Tim Dowling: my twice-daily baths are giving me a sinking feeling

Columnist Tim Dowling recounts the domestic chaos caused by a leaking bathroom, leading to a humorous reflection on home maintenance and family life. The piece details the inconvenience of having to navigate household repairs while balancing daily routines.
Why it matters
Offers a relatable human-interest perspective on the mundane challenges of home ownership and family dynamics.
The Tim Dowling column Family Tim Dowling: my twice-daily baths are giving me a sinking feeling It’s raining in our hallway. Could my louche bathing regime be behind the showers?
Tim Dowling Sat 5 Sep 2026 01.00 EDT Last modified on Sat 5 Sep 2026 01.16 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google A ugust is the traditional time for something major to go wrong with my house. So I’m not surprised, as I’m getting dressed one morning, to hear the middle one shouting something about it raining in the hallway.
“What?” I say, standing on the landing with a shirt half pulled over my head. “What do you mean?”
I look down to see that water is indeed falling from the ceiling in a rain-like fashion, leaving a giant puddle on the floorboards near the front door. “That ain’t good,” I say.
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