Me and my husband are renting in a unit of 3 bedroom on first floor. We are living this building for more than 2 years. This is 2 storey building with 4 unit(2 on first floor and 2 on ground floor) . I wanted to mention there is a tap just next to our toilet commode, we joint a toilet hose with that tap as our toilet and bathroom is separate.
On 30 December early morning around 5:30 am we heard knock on our main door. My husband and me opened our door and we found our downstairs tenant and plumber was there. They told us water is leaking from our water tap and downstairs unit got 2/3 inch water on their floor (our floor is carpet one and their one is timber wood). They mentioned that they tried to wake up us. But it's hard to hear any knocking sound from our bedroom. Plumber came inside and we found that toilet hose pipe got a hole and water is coming from there. Then we turn off the tap.
Plumber asked us to pay $900 as he came this early morning on emergency call (downstairs tenant call them). We just woke and someone is asking to pay $900 which we don’t have any idea. My husband asked other tenant that we should call real estate company before we pay. Also we didn’t call the plumber plus no idea what happened on their unit we can't just pay to that plumber who didn’t do anything and just charging us $900.
Then other renters and us we shared that bill for that time (for holiday Real Estate was closed till 2nd Jan). Downstairs tenants mattress and some stuff like furniture got wet they mentioned. Then within 20-30 min again we heard knock on our door and we found 2 cops are here. They told us that tenants from downstair they call cops. Cops came and check our unit he saw that our carpet floor is also got water everywhere and we were trying to clean. Then they mentioned that there will be a case for damaging property/ goods. As we don’t own this unit how come water went to downstairs we don’t have any idea. Case will go through the real estate or owner. They checked and left.
One the same day we hired a professional Britex Vacuum to suck all water from our carpet and we did good carpet cleaning too. On 2nd Jan Real Estate agent came with owner and they told us that we have to pay other half of plumber bill to renters also their timber wood floor got damaged. We need to pay excess fee of insurance money($1300) for replacing/repair that units floor. Also we have to pay whatever downstairs people are asking for their damages.
I'm seeking for suggestion, are they charging us in right way? I know it was an accident, I do understand other unit peoples hassle but we didn’t do anything intentionally. And my question is that if anything happened to our unit that should be inside.
Why there is water draining between 2 flats floor/roof?
Why we have to pay plumber cost?
Also we didn’t know that we can’t use toilet hose with tap.
Why is the cop there? This is a civil issue