Flats - Water Leaks
Under the terms of your Lease and Block Building Insurance policy you have a duty to prevent loss or damage. Failure to do so may make you personally liable for all/any costs incurred. A water leak is an individual problem and as such not the responsibility of the management company/agent to fix.
If a leak is evident - say from your ceiling - then you should, as a first step, advise the owner of the flat immediately above you. You should also inform the managing agents who will notify the owner by letter that they must immediately check all visual areas and arrange for a professional plumber to carry out any necessary repairs. This will be at the owner's expense. Note: this may extend to them having to repair any cracked/broken pipework embedded in the confines/fabric of their flat, such as the internal walls or floor. Following the repairs the owner with the leak must then contact the managing agents (Island residents call 08452 713300) to confirm that the leak has been fixed.
Once this has been confirmed repairing of any damage caused can start. Such repairs can usually be claimed on the building insurance - subject to prior approval by insurers and to the payment of any insurance excess. Once again it is the responsibility of the individual, not the managment company/agent, to submit and pursue a claim. Contact details of the broker/insurer can be obtained from the managing agent.
Note, as already advised, should your claim be accepted you and not the management company will be responsible for paying any insurance excess. If the leak was not of your making but caused by a third party then you may have recourse to ask the third party who caused the leak to pay any excess. Should he/she contest this then you may need to seek redress throught the courts.