May have left tap running for months!

redxiii

I discovered this morning that my outside tap has been left running. As its at the front of my house, I have a hose that connects it to the back garden, which is why I hadn't noticed it. It might be that one of kids in the close has messed with it and turned in on by accident, but I have a bad feeling its been running since I last watered the garden in the summer!

Obviously, it is my fault that the water has been left on, but does anyone know if the water company should have contacted me to question the dramatic change it would have shown in my usage, or, in fact if I can argue this point with them if the bill is huge?! Advice would be most welcome.

I have already contacted them to inform them of the issue, asking if they can confirm any large water usage change.

Thanks for your advice in advance.

Own_My_Own

If it had been running for months I would have thought your garden would be flooded in places.

I expect it was a child. I also have a tap at the front of my house. It has a separate !!!!-stop that I turn off inside the house, just incase a kid sees it and turns it on.

macman

They'll only have 'noticed' if they'd read the meter prior and since. And even then they don't manually check it against previous usage: the billing system would simply increase your DD and contact you to confirm that.
It's not the job of the water authority to monitor your usage and check if you're remembered to turn your taps off. Would you expect your electricity supplier to ask you if you've turned the lights off?
Why don't you read the meter yourself and then you'll know exactly what you've used since the last reading? The water authority can only confirm any increase in usage by the same process that you can do yourself in 2 minutes.

Cardew

As stated above, it is not the responsibility of a water company to monitor your consumption, and then it would only become apparent if the meter had been read, and 'The Computer' picks up abnormal consumption.

Some companies allow a 'one off' adjustment of a bill for a leak as a 'goodwill gesture' and if you ask nicely! they might stretch a point with your situation.

However you are not in a position of strength!

greatgimpo

Who didn't give the little büggers any sweets for Hallowe'en?

Swipe

Ever since my mains supply leak I always now take regular meter readings

Kayalana99

Hmm I'm not sure but what happens when a hose gets full? they have an on/off switch? Seems like it would just stop at the tap?

If hose attached to the tap then the water would have to go somewhere...as above I think you would of noticed your back garden flooding?

mart.vader

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Hmm I'm not sure but what happens when a hose gets full? It starts coming out of the other end ! they have an on/off switch? Yes, its called, in technical terms, a "tap" Seems like it would just stop at the tap? Do you mean the "on/off switch" ?

If hose attached to the tap then the water would have to go somewhere...as above I think you would of noticed your back garden flooding?

I see you attended Duff University. Were you taught logic by the great Professor H. Simpson ?

Kayalana99

mart.vader wrote: »

I see you attended Duff University. Were you taught logic by the great Professor H. Simpson ?

So you prefer to go with the fact her back yard has been flooding without her noticing?

I just always found it hard to see how a hose pipe could stop a tap running. I just can't see the mechanics behind it.

Just because I have basicly no experience with hoses pipes doesn't make me an idiot.

Kayalana99

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Hmm I'm not sure but what happens when a hose gets full? As in when a tap is left ON but the switch is turned OFF would it just stop the tap or explode they have an on/off switch?As above Seems like it would just stop at the tap? My best guess is the tap would stop running but as in my above post I just don't know how it would work but I guess this makes me an idiot. :cool:

If hose attached to the tap then the water would have to go somewhere...as above I think you would of noticed your back garden flooding?

Does that make more sense to you now professor?

mart.vader

Kayalana99 wrote: »

So you prefer to go with the fact her back yard has been flooding without her noticing? No, I said nothing about that

I just always found it hard to see how a hose pipe could stop a tap running. You've got it slightly round the wrong way. the tap stops the hose pipe from running I just can't see the mechanics behind it. Go to kitchen - turn on tap - turn off tap - meditate

Just because I have basicly no experience with hoses pipes doesn't make me an idiot.

I beg to differ