What does a condo assoc cover for drain backup?

Question

I know some associations are different. Long story short a drain under the water heater backed up and ruined our carpet. This is an 8 unit building and the drain all comes out into one pipe into the city line. Two units backed up and damaged. Association had clean up crew and plumbers out. Now they are trying to stick the bill with the units affected. Condo rules say they are responsible for sewers. Any thing happen like that to you?

Answer 1

Normally, the condo association is reasponsible for common property. The sewer would be classified as common....up to a point. Some Acts state the common property in walls is 1/2 the width of the wall, the inner 1/2 is your property. Now when pipes and the like are exiting through floors and ceilings, then the common property begins where the pipe enters the floor. There are mitigating circumstances that if the plumber found that it was through your fault that the drain plugged, then you would be held liable for the repairs. Otherwise, the condo insurance should cover the total restoration costs. But read your by-laws and the Act you are governed by, because each state and province is different to some degree.