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Original poster

Where do I stand legally?

34 replies

RumblyTummy · 25/10/2008 19:44

Okay, so I am not supposed to be on mumsnet, but I honestly dont know where else to get some advice

I wont go into the long history of this problem, but basically, I have come home from 5 nights staying at my mother's house and I have no kitchen. No sink, no cooker...

Can they really leave us with no drinking water? We have water in the bathroom, but it comes from the tank, not the mains, so is not drinking water.

I am sick of this whole thing.

I dont know who else to ask

OP posts:
SuckyMuckyCock · 25/10/2008 19:46

social or private housing?

lulumama · 25/10/2008 19:46

who has removed it ?

need more details

SuckyMuckyCock · 25/10/2008 19:46

arse i mean landlord or mortgage?

SlasherGoober · 25/10/2008 19:46

Who is "they"?

PsychoAxeMurdererMum · 25/10/2008 19:48

why are you not supposed to be on MN???

and who are 'they'????

men in black.......

naswm · 25/10/2008 19:52

where did that name come from? Anyway, it is me naswm/paperchain.

okay potted history - discovered water leak under kitchen back in Feb. Long saga of drying out floor and walls. Kitchen removed in parts over time to aid drying process. Kitchen deemed 'dry' a month ago and new parts order to refit the kitchen.

Arranged building works and refit for half term (last week and next). But, that meant replastering the walls, whcih meant removing EVERYTJHING from the kitchen. So, no sink etc

Can they leave us like that?

I am seriously losing the plot here

Thansk for the posts

naswm
x

naswm · 25/10/2008 19:55

trying to think and give relevant info

privately owned house - insurnace dealing with it all (I think that is the main prob tbh). I posted on here months ago about it all, re advice for being re housed etc.

I have been at my mum's for 5 nights and next mon - Fri we are at Center Parcs. But that still means 48 hours with no drinking water. Okay so we can wash up in the bath, and I have bought bottled water to drink and I am cooking at a friend's house etc. But, can they really leave us like this?

naswm · 25/10/2008 20:00

anyone?

PhantomOfTheChocolateCake · 25/10/2008 20:02

Have you contacted the insurance company to kick them up the arse?

naswm · 25/10/2008 20:03

we have a loss adjustor, I have called him repeatedly. but not this week admittedly. I will call on Monday tho

is it allowed to leave a family with no drinking water?

SlasherGoober · 25/10/2008 20:04

They are unreasonable to leave it that way, if they knew you were coming home. BUT, I don't think there is a law that states they MUST provide running water.
I' sorry you are living like this, I know what it is like as I've just had my kitchen done.
Have a good holiday, I hope it is done soon.

lou33 · 25/10/2008 20:05

i think you have to be left with drinking water

i now when i had the bathroom adapted for ds2, we ended up moving out, because they had to cut the water and electricity supply for a bit, and we would have had no drinking water

they said we werent allowed to be left to live in that situation

lou33 · 25/10/2008 20:05

*know

PhantomOfTheChocolateCake · 25/10/2008 20:06

I would phone the insurane company tonight and explain the situation with them (or shout). It' not ideal to leave you without drinking water as you do have water. Water companies do this sometimes and send bottled water to the affected customers so it's not illegal but it is annoying. Have you been to your neighbour with some saucepans?

naswm · 25/10/2008 20:07

thansk Goober

I thought I would be able to deal with it all, but now we are back, it is awful. I know we have CP to look forward to, but there is no guarantee it will be sorted by the time we get back, so I am scared of it tbh

wannaBe · 25/10/2008 20:13

I think the law states that you cannot be left without running water.

If they haven't cut the water off how are they to know that the water in the bathroom isn't drinkable - it's unusual for the cold water to come from a tank as well unless you have a water softener.

smittenkitten · 25/10/2008 20:15

it depends on your policy and the circumstances under which you get alternative accomodation. presumably the lack of drinking water is linked to something coverfed by your insurance?

naswm · 25/10/2008 20:16

we do have running water, but it comes from a cold water tank in the loft, and we have been told not to drink from it as it sits stagnant. Is that unusal? The bathroom and toilet fill from the tank, the kitchen cold water tap fills direct from the mains water suply? Is that unusual? I dont know any different...

SlasherGoober · 25/10/2008 20:17

Sadly, I think they would argue that you haven't been left without water, as you have it in the bathroom.
What a bunch of tossers though!

lou33 · 25/10/2008 20:17

thats the arrangement i have with my water as well, i thought that was the norm

PsychoAxeMurdererMum · 25/10/2008 20:19

sorry......not sure in thi situation, but I would kick off big time if this were me.

altho, legally........no idea.

tis crap, whatever.

naswm · 25/10/2008 20:20

so running water is ok, it doesnt matter if it is drinking water or not?

aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh I am sick of this

smittenkitten · 25/10/2008 20:21

just re read the posts. I would be surprised if your insurance wouldn't cover alternative accomodation in a situation where you dont have drinking water. your water situation is v normal and you shouldn't drink from your bathroom taps. call them and make a fuss. point out you have young kids. if you have been a claim free customer for a few years, really kick up a stink. escalate it and basically refuse to go away.

who are you with?

lou33 · 25/10/2008 20:21

would you water supplier be able to let you know where you stand on this?

lljkk · 25/10/2008 20:21

There was a thread about this before (water upstairs). Some people say you shouldn't drink it, but I don't think it's clear cut that it's been declared not safe. Especially in winter it really shouldn't go off. I have always drank water from upstairs in homes I have lived in, I can't see problems in me or family who did the same.

Presumably you are flushing loos and using showers pretty often, so basically the water is moving thru the tank quite quickly. Our loft tank holds only slightly more than one bathtub's worth.