Hi all, I need urgent help as the water is overflowing and flooding my kitchen!
Here's the description of the problem:
I live on the first floor of a 5 floor flat.
There is a big pipe connecting from the top floor kitchen, water and maybe any residue from cooking/washing (from sink and if they wash the kitchen) will go down this pipe.
I'm suspecting the pipe has been clogged some where on the ground floor and the water is flowing out to the next closest exit (i.e: my house drain). Am I right in my suspicion?

If it is, how can I solve this problem? If repairs are required, should it be billed to me, the owner downstairs or the municipal council which maintains the building? Please advice as I'm going nuts over this problem. Thanks in advance.

That would be my take on it.
Reading between the lines In assume that you're a renter and from your wording that you live in the UK. Correct?
One thing confuses me. You say your flat's on the ground floor and water's backing up out of your sink. That sounds right to me. But then you tell me You just told me you lived on the first floor. Doers the owner live in the basement and if he doesn't then why doesn't he have the back up?
The blockage is in a common area and should be cleared at no cost to you. The expense wouldm fall upon the owner or the company that maintains the building, Good luck, Tom

Thank you, Tom, for your take and advise on the repair bill.
To further clarify:

1) when I said first floor, it is one level above ground level (referred by some as first floor). There is no basement unit.
2) I'm in Asia (pardon me for the confusion on the term "first floor" :))
3) Each unit have different owners but yes, I am renting the unit. There are 3 more units above me and one below.
4) I have not seen the drainage on the ground floor unit yet (as he is away for the weekends) and am not sure of how this pipe leads downstairs into the main sewage system (or if he has a similar drain as the units above him)

The said pipe/drainage is located within our units (not in common area) in a diagram below:
I can see the drain of the unit above me connects in a L connector into the main pipe leading down. It's location is the same location above the drain of my unit. One thing to note, however, is that I have not been staying in the unit for a good month or so now.

Just another sub-question:
Will the expense be still borne by the company still?


|_drain-- Kitchen of floor above
|================= floor separating
|_drain--My Kitchen
|================= floor separating
|--- Kitchen downstairs (I have not seen the piping or kitchen)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX Ground
V
Pipe (I assume it goes underground）

But there is a basement, correct?
According to your diagram there's one large pipe that picks up all five units kitchens
Before exiting out to the main sewer.
I was just fine while I was under the impression that you were on the bottom floor.
Does your sink flood or back up when not in use or only when you drain something. It's important that I know this. Back to you, Tom

When I do not use it. Water hasn't been turned on for several weeks at least. Thank you, Tom.