WHO FOOTS THE BILL?

One day, a tenant in a condo unit noticed a leak coming from the kitchen cupboard and reported it to the building's engineering team.

Upon inspection, the engineer confirmed two things:

1.⁠ ⁠The leak was coming from inside the wall.

2.⁠ ⁠The source appeared to be from the unit above.

Then, he scratched his head.

The tenant lived on the 25th floor. Strangely enough, another complaint had just come in from a unit on the 35th floor—about a leak in the exact same spot. This suggested two things:

1.⁠ ⁠The leak originated from an even higher floor.

2.⁠ ⁠Every unit between the 35th and 25th floors was likely affected.

The big question: Who should shoulder the repair costs? Should it be the condo administration? The affected tenants? Or the owner or tenant of the unit where the leak started? With multiple units potentially damaged, the repair bill could be substantial.

Ethical Dilemma:

As the building manager, would you knock on every unit’s door to inform residents of the problem? Or would you sweep it under the rug? While transparency is the right thing to do, does that still hold if you’re unsure whether anyone will take responsibility for the cost?

Key Takeaways:

+ If a unit will be left vacant for an extended period (e.g., the tenant is moving abroad), request the condo admin to shut off the water supply.

+ Always ensure windows are properly closed.

+ Report leaks immediately to prevent larger, costlier problems.