We can't find the mains tap

[dilemma456]

Message withdrawn

You should probably have one just inside the house (maybe by the kitchen sink, if that's still in the original place), and also one near the boundary with the street, although as others have said the latter might be shared (or, in our case, under concrete from when the previous occupants widened the drive ). But there's usually one inside as well.

The water company might be able to help - v nice man eventually came out to try and help us locate our external tap when I pleaded nicely on phone (not that he could remove the concrete).

Another option is to get your plumber to freeze the pipe where it comes into your house while he fits a shut-off valve. Some plumbers don't have the equipment so you might have to call around - but it basically involves putting an arm-band type contraption around the pipe and filling it with liquid nitrogen, which forms an ice plug in the pipe to stop the water. Then he'd drain the system, cut the pipe somewhere above the frozen portion and install the valve.

Message withdrawn

Hoooooray! Thank goodness you found it.

No bridle path to follow, no field to tramp through, no gate to climb over? That must mean I still win the "mains-tap-in-the-most-ridiculous-place" award.

Do you have metered water? DH and his dad spent ages scratching their heads in our house, before discovering that when the water meter was put in the old stop tap was removed. The water meter cover is on the pavement (hidden under a hedge in our case!) and the stop tap's about an arms length down the hole, so if you can't see it, don't give up!

Glad you found it.