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AN alarming number of homes in Western Australia’s port city of Albany have recently been flooded due to an issue with flexible hoses.
Ray White Rural Albany is encouraging all homeowners and/or tenants in the region to inspect flexible hoses under sinks in their bathrooms and kitchens following reports four local properties within the past month have been impacted.
“We’re checking all our properties now during inspections, as well as creating jobs for our local plumbers to inspect all properties for us,” Ray White Rural Albany general manager Julie Hetherington said.
“We’ve come across two properties during those inspections where the flexi-hose is wearing under the sink and we’ve had a plumber at a third property uncover the same issue of a flexi-hose on its way out. It seems to be something that’s reoccuring and whether or not it’s an issue being raised now because we’re specifically looking for it, it's still a problem for owners’ properties.”
Ms Hetherington said they were yet to uncover a consistent cause behind the recent costly spate of related incidences which has affected a variety of rental properties, from older homes to modern builds.
“There’s no rhyme or reason to it,” she said.
“It’s a matter of wear and tear, but what we are finding as well that it can be a case of the pressure at the water meter being too high which can create pressure on the flexi-hose.”
Ms Hetherington said the most serious case of damage to a home from a burst flexi-hose was also the most recent.
“A hot water flexi-hose burst and flooded the entire house,” she said.
“There was a problem with the water meter and the elderly tenant couldn’t turn it off. There was about an inch of water across the property.”
Ray White Rural Albany’s message to homeowners and tenants is clear - check all flexi-hoses in your home.
“If you don’t know what you’re looking for then contact a licenced plumber to check the hoses for you,” Ms Hetherington said.
“We’re making sure all our owners are being taken care of, emailing every single one telling them that they need to action this. Replacing a flex-hose which is worth around five dollars and a call-out fee of approximately 100 dollars is far cheaper than having a property flood.”
Ms Hetherington said landlords should also check their tenants are aware of the issue, and know the exact location of the water meter on the property.
“Our biggest concern is making sure we do everything we can to ensure the properties we manage aren’t being damaged,” Ms Hetherington said.
“We are always available at the end of the phone for our tenants and landlords.”
