When Water Leaks from the Upstairs Apartment, the House is a Mess... Court Orders Compensation for 'This'

[Financial News]  The court has ordered that the resident of the downstairs apartment, who suffered living damages due to repeated leaks from the upstairs apartment, be compensated not only for property damage but also for mental distress.
According to the legal community on the 3rd, Judge Lee Yoo-jin of Jeonju District Court's Civil Division 9 ruled partially in favor of the plaintiff in a damages lawsuit filed by the downstairs resident, Mr. A, against the family of the upstairs resident, Mr. B, ordering Mr. B's family to pay Mr. A 15,980,000 won in compensation. 
Mr. A moved into an apartment in Wansan-gu, Jeonju City in 2016 and began experiencing leaks in 2018. At the time of the first leak, Mr. B's family acknowledged responsibility and paid 200,000 won for repair costs. However, leaks continued to occur in 2020 and 2021, damaging the entire house, including the kitchen, living room, and master bedroom.
Mr. A carried out several interior renovations, but when damage recurred, such as holes appearing in the ceiling just two months after repairs, he filed a lawsuit citing mental distress.
The court stated, “Generally, mental distress due to property rights infringement is considered recoverable through property damage compensation, but in cases like this where repeated leaks cause significant inconvenience in daily life, separate mental damages can be recognized.”
It continued, “It is reasonable to see that the defendant failed to properly resolve the leak issue, causing ongoing damage, and was fully aware of this,” acknowledging the responsibility for compensation.


jjw@fnnews.com Jung Ji-woo Reporter