Water Supply

JasonHand

Hi,

I'm hoping someone can help.

My house currently receives its water supply from my next door neighbours house. So basically his house is directly linked to the main water supply then there are a number of pipes from his property which lead into my and other peoples homes. I do believe this was a botched job when the houses were first converted (they used to be an office block I believe)

Now my neighbour is going to cut the pipes on the 2nd November which lead into other peoples property thus removing the water supply from all our homes.

He believes this is sufficient time to get a new water supply fitted which can cost in excess of 2k.

I'm unsure what the law actually is here. On one had the pipes are on his property so he could legally cut the pipes. But then he is withdrawing the right for us and my other neighbours to have a water supply. Surely this can't be right??

I've tried ringing Yorkshire Water, now they have claimed they have advised my neighbour not to do this but they can't actually stop him.

So does anyone have any idea what options are open to me?

Cardew

Do your property deeds say anything about water supply?

I would seek advice from the Consumer Council for Water http://www.ccwater.org.uk/

macman

So how do you currently pay for your water (if at all)?

JasonHand

Hi Cardew,

I don't think the deeds actually state anything about the water. I've tried contacting Consumer Council For Water and they are saying its a private matter and unable to help.

Hi MacMan,

Its a good question but yes we do pay for water. Although I really don't understand how they can give us a realistic bill. But we pay around £30 a month which sounds about right

macman

So you are paying your neighbour a fixed £30pm for your supply? If so a contract exists between you, but in the absence of anything in writing (I presume this is an informal agreement?) it would be up to you to take a civil action, and a court would have to decide what is a reasonable notice period for him to give to end that contract (and 2 weeks does not seem reasonable to me). However, I can't see that he is required to continue such an arrangement indefinitely, so you might just be wasting money arguing about the notice required-you'll still have to arrange your own supply at some point.
This has presumably gone on for some years, why is he terminating it now?

eeeeeee

hi ya jason .. its sounds like you are on a csp.. common supply pipe . your deeds wont show you this , though a more detailed search may or your local water company should ( usually) have this information online on the screen infront of them . there will be one connection and several branches off too other properties; Consumer Council for Water are right , it is a private matter as far as they are concerned ; however your neighbour is fully aware that this is a common supply pipe and in its entire form the common supply pipe is jointly owned by all of you who take a regular billed supply : i take it that your neighbour is on about putting in a sole connection too the mains too improve the pressure of his own supply ? He has a legal duty not too deprive you of clean and waste water fascilities .. he must leave the common supply pipe intact and live ( with running water) until everyone comes off of it Your first route of complaint is the customer service desk at your local water board;Your neighbours new supply connection has too be checkedby the water board;your neighbour has not given you enough notice too instruct a builder nor too do the work nor too allow for a new connection ;
just pm d the rest

JasonHand

Hi Macman,

No we pay directly to Yorkshire Water. I still don't fully understand how they can give us a realistic bill but they bill we pay does sound like our kind of water usage.

So as I said the contract is between us and Yorkshire Water. My neighbour has had no contact with me until this moment.

Hope that clarifies things. Although I'm guessing it confuses things even more

JasonHand

Hi eeeeee (Hope I've spelt your name right :rotfl:)

Not too sure if it is common supply pipe.

From what I understand it was a bodge job at the time. The supply goes directly into his house and then branches off in his property. My understanding (I might be wrong) is that it would usually branch off outside of a private property

The reason why he is cutting off the supply to the other homes is that he has a flooding problem which can only be rectified by cutting the pipes (how this works I've no idea)

So he isn't having a new supply, he is keeping the original one but screwing everyone else by his actions.

eeeeeee

its definately a common supply pipe then he has no right too disconnect you ; he can put in his own clean water mains supply pipe , but he has no righ too disconnect ANY property thats connected too a common supply pipe even if he has sent you a written notice ; written notices are meant too tell you of an interuption too your supply ... ie when it will go off and when it will go back on

macman

JasonHand wrote: »

Hi Macman,

No we pay directly to Yorkshire Water. I still don't fully understand how they can give us a realistic bill but they bill we pay does sound like our kind of water usage.

So as I said the contract is between us and Yorkshire Water. My neighbour has had no contact with me until this moment.

Hope that clarifies things. Although I'm guessing it confuses things even more

If it is a fixed sum billed then you are on RV billing, not metered. So your actual usage is irrelevant. Consult your bill for details.

eeeeeee

nah not always ... common supply pipe means that there is one branch from the mains feeding several ( more than one ) property .... where that branch occurs doesnt matter ; if you get a water supply from that pipe its a common supply pipe ; I take it that he has a nasty leak then thats causing damage ? and that it must be on his own branch of the pipe as its flooding his property and no-one elses ? So why is he cutting off your supply entirely ?