Shared Water Supply

[namechanger2019]

The landlord from next door just called us to let us know his tenants had a leak in his property last night and a plumber attended to fix it.

He says as the leak was in the pipe leading from the water supply to our house it is 100% our responsibility and we need to pay him.

I basically told him to put it all in writing and we would get legal advice as I am unsure how legit that sounds. Also why didn't they knock or call last night to discuss this in real time, we were in all night? Surely at most we are 50/50 responsible for any shared pipes on his property? Any advice would be great, going to call our home insurance people for advice also.

This is the first house we have owned and only been here 6 months so all new to us. Thanks in advance :)

You can check with your water company, they will have maps showing all the pipes and where, you may find the water company is responsible for them even.

Yes, I agree and I would have called the water company first and seen if they would have come out and repaired. But he has already had the work done by a private plumber and wants us to pay it. I will call the water company though.

Once the water pipe crosses your boundary, provided it only serves your property it is your responsibility. If it serves someone else's property it is the responsibility of your water supplier.

I'm assuming also that the leak was in a part of the pipe that no longer served your property, in which case if it was beyond your boundary it is the sole responsibility of next door.

The pipe does bring water to our property. I hope the diagram helps. Water company said it is only their responsibility up until the property line.

Sorry forgot the image!

As Collaborate said, it's the water company's responsibility because it serves both properties. Might be the Water Act 2012, can't quite recall.

If the break is on their property then their responsibility. If it's on yours and caused damage then your responsibility

I would say anyway

But then collaborate is legal, so I'm probably talking out my ass

If he repaired it and the leak was on your side, hoe did he access the pipe? Is it not in your garden?

@Greenkit
so I'm probably talking out my ass

Yes

The leak is on his side in his basement. Our front doors lead straight to the main road so we have no drive or garden etc. Water board say not their problem as only their responsibility when not on private land.

Surely then if the leak is in his property it's his issue not yours. If the plumber fixed it in his property then it sounds like it's definitely on his property not yours.

If the leak was on your side/property then it would still be leaking as no one has been on Your property to fix it.

@Jonb6 Thank you :/

@TheQueenBeyondTheWall I agree, leak in his property, his problem....

If he takes this further it might be worth calling your home insurer who may offer advice

I can’t see how it’s your problem, it comes from the mains, into his property.. where the leak was.. and then goes on to you.

Not that the pipe comes through you to them.

Water boards are notoriously awkward for getting the truth about anything that could cost them a penny from. Tried to tell us a giant man hole that sits under the boundary between us and the neighbour was only our sewer and we’d need to secure it ourselves/unblock it/make it safe as the bricks of the actual drain were falling in and the manhole cover was missing so it was just two wobbly concrete slabs over the hole. Couldn’t get a single drain company to touch it as they all said water board, they eventually ran a dye test and discovered several properties run through it..

As the leak was on their property it’s their responsibility. On a shared supply it’s whoevers property the leak is on that is responsible for the repair.

I’ve had two house with odd water supplies. House 1 neighbours pipe crossed my land, it was not my supply pipe, it was the neighbours responsibility if it leaked and to make good my property.
House 2 one pipe supplies both houses, goes to neighbours house first then on to mine. It’s the neighbours responsibility if it leaks on their side, my responsibility once it’s on my land.
Sewers are different and if more than one property discharges in to a sewer it’s a public sewer and the water board are responsible.

Check your deeds sometimes pipe work responsibility is in them

The responsibility falls on the water supplier as it is a pipe serving your property alone, but not on your land. Not your job to fix as you have no right of access. Tell your neighbour to seek reimbursement from the water company, but it’s got nothing to do with you.

He is now saying he will cut off our water supply if we don't pay to his plumber fees and also the damages the leak did! He actually put it in writing that he would do that.

Get legal advice. He’s going to act the twat until he’s no toys left to throw out his pram. Turning your water off is definitely not on though. I’m assuming you’ve had no work done that could’ve caused a problem?

Have you contacted your water supplier? If not, do so now.

I have had this situation and it is the water company's responsibility as it serves your home but is on his land. It has actually happened in 2 different houses.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/water/water-supply/interruptions-to-your-water-supply/interruptions-to-your-water-supply/

If he does cut off your supply, the water company has a duty of care to get it back on.

Would bother with the water company the council environmental department who deal with neighbor disputes . the pipe will be classed as a communal shared private water main .nothing to do with the water company the may fix it one time only as a gesture of good will but this varies from company to company . if its lead it may be covered under the lead replacement scheme . some utilises will connect up for free to a street main but you have to pay once its on your property . the legal interpretation varies depending on how the council interprets the rules . but from the main stoptap in the the street each person has a responsibility along the line the and the cost should be shared equally between the people connected and benefiting
If someone has come off the private water main and has their own supply pipe then they have no responsibly for any cost and damage to the property or repair this is fully the responsibly of the remaining people on the private water pipe if they have no benefit from the pipe or water .
Its a legal nightmare you are far better coming off the communal private water main and getting your own direct private supply . the only snag with this if the communal pipe bursts on your property and you are not benefit from it technically you can't repair or disconnect it or deprive anyone of water so if its washing the foundation of your property away you can't turn it off and the owners have no legal responsibility to repair it or can be forced to repair it . with old lead water main they will find the weakest point and leak if its fixed the pressure will rise again then find the next weakest point and leak again . this will happen over and over again until the pressure is reduced with another leak. You and everyone else left on the private water main will be label for any other leaks or damage to property repairs along the line it can get nasty and quite expensive .check your buildings insurance you may be covered or they can offer advice .