Water supply pipe damaged by neighbour

Francis63

My water supply pipe comes through my neighbours garden then under my patio garden and into my property.

My neighbour says he broke it whilst 'tidying' his garden with a garden fork. He's been planning a lot of building work including a basement extension and I suspect he wants it re-routed.

He has effected emergency repair work, but he says he has accepted the advice of the contractor that carried this out that this is a temporary solution only and that the whole length of the pipe needs to be replaced up to my tap.

He has asked my permission to enter my property and replace the whole water pipe involving digging up my patio and replacing the paving stones exactly as they are now.

I let my property to tenants and no longer live in the area. They were without water for a couple of days and the water that escaped is on their water meter and thus their bill may have increased due to this. Should I ask him to compensate them? He says he is insured for accidental damage, but this is excluded as it is my pipe and not 'literally' his property even though it is on his property.

My neighbour has a history of not keeping promises (for example - a fast growing buddleia tree planted right on the border next to my property had knocked down my guttering which it grew up against. He made no attempt to repair or pay for my guttering, or to cut down or prune the tree, despite being requested to do so in writing).

How can I ensure the work will be done properly, and with respect to my tenants convenience, and that he will cover the bill? Also how can I ensure that he doesn't use 'cowboy builders' or leave the work unfinished or unsafe/unapproved? It is not his water pipe or on his property so I suspect he won't care too much.

I can't be there to oversee it, and even if I were I am no expert to know things are being done correctly.

Any advice on what to say to him and what to look out for would be greatly appreciated.

cyclonebri1

If you have family legal protection as an add on to your insurance ask one of their solicitors, far better than asking here to be honest as this is quite a formal question that needs a legal answer.

I'd be talking to my water supplier too, although given it damaged after the meter I don't know what they would say.

27col

If your water pipe can be damaged by a garden fork then it is nowhere near deep enough. I have repaired/replaced sections of plastic water pipe and so far the repairs are holding quite well after more than 35 years. So it is difficult to see why the whole pipe needs replacing. Unless it is because it is not deep enough or because it is an old lead pipe.

Mojisola

Francis63 wrote: »

My water supply pipe comes through my neighbours garden then under my patio garden and into my property.

My neighbour says he broke it whilst 'tidying' his garden with a garden fork.

He has effected emergency repair work

Are you boiling all the water you're using for drinking/teeth cleaning/etc?

Grenage

Surely the water meter is after the break, not before? I'd tell the neighbour to do the repair where he broke the pipe, rather than tear up your garden.

As you've suggested, he wants to move the pipe, or do something else than necessitates digging up your patio to make life easier for himself. I'd tell him to jog on.

stef73

This is mains water supplied by a water company not a private supply ? If it's a water company phone them and let them deal with it.

Francis63

stef73 wrote: »

This is mains water supplied by a water company not a private supply ? If it's a water company phone them and let them deal with it.

They don't deal with it once it's in the garden (beyond the meter) any more.

Francis63

Grenage wrote: »

Surely the water meter is after the break, not before? I'd tell the neighbour to do the repair where he broke the pipe, rather than tear up your garden.

As you've suggested, he wants to move the pipe, or do something else than necessitates digging up your patio to make life easier for himself. I'd tell him to jog on.

Thanks, the water meter s in the public pavement, then the two supplies both go through his garden & my supply then goes under my patio.

He only cut into my supply not his. Says he was trying to remove a 'rock'.

Francis63

27col wrote: »

If your water pipe can be damaged by a garden fork then it is nowhere near deep enough. I have repaired/replaced sections of plastic water pipe and so far the repairs are holding quite well after more than 35 years. So it is difficult to see why the whole pipe needs replacing. Unless it is because it is not deep enough or because it is an old lead pipe.

Whilst he says he takes responsibility, he also says it wasn't deep enough and is the fault of the people who laid it.

A few years back though he completely gutted his house and lowered all the floors inside to get extra living space in the roof. I remember a manhole cove in the garden sticking up above ground at one point so I believe he also lowered the garden. Otherwise there would have been a step down to the front door.

dominoman

I would ask him to repair it on his land only, not on yours.

Francis63

dominoman wrote: »

I would ask him to repair it on his land only, not on yours.

I don't know if that's possible, maybe it has to be one length of pipe all the way through? I don't know what the water regulations are?