Condo Waste Water Stack Floods Unit Owner’s Kitchen!

C.W. from outside of Connecticut writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

I own a condo in a high rise building. The water waste stack supporting several units on the floors directly above me and directly below me became clogged and water backed up into my kitchen damaging my floor. Is the condo association responsible for the repair or am I? In a separate question, if my condo association hires a contractor to repair a pipe and it bursts and floods my unit, am I responsible for the damage in my unit? Should I file against my insurance and work directly with contractor?

Mister Condo replies:

C.W., it sounds like you’ve been getting it from all sides lately. Condo insurance claims can be a bit tricky and your homeowner’s insurance is generally where you should turn for damage inside of your unit. The insurer may seek remedy from the association’s insurer if appropriate but you should begin by placing a claim with your insurer. If they deny the claim or if there is a high deductible and you want to try to recover from the association, ask if a claim can be made against the association’s insurance as well. If the association’s insurance does not cover the claim, you can also sue the association for reimbursement. Of course, you will need to go to court and you will need to document your loss and your claim against the association as the cause of your damage. From what you have explained to me, that shouldn’t be too difficult. Good luck.