Water Leak and Damage Record

Who this is for

The record an insurer will ask for after a leak. The header takes the facts of the incident, the damage table lists every affected item by room with an estimated cost and whether it was photographed, and the timeline records what happened and what was done, in order.

Householders and landlords dealing with a burst pipe, a leaking appliance, an overflowing bath or water coming through the roof, and tenants who need to report it.

What this helps you track

• Every damaged item, room by room, with an estimate against each
• The total estimated cost, added up as you go
• Which items have a photograph and which still need one
• The sequence of events — when it was found, who was called, when the water was stopped
• The claim reference and the insurer's contact once a claim is open

How to use it

1. Stop the water first. Then fill in the header: property, date found, who found it and where the water came from.
2. Photograph everything before it is moved or dried, and tick the photo column as you go.
3. List each damaged item on its own line with the room, what the damage is and your best estimate of the cost.
4. Record the timeline as things happen — the plumber's arrival, the call to the insurer, the drying equipment.
5. The browser and spreadsheet versions total the estimates; on paper, add the column at the end.
6. Keep the record, the photographs and the receipts together until the claim is settled.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How accurate do the cost estimates need to be?

They are your first estimate, not the claim. Put a realistic replacement or repair figure against each item so you and the insurer have a starting point; the insurer will assess the loss their own way.

Should I throw damaged things away?

Ask your insurer before disposing of anything, and photograph it first either way. The photo column exists so nothing leaves the house without a picture.

Is this for tenants or for landlords?

Both. A tenant can use it to report a leak with dates and evidence; a landlord can use it to record the damage and the repair. Keep a copy each.

Does it include what to do about the leak itself?

No — it records what happened rather than advising on plumbing. Your emergency information sheet should say where the stop tap is; this record says when you turned it.