Why would a owner leaver a tap running permanently?

[Maggiesgirl]

We have an empty house next door. It's been empty 3 years. An old man lived there went into care and then died.

It was left as it was the day he went into care until we had to get environmental health involved because of the rats.

It's now up for sale (STC) I believe according to Rightmove.

Anyway that's the back ground. Since just before Easter we can here a tap running. All the time! It runs into a drain outside our bedroom window and opposite our patio doors ( we are both bungalows) it's been driving us mad so today I phoned the estate agents.

They know about the tap and know its running. The owners wanted it left running. WHY?

Anyway the estate agent is going to contact the owners and say how annoying it is. Why would anyone want it running though. Money literally down the drain!

I would like to see All houses should be retrofitted with a water meter by law. That would solve this sort of issue pretty quickly.

Mention it to the water company. The previous occupants here were on a fixed price ‘social tariff’ as one was disabled, as may be the case here. Once that person leaves the water supplier will want to get a meter in.

That would drive me nuts too. Such a waste and, literally, water torture!

If they aren’t on a water meter it won’t be costing extra. Maybe it’s stopping something leaking inside the house or they don’t want to pay out to have it fixed?

it is awful though. Is the stopcock definitely inside? Ours is outside under a flap on the street, I’d be tempted to turn it off at the mains if that was the same where you are.

I can fathom why they would want it left on in the first place.

Maybe they think it will stop the pipes freezing although at this time of year it wouldn't be required as its not cold enough

if it was winter they might want it running to stop it freezing and causing a burst pipe since they aren't heating the house. It should be off by now though. If they don't have a meter it would be cheaper to run the tap than heat the house.

Maybe to stop leigonella in the pipes perhaps? Although I think that's a bit of a stretch...

Is there an external stopcock in the street? Might be able to surreptitiously turn off the supply for your own sanity?

It's a way of preventing the pipes from freezing.

However, it's not cold enough anymore, they should come back to turn the tap off.

How do you know it was left on deliberately? Isn't it more likely that it was a mistake or something has broken?

They are heating the house as we can see the exit steam. It's oil run heating.

It is bloody water torture. It took us 5 months to get them to sort the rats out ( which came through the walls into our house) then they insisted it was only mice. Bloody big mice we trapped.

The place will be a major back to brick renovation as hasn't been touched since built in the 50's. There has been water pouring through from the old chimney from the pictures on Rightmove and from what a few viewers said.

We spoke to a few as we had list the fence between the properties in the storms and DH was putting néw ones up on the open weekend.

@IcedOatLatte the Estate Agent told me the owner wanted it left on. They knew it was on

Legionella's also my guess.

Legionella? It’s expensive to get a building checked and tested for legionella if it’s been shut down for a long time. After the Covid shutdowns my work had to do it and it was a huge faff.

Report to your water company they will take action.

Why would leaving a tap on help with Legionella?

It stops it building up in the pipes.

We had a similar situation, although it wasn't intentional, but the house was empty. I contacted the water board and the came and switched off the supply.

Keeps water flushing through the system -- it breeds in stagnant water or pipes left too long without water flow.

Concerned about Weils disease in the water due to the rats?

Hold on is it on the market?

Get a friend to make an appointment and go and turn it off?