Water pipe dispute

[livestock 1]

We have a water pipe which supplies an outbuilding of ours which is routed through a neighbours garden. They recently had a leak in their garden on their supply so subsequently rang the water board who proceeded to tell them that the pipe was private and they would have to repair it themselves along with a leak notice. They then rang their insurance off their mortgage company who sent a contractor out to repair the pipe. The contractors were there a few days couldn’t find the leak so they fitted a new line into the house. This was happening in October. When we noticed we had no water in December we had our usual man to investigate which we both concluded there was no water to the meter. We rang the water board who told us it was our responsibility and we would have to repair it ourselves. I then asked the neighbor concerned to get back in touch with his contractor to re connect our water as it had likely been tee’d off the old line which was now defunct. He gave us the number of the contractor so we arranged a meeting with the contractor and the water board to sort this out. The contractor agreed that our pipe has been cut off with his repair but he said that he was unwilling to reconnect us and was unwilling to revert back to the old pipe as it had a leak which they couldn’t find. When I challenged him about disconnecting us he said that I would have to prove that he was to blame which he thought I would be unable to do. The water board won’t get involved as it’s a private dispute. I will be in contact with the solicitor to see how we stand. Anyone have any thoughts about this? I can run a new line to the shed through our field and it’s only 200 yards or so but that doesn’t really seem the point

 

[PSQ]

Put the new pipe in through the field, you’ll be in control of the works and any future issues.

And when your neighbour comes looking for a favour in the future: look him straight in the eye, and tell him that he’s not the only one who can treat a neighbour like a pansy

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

who's water meter is it, if the water boards meter, then its their pipe to the meter,
also now, you cannot have a joint supply, each meter has to run on it's own pipe from the mains, (not shared) there will be a good few old pipes from early days that are shared, but if there is a problem, they have to be split separately, I would go back to the water board

 

[livestock 1]

Put the new pipe in through the field, you’ll be in control of the works and any future issues.

And when you’re neighbour comes looking for any favour in the future: look him straight in the eye and tell him that he’s not the only one who can treat a neighbour like a pansy

This is our gut feeling as well

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

Put the new pipe in through the field, you’ll be in control of the works and any future issues.

And when you’re neighbour comes looking for any favour in the future: look him straight in the eye and tell him that he’s not the only one who can treat a neighbour like a pansy

it was the contractor at fault surely, not the neighbors

 

[livestock 1]

who's water meter is it, if the water boards meter, then its their pipe to the meter,
also now, you cannot have a joint supply, each meter has to run on it's own pipe from the mains, (not shared) there will be a good few old pipes from early days that are shared, but if there is a problem, they have to be split separately, I would go back to the water board

The pipe is owned by us or the neighbor not the water board. The water board are claiming ownership to the stop tap but not from the stop tap to the meter where the issue is. I was surprised too

 

[livestock 1]

it was the contractor at fault surely, not the neighbors

The neighbors have no interest in helping us. Don’t care we have no water. Quite annoying as they’ve just moved in and we have helped them offloading lorry’s with the telehandler etc to be neighbourly

 

[Goweresque]

The pipe is owned by us or the neighbor not the water board. The water board are claiming ownership to the stop tap but not from the stop tap to the meter where the issue is. I was surprised too

Are you saying you have a main meter at the boundary of your property, which is read by the water co, and you pay bills to them for?

 

[livestock 1]

Are you saying you have a main meter at the boundary of your property, which is read by the water co, and you pay bills to them for?

I have six meters in total this is one of the six

 

[livestock 1]

They read it and bill accordingly yes

 

[Goweresque]

I have six meters in total this is one of the six

Thats as maybe, but is this meter a water company meter, or a private sub-meter? Who do you pay for the water that goes through this meter?

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

no sorry that don't cut it,
it's the water boards pipe to the meter, they can shift the meter to the stop tap if they want, but all pipework to meter is theirs now, I was told this 15 years ago when putting in new supply in , they would not allow use of old meter on shared pipe,
go back to them

 

[livestock 1]

Thats as maybe, but is this meter a water company meter, or a private sub-meter? Who do you pay for the water that goes through this meter?

Northumbrian water. It’s their meter

 

[livestock 1]

no sorry that don't cut it,
it's the water boards pipe to the meter, they can shift the meter to the stop tap if they want, but all pipework to meter is theirs now, I was told this 15 years ago when putting in new supply in , they would not allow use of old meter on shared pipe,
go back to them

We have other meters which they claim we are responsible for the pipe that supply’s them as is the case with this one

 

[Goweresque]

They read it and bill accordingly yes

Well in that case aren't they responsible for everything up to the meter? And for continuing to supply you with water?

Can you get at the supply before it reaches the house, and connect into it there, and circumvent the house and and garden?

 

[livestock 1]

Well in that case aren't they responsible for everything up to the meter? And for continuing to supply you with water?

Can you get at the supply before it reaches the house, and connect into it there, and circumvent the house and and garden?

Yes. The water board will allow us to tap into their stop tap and I can dig along our field cross our yard and our road to the meter.

 

[livestock 1]

They won’t take responsibility of ownership of the pipe to the meter last 200 yards

 

[livestock 1]

Well in that case aren't they responsible for everything up to the meter? And for continuing to supply you with water?

Can you get at the supply before it reaches the house, and connect into it there, and circumvent the house and and garden?

I thought that they would be responsible to supply us too

 

[livestock 1]

no sorry that don't cut it,
it's the water boards pipe to the meter, they can shift the meter to the stop tap if they want, but all pipework to meter is theirs now, I was told this 15 years ago when putting in new supply in , they would not allow use of old meter on shared pipe,
go back to them

Are you saying that they are palming me off with the ownership of this pipe when it’s actually theirs now?

 

[milkloss]

They are twunts. Years ago we had a leak on a farm supply with a sub meter off it that was theirs so I rang them to ask for help with the leak because of the sub meter. Fair question I thought by they didn’t agree so I said fine then, I’ll just turn the tap off and job done because I don’t need any water for a month or two. They threatened me with legal action because I’m not allowed to turn off the supply to the sub meter.

Turned out the leak was under the main road and we might be liable for the road repair so moled a new pipe under and kept quiet.