Water Supply Problem: Finding The Landlord?

Harlequin565

Harlequin565

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So our shared water supply has developed a leak. The water board proved it onto next door's property. We've got low water pressure because of it.

Next-door is rented and we don't get on with them (their noise). So they won't speak to us or provide contact details for the landlord. The estate agency who manage the rental "can't contact" the landlord, and the water board won't give out his details. All I want to do is find out if he's doing anything about the leak or not (which again - no party will tell me due to "data protection"). The water board say they have no power to force people to fix leaks.

I got the landlord's name from the land registry so that's a start but I don't know where he lives to even try and start ringing directory enquiries. There's all sorts of things I can start to do but if the landlord is fixing the problem it would be wasted effort.

Feeling really frustrated by stone walls at the moment... Clutching at straws before CAB (whose website seems to indicate it's "tough luck - pay for your own supply")
:(
 
Just a thought but could you request a metered supply? That would force the water board to separate the neighbour’s supply from yours. AFAIK it’s free and when we had ours changed to metered there was an option to revert to non-metered within 12 months if it worked out too expensive compared to the original.
 
According to Severn Trent blurb, the Water Industry Act 1991 (Sect 75,2,b ans Sect 170) says if it's not fixed with 28 days of being confirmed, they can start enforcement action. If that's ignored, they can go on to the property, fix it themselves, and bill the owner.

However, if it's a supply pipe on private property that feeds both houses, you could both be liable, unless it's after the T junction that leads to the neighbours house.
 
boogie man said:
Just a thought but could you request a metered supply? That would force the water board to separate the neighbour’s supply from yours. AFAIK it’s free and when we had ours changed to metered there was an option to revert to non-metered within 12 months if it worked out too expensive compared to the original.
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This is an interesting idea I hadn't thought of... Thanks.
 
Tori_T said:
According to Severn Trent blurb, the Water Industry Act 1991 (Sect 75,2,b ans Sect 170) says if it's not fixed with 28 days of being confirmed, they can start enforcement action. If that's ignored, they can go on to the property, fix it themselves, and bill the owner.
Click to expand...

Also useful, thanks Tori. United utilities here and despite our conversations with them they haven't mentioned this... Which is odd.
 
Don't they have a duty of care, as implied or accepted by them in their own booklet here https://www.unitedutilities.com/glo...f/private-leak-repair-scheme-5-18-web-acc.pdf

Though it does seem that a shared supply i.e. just where is the split in the pipe leading to your property, might end up with you getting a bill as well.............but if on the common part surely only 50% of the cost if you are required to pay privately???
 
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Box Brownie said:
Don't they have a duty or care, as implied or accepted by them in their own booklet here https://www.unitedutilities.com/glo...f/private-leak-repair-scheme-5-18-web-acc.pdf

Though it does seem that a shared supply i.e. just where is the split in the pipe leading to your property, might end up with you getting a bill as well.............but if on the common part surely only 50% of the cost if you are required to pay privately???
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That would depend where the split is If it is their side of the common pipe it is their problem. it is in the common pipe it is a shared problem. If it is on your side of the joined pipe it is your problem alone.
If it is on the join itself it could be debatable.
Does your house insurance cover this.?
 
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Has the pressure dropped below the minimum as outlined here:-

https://www.unitedutilities.com/emergencies/got-a-problem/low-water-pressure/
Our promise to you

We provide water at a minimum pressure of what’s known as seven metres static head, which should be ideal for day-to-day use. In more simple terms, this means the water pressure should be powerful enough to fill a 4.5 litre (or 1 gallon) container in 30 seconds.

If your water pressure falls below seven metres static head, twice within a four-week period (each time longer than an hour), you can claim £50 once per year. If we’re aware of this problem, we'll automatically pay this to you.

This doesn’t apply if the drop in pressure is because of restrictions, such as a drought or because of required work to resolve an emergency, such as a burst water main, planned works or problems on your own pipework.
 
Harlequin565 said:
So our shared water supply has developed a leak. The water board proved it onto next door's property. We've got low water pressure because of it.
Click to expand...

Terrywoodenpic said:
That would depend where the split is If it is their side of the common pipe it is their problem. it is in the common pipe it is a shared problem. If it is on your side of the joined pipe it is your problem alone.
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It does seem that they investigated and "proved" it is on next door's property....................though no mention made of 'where in the pipe'. So as copied & pasted above ~ if low pressure on the common or other party section why can't UU take action unilaterally to solve it??? NB yes Ian @Harlequin565 may end up with a bill or as the pdf I linked to says he might be able to claim off of his insurer for his area (if he has) of responsibility.
 
