A stained or dripping ceiling in a flat almost always means water from above, a bathroom, a heating pipe, or an appliance upstairs. It’s stressful precisely because the leak isn’t in your home. Here’s the practical route.
First moves
- Contain the water and protect electrics.
- Tell the upstairs occupier and the freeholder/managing agent, most leases require it.
- Photograph everything with dates.
Who pays, usually
It depends on the lease and the cause. Commonly: each leaseholder insures/repairs their own demise; the building’s insurance covers shared elements; and negligence changes the picture. We’re not solicitors and this isn’t legal advice, but what every route needs is the same thing: evidence of where the water is coming from.
Evidence is the unlock
“It’s probably the bath seal” doesn’t settle anything. Professional detection traces the actual source (without opening up the neighbour’s floor on a hunch) and an insurer-ready report documents cause and origin so the right policy responds. Many buildings policies include trace-and-access cover for exactly this.
Living with a recurring stain?
If a ceiling mark keeps coming back after “fixes”, the leak is still live. That’s the moment for detection rather than another repaint, pricing guide here.
Think this is happening in your home? 📞 Call free: 0800 054 1524 · 💬 WhatsApp: 07733 019492 · or send us a message. We cover London & Surrey, every inspection is quoted based on the job and the price is confirmed before we attend.
Last reviewed: 27 October 2026. Independent investigation and written reports. Repairs are quoted separately.