PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.

Conveyancer missed water issue

gertie79
gertie79 Posts: 14 Forumite
in House buying, renting & selling
Hi, we recently purchased a house and have just been told by a neighbour that his property and a neighbouring business use our water. We pay the bill and he then reimburses us for 25% and the nursery owner pays us 50%. I have contacted the water company who know that there are several properties attached to our meter and said that it should have come up in the searches our conveyancer did. I have checked and can see no mention of it. We aren't happy with this arrangement. The business is a huge plant nursery so I imagine they would use a lot of water and there is no formal agreement in place. We just have to trust that our neighbours will pay us back. Do we have any recourse to the solicitors for failing to discover this, or to the vendor for failing to disclose it? Thanks!
«1345

Comments

  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Surely the easiest solution is for additional meters to be installed?
  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Photogenic
    Wow! My first stop would be to call the water company and get a separate meter installed. Those numbers are obviously wrong since they are far too arbitrary, (25/25/50 is far to neat) and as you say are you really using half as much water as a plant nursery?!)

    I've no idea whether searches should have disclosed this but I'd have thought the previous owner should have ! Did you ask to see water charges?
  • gertie79
    gertie79 Posts: 14 Forumite
    That's true but there is a cost involved and I don't feel we should have to cover that given that we knew nothing about it. We don't want to annoy our new neighbours by asking them to pay...
  • gertie79
    gertie79 Posts: 14 Forumite
    We did pay the conveyancer extra for the water searches. I've no idea how much the charges are for the water as we haven't had a bill yet.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Would it be inappropriate to suggest splitting the cost of meter installation down the same lines as the existing agreement...?
  • gertie79
    gertie79 Posts: 14 Forumite
    Splitting the cost like that does seem sensible if it comes to that. But before we start doing that I'd like to try and get an understanding as to whether the conveyancer or the vendor are at fault for not divulging this information?
  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    If it wasn't disclosed in the searches then why would the conveyancer be responsible? All they can go on is what is in the searches. You might want to query with whoever provided the searches.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    gertie79 wrote: »
    But before we start doing that I'd like to try and get an understanding as to whether the conveyancer or the vendor are at fault for not divulging this information?
    Will knowing who was "at fault" help in any way to resolve the problem?
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Photogenic First Post
    On the TA6 there are enough questions in Section 8 to reveal this, so what were the vendors responses to these?
  • agrinnall
    agrinnall Posts: 23,344 Forumite
    First Post Combo Breaker
    Just cut off the supply to the other properties, I'm sure they will then sort out their own supply.
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173K Life & Family
  • 247.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards