A LEAK in an upstairs bathroom suite forced a family to move furniture away in the television room directly below every time somebody had a shower, a court was told.
Carmel Reynolds said in the Circuit Civil Court that she, her husband Tom and their children had to remember to move the couch away before having a shower in the bathroom upstairs, as a leak in the bath allowed water to seep into the ceiling and the wall and into the lounge area.
The court heard that the Reynolds family engaged Always a Helping Hand Ltd in April 2007 to renovate their bathroom suite and install an electric shower at their home at Pinewood Court, Huntstown, Mulhuddart, Dublin, for €3,000.
Mr Justice Matthew Deery was told the water leaked through the bathroom floor down to the ceiling of the television lounge and the dining area of the kitchen, causing paint and plaster to chip and flake away and leaving water stains on the ceiling.
Counsel for the plaintiffs said the company returned up to five times since the installation. The court was told the repair works would amount to €14,000.
Ms Reynolds and husband Tom sued Always a Helping Hand, Coolmine Industrial Estate, Dublin, for this sum and for stress, inconvenience and disturbance of the enjoyment of their home.
Company director Mark Quinn said he denied negligence. He told the court he acknowledged a leakage problem occurred in 2007 but said it was resolved then.
Mr Quinn said the ongoing leak originated from an en suite bathroom the family were not using because it was leaking before the works carried out in 2007.
Mr Justice Deery said the couple tried to have the matter addressed. Taking into account the normal wear and tear, he awarded them €13,000 for the work to be carried out and for the inconvenience they had experienced.