completed in a standard form. In the upper right corner there is a header with information about the management organization, the exact address and full name of the applicant. Below, in the center of the line, “Statement” is written, and then there is the text of the claim itself.

Application example

For a better understanding of how to draw up this document, let’s present a sample application for roof repair:

The sample application for roof repair in the housing and communal services shown shows how to correctly structure the application and provide information to the management organization. It is best if the application describes in as much detail as possible the damage caused to the applicant’s property as a result of the leak. The application must indicate the consequences of the utility organization’s inaction, both current and future.

Sample application for roof repair to the management company

If possible, it would be useful to attach photographs of damaged walls or ceilings to the application. Also, the weight of this appeal can be increased by the result of an independent examination, receipts for materials for repairs in the apartment. In the text of the application, it is necessary to insist that a commission be sent to the address, which will draw up a report on the defects. In the future, this can become significant evidence in court proceedings, if the case comes to it.

Important! At the end of the application there is a complete list of attached documents.

Typically, home inspection companies respond quickly to these types of claims and contact the contracting company that will carry out the work. In some cases, it is necessary to write a second application, but this time to the contractor company. After this, the organization sends its specialist to the site, who conducts an inspection and draws up a document on the costs of repairs together with an employee of the management company. The owner who applied and the neighbors as observers must be present during this process.

Next, the compiled estimate is sent to the management company. If the cost of the work suits the contractor and the housing representative, then the relevant service draws up an agreement with the contractor to carry out roof repairs in the house.

Here are some practical tips that will help you get a reaction from the management company employees as soon as possible after submitting your application:

• Reminders about your application, since it often happens that the response of the management organization is too slow.
• Control over all stages of leak repair until they are completed.
• Association of neighbors to submit an application to the Housing Office.

If, after the required 2 weeks from the date of submission of the application, there is no response from the company managing the house, then contacting more serious organizations will be a good solution. This is, for example, the head of the housing and communal services department in the city or district administration. The application is sent to these individuals in the same form as to the company managing the house. As in the option described earlier, the claim must be drawn up in 2 copies. Attached to it is a copy of the passport of the person applying, documents confirming the rights to an apartment at this address. Such applications are processed by the administrative authority within 30 days, and the person who submitted it is informed in the form of a letter to the address.

If, after a month, there is no response to the application, and the leak has not been eliminated, then the only correct option would be to file an application to the court against the organization that manages the house. It is possible to appeal to the court that is registered at your place of residence, to the city court, and to the district court. Similar documents supplement the statement of claim, and the applicant must also receive a copy certified by a court specialist.

Rules for drawing up an application

If residents repaired the roof themselves, then utility companies are required to provide compensation. Payment must be provided in full against checks and receipts.

An application to the housing and communal services about a roof leak is drawn up taking into account the following rules:

1. The appeal is written by hand or via computer in two copies.
2. Only truthful information is provided.
3. A claim is generated using the approved form.
4. Complete information about the applicant and the management company is recorded.
5. Corrections, cross-outs and obscene language are prohibited.
6. Grounds for the claim.
7. Evidence is provided.
8. It is necessary to provide references to legislation.
9. It is important to date the application and sign it.
10. It is better to send the letter personally to the secretary, who will mark its acceptance.

Management companies try to quickly respond to citizens’ complaints, because they know that, otherwise, people will complain to regulatory authorities. Failure to fulfill obligations may result in a fine and, in some cases, loss of license.

Feeding algorithm

What is the difference between current roof repairs and major roof repairs?

An application to the Criminal Code for a roof leak must be submitted directly to the company. This is advisable if the roof is damaged on the top floor of the building. In other cases, residents need to deal with neighbors.

Before writing, you should take photos and videos that will serve as evidence and attach them to the appeal. The commission is obliged to visit the applicants for verification no later than 12 hours after the complaint is submitted.

Craftsmen must repair and make cosmetic repairs regularly. If even after the measures the roof continues to leak at the joints, you need to write a statement to the supervisory authorities.

Mandatory information

The sample application to the housing and communal services for roof repair contains mandatory information.

It must be drawn up according to the rules, because otherwise utility companies may ignore the claim:

1. The header contains the details of the Criminal Code or Housing and Communal Services, information about the applicant - full name, addresses and telephone numbers.
2. The body of the letter states the essence of the problem.
3. It is mandatory to indicate legislative acts that confirm the feasibility of the claim.
4. Describe the evidence base and attach it in the form of documents.
5. If an independent examination was carried out or an inspection report was drawn up, the contents of these papers are written down.

All items must be completed and copies of documentation must be attached before submission. At the end there is a date of completion and a signature. If the letter is of a collective nature, then a list of all participants in the process with contact information and personal information is attached. The date of completion is considered the beginning of the period for consideration of the letter. The Criminal Code has 10 days to do this.

Required documents

Before filling out the paper, you need to make sure that the necessary documentation is collected:

1. A copy of the applicant's passport.
2. Evidence base – checks, photos, examination, acts.
3. Agreement signed with utility companies.
4. If a representative acts for the owner, he is required to provide a power of attorney.
5. Certificate of ownership of housing.

Note: if the application is collective, but all participants in the process attach documents.

Sample letter for roof leakage

The information presented above allows you to correctly write an application to the management company for roof repairs.

Complaint to the management company

The letter of claim is sent directly to the director of the enterprise. The application states the requirements for immediate repair of the object.

The sample is available for download here.

If the HOA does not repair the roof

If utility companies do not respond to complaints or resolve the problem poorly, you need to contact higher authorities:

1. Housing office.
2. Rospotrebnadzor.
3. Prosecutor's office.

Lawyers recommend sending letters of claim to all structures simultaneously. The last resort is the magistrate's court if the damage is up to 50,000 rubles.

An example of an application to the prosecutor's office for the Criminal Code.

Collective letter to the prosecutor regarding the inaction of the management company (homeowners' association, housing and communal services).

Letter to RPN to the Criminal Code.

Claim to housing and communal services for roof leakage

The complaint letter is sent to the manager of the organization. It specifies requirements for immediate repair of the object.

What to do if the leak has not been completely eliminated.

Deadlines for responding to requests

Any of these statements are considered an element of pre-trial proceedings. The request for compensation must be written to higher authorities or judicial authorities. The period for consideration of papers by the Criminal Code is ten days.

If we talk about supervisory agencies, then a longer period is allocated for the proceedings - a month. Sometimes the time may be increased for objective reasons. For example, checking the activities of public utilities.