C.W. from Hartford County, Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
I’ve lived in my condo about 28 years and just now have been made aware of a situation. We have 38 units and they wet built in 1988. Now there have been 2 condos affected. The fresh water line cracked and needed to be dug up and replaced at owner’s expense! We, meaning a few owners, have tried to find insurance for this particular pipe to no avail. The city water dept offers a policy but for only single dwellings. Can you help us?
Mister Condo replies:
C.W., as my answer to you had been quite delayed, I am hoping that you have solved this problem by now. I really can’t imagine that you would find “insurance” to cover this type of repair. If the city is your water supplier as seems to be the case, you are truly at their mercy for how they handle such repairs. The city may have different rules for commercial and residential housing and, depending on how your building is classified, you may be treated as a commercial customer by the Water Department. If so, the expense will likely fall to the association (the commercial entity) in this transaction. If your local authorities (mayor, first selectman, city council) are open to meeting with you and your neighbors, you might pleas that your classification as a commercial entity is unfair because you are collectively a group of individual citizens who should have the same coverage as other citizens. However, back when the condo was built in 1988, the developer may have struck a deal with the city to treat the association as a commercial entity, which is how you are now classified. If so, don’t be surprised if your classification remains and you are treated as any other commercial entity. Good luck!