Box Brownie said:
Has the pressure dropped below the minimum as outlined here:-

https://www.unitedutilities.com/emergencies/got-a-problem/low-water-pressure/
Our promise to you

We provide water at a minimum pressure of what’s known as seven metres static head, which should be ideal for day-to-day use. In more simple terms, this means the water pressure should be powerful enough to fill a 4.5 litre (or 1 gallon) container in 30 seconds.

If your water pressure falls below seven metres static head, twice within a four-week period (each time longer than an hour), you can claim £50 once per year. If we’re aware of this problem, we'll automatically pay this to you.

This doesn’t apply if the drop in pressure is because of restrictions, such as a drought or because of required work to resolve an emergency, such as a burst water main, planned works or problems on your own pipework.
Click to expand...


The pressure will be tested at their roadside stop cock. not at your house tap.
 
Box Brownie said:
might end up with you getting a bill as well
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Not a problem for me as I have insurance. When the stop cock broke last year I got a bit worried when they started talking about having no responsibility past it.

At this stage I just want to talk to the landlord though and everyone seems to be obstructing that. Push comes to shove CAB have told me I can apply for a court order to go excavate his land to get my water running but if he's already planning to have it fixed himself it's a massive over-reaction. I'm going to speak to the estate agent again tomorrow and try to convince them that it's in their interests to let me speak to the landlord before I go legal (which I don't want to do).

Also can't find anything on the United Utilities site about enforcement of leak fixing. Found it on Severn Trent with a simple Google.
 
More digging ;)

https://www.unitedutilities.com/glo...le-guide-to-pipes-drains-and-sewers-acc16.pdf

Where it says:-
When more than one property is supplied by a common supply pipe (bottom left), the responsibility for this pipe is shared by all the properties supplied by it.

The individual branch pipes that supply water to your home are also your responsibility. If there’s a leak on the supply pipe, it’s usually down to you to get it fixed. However, we will, in certain cases, repair a leak on this pipe free of charge.

Full details can be found at unitedutilities.com/ bursthome

Occasionally, we may have to insist on replacing a common supply pipe serving several properties, with separate pipes for each home. We may do this if the common pipe is in a bad state, if some of the properties have been converted into flats, or if one of the households has persistent problems paying their bill.
 
The land registry will tell you where they live for £3.

Sample. People are supposed to keep this up to date (there are penalties for not doing).
 
JonathanRyan said:
The land registry will tell you where they live for £3.
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1st port of call Jonathan. Sadly the landlords address is shown as the rental property.

Tori_T said:
Would this link be of any use to you?
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Thanks Tori. I did spot them earlier

@Box Brownie I did think of going down the route of a)not paying my bill, as well as b)turning all my taps on to kill off any pressure next door. Both these are escalations I'd rather not go down. I just want to speak to the landlord... But if all else fails... My wife's in talks with UU at the moment to see if they'll resupply us as a goodwill - metered or not.

Waiting game for now I think.
 
It may be interesting to see whether the landlord is listed on the electoral register at the address in question. If he is listed, but not there it raises suspicions about him/her.
Unfortunately when problems reveal irregularities where people are in contravention of laws/regulations the main obstacle to a remedy always seems to be getting the organisations responsible for enforcement to actually take any effective action.
If you don't pay your bill you will quickly become target No1 and you will certainly lose.
Leaving your taps fully on .................... sounds like that could get a reaction (turn them off if the water authorities come to investigate and say nothing other than reiterate the problem you have complained about).
 
Time to go old school...

1. Write a letter to the landlord explaining the problem and giving your contact details.
2. Seal it in an envelope, on the outside put his name, the words "confidential - to be opened by addressee only" and a stamp.
3. Go to the office of the letting agent and ask them to send it to the landlord.

They should do this because it's a reasonable request they can easily comply with and there is no possible breach of GDPR or anything else. It's basically what they do for their money.

BUT if they refuse, say "no worries, you're his agent so this is duly served", take a picture of the person you handed the letter to and mysteriously write down the time and date and ask for their name. Walk out refusing to answer any further questions. They will forward it ;)
 
Harlequin565 said:
The water board say they have no power to force people to fix leaks.
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Mine said something entirely different when there was a leak on the shared supply to my home and basically said they'd start enforcement action if I didn't deal with it in a week. My neighbour, under whose garden it runs to the street, came round and told me he knew where it was leaking and was going to fix it, and he did.

He later dug a trench and put in the pipework to make them two separate supplies, which meant I ended up with a water meter as the water board classed mine as a "new supply" and they fit meters to all new supplies.
 
onomatopoeia said:
Mine said something entirely different
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I think there's a lot of "discretion" involved with the various boards. Last night, UU promised us they were going to see the neighbour today to get a consent form signed to have a dig around and try and find it (at no cost to anyone). Fingers firmly crossed.
 
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