If your apartment is flooded, the first thing you need to do is notify the management company, advised the executive secretary of the Council under the Chairman of the Federation Council for interaction with civil society institutions, lawyer Ilya Rusyaev. In an interview with NEWS.ru, he explained the procedure in such a situation.

Utility workers, firstly, will shut off the water if this is still necessary, and secondly, they will help in recording the fact of the emergency.

“Fixing the fact of the incident is necessary for further proceedings,” explains the lawyer.

He recommends capturing the consequences of the disaster in photos and videos, as well as inviting two or three witnesses who, if necessary, will confirm what happened in court.

“Draw up a flood report indicating the alleged cause, the amount of damage caused and the person responsible,” continues Rusyaev.

He admitted that management company employees may refuse to participate in this procedure. Then you will have to invite an independent appraiser so that the drafted act has sufficient legal force.

If neighbors do not want to voluntarily compensate for losses, write a pre-trial claim to them or to the Criminal Code, attaching all documents.

“In case of refusal, file a claim in court on the basis of Article 1064 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation for compensation for damage to property,” the lawyer concluded.

If the defendants do not want to pay the money even by a court decision, bailiffs take over the case, but that is a completely different story.