In a council building

Long dispute over who pays for water damage

The fire department arrived after there was dripping from the ceiling in the living room and kitchen. The wallpaper came off.(Bild: zVg)

A defective boiler damaged an apartment below in Vienna. A tenant had to wait months. Now there is a solution.

As Nina P. sat in her living room on a Saturday, water suddenly dripped from the ceiling. Water damage! The cause was a faulty boiler in the apartment above her, which had been empty for some time.

"The fire department arrived and Wiener Wohnen sent me an emergency plumber," explains P. But then the agreement was already over, as a months-long dispute broke out over who should pay for the damage.

Nina P. fought for her rights.(Bild: zVg)

Insurance fraud
According to the "polluter pays" principle, Wiener Wohnen would have to pay, but they initially refused to cover the damage to the furniture. P. turned to her insurance company, which confirmed that the other party had to pay, otherwise it would be insurance fraud.

Finally a solution after hiccups
After further wrangling and the intervention of FPÖ housing ombudsman Michael Niegl, there was a happy ending after all: Wiener Wohnen's insurance will pay for all the damage.