Leak on a communal Pipe

dizzybuff

Right there is leak ok the communal pipe that runs under our kitchens (10 houses) the water is accumulating in my neighbours crawl space at present. A drainage bloke came out and said there is definatkly a leak , no poop sherlock . Anyway , 1 year ago we suffered a huge fire on the block which destrpyed 5 of the houses , the drainage bloke lets call him pete for ease . Pete says he is more than certain that the leak will be around the houses that were damaged due to the heat. as the residents are actually seeing rising water and the problem seems to be worse.

The water board came out a few months ago and couldnt locate the leak so they isolated all the properties at the end of the row. But the problem is still there , as although they are no longer using the supply it still flows under their kitchens and is still damaged.

Pete has told the utility board that there is a leak he has evidence to the contry of their assesment that there isnt a leak , but all they have done is shrugged it off.

Any advise please , as due to the weather that is adding to the water table I now feel the walls of our house a re damp , but with no residue.

Many thanks

deanos

the water company are only responsible up to the boundary, do you have house insurance ?

it may need new supply pipes installing to bypass the old pipework ,it would be hard to trace a leak under a property floor and if there was they are not responsible

elsien

From my experience with a communal water pipe, there are a couple of possibilities - first of all check if your water company operates a free repair scheme. Some do this as a one off even if it's a pipe that's not their responsibility, although there are some exceptions/exclusions. Although you'll also have to convince them there is a leak in the first place. Which I would suggest putting it in writing, with your evidence, asking them what they plan to do about it, and chase up regularly. You could also try Ofwat for advice as well.
Second option - water company decides the work needs doing, tells you if you don't sort it they'll do it and bill you the cost. Which can be expensive - nearly a grand for my share of five houses bill, so they give you the option of doing it yourself by an approved contractor and set you a deadline to have the work done by or it's back to plan A.
The third option is that the householders have to organise and pay for the repairs between themselves, which is cheaper but can be near impossible if you have to get agreement off everyone. Especially if there's empty houses. Who owns/is responsible for the damaged houses, and what does your lease/deeds say about the communal pipes?

dizzybuff

The pipe is a joint water supply running from an alley. The waterboard is responsible for this pipe as it does not run from a boundry but runs under a row of terraces kitchen. There are no pipes running off it. We all knew it would be complicated and have an idea that the damaged pipe is under an empty hgouse whos resident legged it when he destroyed 5 houses becauise his electrics were arcayic.

deanos

IMO the water co wont be responsible for a service pipe, they may offer a one off repair but wouldn't touch anything under buildings that's for sure

It must come from a main in the public highway then it goes into private land under the kitchens so there will be a boundary from public into private ?

Can you take a pic from goggle earth it may explain it a bit clearer ?

dizzybuff

Ill have to sort it at lunch

dizzybuff

http://goo.gl/maps/LdmrL

The alley is communal and the houses face onto the road so no boundry as such .

Thanks

deanos

are they stop taps in front of houses or cable tv ?

dizzybuff

No cable TV our stop tap is in the kitchen . But pete cut my water off from a little cover with a steel rod on the street. There is mains drainage on the street and surface water in the alleys. The pipe runs under the kitchens. Pete has dug up the side of next doors house to drain water . He turned our water off and found it lowered . So he thinks the leak is further down. Ill try and collar him tomorrow. I want to know. The houses at the bottom of the street have rising damp. So he thinks the leak is further down the road. I just want it sorted. The little cover is right next to our property . No front garden or drive.

dizzybuff

The house was built in 1905 if thats any help. We have shared drainage and surface water and the pipe under the kitchen is lead.

mart.vader

dizzybuff wrote: »

No cable TV our stop tap is in the kitchen (That's your inside stop valve) . But pete cut my water off from a little cover with a steel rod on the street. (That's your outside stop valve) There is mains drainage on the street and surface water in the alleys. The pipe runs under the kitchens. Pete has dug up the side of next doors house to drain water . He turned our water off and found it lowered . So he thinks the leak is further down. Ill try and collar him tomorrow. I want to know. The houses at the bottom of the street have rising damp. (This may or may not be associated with the leak) So he thinks the leak is further down the road. I just want it sorted. The little cover is right next to our property . No front garden or drive.

You need to ask "Pete" to investigate further.