In my condo we have bi-laws do you have a copy to read for your own use. You should get a copy when you bought the place. Where is the leak coming from? The roof? Explain the leak please..does it happen when it rains? Where is the floor boards leaking from? Call your insurance co too sometimes they can tell you info about how you are not liable for some leaks. Also many leaks start from a small hole but it drips down a inner roof beam and you cannot find the leak easily.
Our leak was from a leaky patio door the condo co is not liable for that...I was only. I had to fix it. Have the condo president tell you what is considered a owner problem...example.. the roofing, shingles,siding, mail box and bushes is the condo companies problem...doors, window yours.

Go to the board and ask questions. Be very courteous. If the board or the management company doesn't make an honest effort to satisfy you then find yourself a real estate attorney. Most often, one letter from an attorney will do wonders when everything else fails. As diydana mentioned, get your bi-laws and have them for the attorney if it has to go that far. Good luck.

Thanks so much for all your input.

One of the leaks is in my ceiling - two different places in my bedroom. The leak only happens when it rains a lot.

My apartment is directly above what used to be a boiler room (my condo is a converted factory) - it's not used for any purpose these days. It's just a big expansive room with lots of pipes - what I think is happening is that moisture from the basement is seeping through floor and walls thus resulting in warping of floors, baseboards and walls.

I checked my sales contract and I don't think I have the condo bi-laws. Is this something that I can ask the management company to send me? This might seem like a silly question, but how do I talk to my board? Is there some kind of protocol that I need to follow to talk to a board member (This might be unique to each board)? Or do I have to wait until the next condo board meeting?

Again, thanks so much for all your help and info!

I live in a self-managed co-op so small that every apartment has a director on the board.

But I would think that you can directly speak to any board member, esp. if you are asking for protocol info.

You may have only one leak in the roof of the building; the building roof is the condo's responsibility.

I think it's unusual that a big expansive room w/ lots of pipes would allow THAT much water to wick upwards. I could be wrong, but water tends to flow best downwards. (Not that wicking upwards isn't possible, but unless there's standing water in that boiler room, it seems odd)

Ask the management company to send you the condo bylaws, contact info for each of the condo board.

Then call someone on the board (either the person assigned to represent your section of the condo, if it's organized that way, or the president). You should not have to wait for the next board meeting to get some assistance or guidance. (if you want to lodge a formal complaint against the management company, or suggest they fire them and hire someone else, you'd have to wait. But not for guidance and action on this issue)

Politely explain the problem, tell what you've done to try to resolve it, and ask for further guidance. Express your concern that letting the problems go unchecked will simply result in damage to the integrity of the building, and a more expensive solution later.

You probably don't need me to point out these differences between a condo and a rental, but just in case another reader does....When dealing w/ a condo or co-op board, remember:
--YOU are the landlord--well, you are ONE of the landlords, through your joint ownership of the facilities. So there isn't some outside entity to blame things on. Therefore blame isn't helpful; information and decisions are.
--even the management company is simply an extension of you. From you, to your board rep, to the board's contract w/ the management company.
--therefore, part of what you are doing, in addition to having your own living space be nice is 1)protecting the integrity of the building; leaks can cause damage to the physical structure, which will cost ALL condo members money; and 2)providing feedback to the board, which represents you, about the skills, abilities, and follow-through of its employee, the management company.
--since you own your own unit, you have some responsibilities yourself (as diydana made clear through her post). Get info on what those responsibilities are, and try to determine what the source is of the problem. (w/ your ceiling, it's got to be the roof; that's not you; if it were your upstairs neighbor's bathroom leaking, it might be your neighbor's problem).

Oh, and in any sort of group situation, it is always wise to politely and non-threateningly exhaust all avenues before you talk to a lawyer.

Go to the board first. Politely, and firmly.

ok tally you gave me chills..right on man...good advice.
to newbie03 what city and state are you in?

Thanks for the great advice Talley Sue.

diydana, I'm in Queens, New York.

I've written a formal letter to the management company detailing the problems and how I've tried to enlist their help many times. I've also requested and received bylaws for my condo and they seems pretty generic. Now I'm waiting to hear back from the management company (I've given them a deadline). If I don't hear back from them in time then I will go to the condo board and seek their guidance/help.

I could be somewhat responsible for the floor damage but that would be deteremined once the cause of the problem was found. My problem is that the management company won't even take a look to see what the problem is and what's causing the damage. I guess it's just a waiting game for now.

Thanks again for all your help!

here is a page to visit for a Program that Encourages Co-op and Condo Residents To Resolve Disputes Through Mediation, Not Litigation
http://www.nyls.edu/pages/1334.asp

below is a q&a from law.com new york

Here is a link that might be useful: ny condo board of managers

Esp. if they won't even look, and there's a chance (or certainty) this problem will recur, really lean on the "you're letting continuing damage go unchecked, and it will cost the entire condo association to fix it" issue.

I'm in Queens, too, and from your post am glad I'm in a small co-op w/ a high value on the integrity of the bldg.

URGENT! If YOU DO NOT HAVE A CAMERA, BORROW ons when the water is dripping, date the picture. Take pictures of the floor and any damage (water marked walls). Have two sets made. Keep one for the attorney, if you have to hire one. Find out the Board president's address, AND write a letter; send it Certified Mail, tell him/her the situation; that you have pictures of the damage and that the Management has not done anything. Advise him that if nothing is done within ten days, you are turning it over to an attorney. When you write the letter send a copy to the Management company. You will need these to prove that you had tried to do something, and the damage is worsening. Annieil

I live in Illinois (hello Annie) so my input is based on how the laws work here. But I wanted to make a point that has not yet been made.

Seems to me the first thing that should've been done by your management office (assuming you have one) was to have your building's chief engineer, or a local plumbing company, come in to determine the source of your leak. This would help to determine liability -- that, is, who is responsible for making repairs.

Do you have upstairs neighbors? If so, and if the leak is coming from plumbing in their unit, then your neighbors are responsible for repairs. Shouldn't be a problem assuming they have homeowner's insurance...that's what it's for.

If the leak is coming from a pipe that carries water to common areas in your building, then your condo association is responsible for repairs. Your association also is supposed to have insurance that covers repairs such as this.

Unfortunately getting people to accept responsibility can be time-consuming and frustrating. But I would encourage you to stick with it. Because, obviously, any leak coming from above is most likely NOT your responsibility. In Illinois, you have the option of giving 14-days' notice in writing. You can deduct the cost of repairs from your monthly assessment if the association is responsible but will not make needed repairs. Might be worth researching to see if you can do this in your state.

Also, it sounds like the management company simply hopes you'll go away if they keep ignoring you. Don't let 'em get away with this!

Good luck.

Hi guys heres what im dealing with now. Bought my condo in 03 in 04 I called the CMC (Condo Management Co)and told them I had a leak in my LR they sent someone a few days later and they said "yeap you got a leak"..never heard from them again so anyways after calling and emailing them all these years. Sh___ hit the fan in 01/07 the base board rotted my LR got flooded im sure you know what happened. I paid a plumber weekend rate to check to see where the water came from and it was my neighbors sewer line was clogged. His ins wont pay for it my ins wont pay for it, the Management said they are not responsible...long story short The CMC said they would patch it up????? um today 07/07 the leak is still there slowly leaking since my neighbor had part of the pumbling fixed. Everyday I come home to open doors windows to let the smell of rotting wood and im sure there is mold behind the wall...I kept asking the neighbor when he was goin to fix it and he tells me hes working on it??? CMC drags their feet and wont "patch the wall" till he fixes the wall..OK guys anyone knows of a good lawyer here in Tx for this is rediculous... my mind is so full of evil things to do but I want to do it the right and legal way...any ideas let me know needtokickbutt ....Peace
BTW DO NOT BUY A CONDO TILL THEY REDO THE LAWS/POLICIES ETC!!!

Today I email the Manager to the Condo Management Co told him about his companys neglect to my request and told him his company was liable. I talk to my neighbors insurance same agent who said he was not liable since there was no liablility in his part well guess what ...hes liable now hes aware of the leak and continues to use his water which leaks to my unit...grin I told him I needed to file a claim since I already talked to my lawyer wink and they told me hes liable now since he knows it leaks...I called my Ins company left a message telling them I needed to file a claim since my neighbor continues to use his water which leaks into my unit....Im keeping my fingers crossed since these guys only insure whats within the wall of the units not walls...ugh...to be continued still waiting on someone to let me know of a good lawyer in Texas..

Well, be careful what you say to who in all this... you want to come off sounding reasonable, but expecting your neighbor to not use his water is ridiculous, though I know how frustrated you are.