The call usually comes at a bad time: a neighbour spots water under the front door, or your property manager finds damp walls on a routine check. You're at home and can't just pop over. The good news: almost everything that matters in the first 48 hours can be organised remotely.
Hours 0 to 2: stop the water
First things first: no more water must get in. Ask whoever is there to turn off the main stopcock. It's usually by the water meter, often in a box at the edge of the plot or in the plant room. If the water is coming through the roof or from outside, a tarpaulin helps until a tradesperson arrives.
If water has reached sockets, the fuse box or appliances, the breaker for that area should be switched off.
Hours 2 to 12: document
Before anyone clears up, you need photos and short videos of:
- the cause (burst hose, leaking pipe, roof)
- every affected room, wall, floor and piece of furniture
- water levels and stains, with something in shot for scale
You'll need these for your insurer – and from the photos we can tell straight away which units are needed.
Hours 12 to 24: insurer and trades
Report the damage to your insurer. For property in Spain this is usually a Spanish home insurance policy (seguro de hogar); a UK home policy normally won't cover a house abroad. The notification deadline is in your policy – the sooner, the better. Ask directly whether they will send a loss adjuster (perito) and whether you can start drying already.
At the same time you'll need a plumber to fix the cause. Drying only makes sense once the leak is repaired.
Hours 24 to 48: start drying
Now every day counts. If moisture is left standing, mould can start to grow within 24 to 48 hours. Standing water is removed, then we set up dehumidifiers and heaters if needed. With a condensate pump the water drains away directly, so nobody has to be living in the house.
And then?
During drying we check once a week, take readings and send you photos on WhatsApp. How long it takes is explained in How long does water damage drying take?. At the end you receive a report for your insurer.