Shutting off neighbours water

G_M

rtho782 wrote: »

I'm afraid they are right. Even the water company cannot shut off a supply for non-payment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_right_to_water_and_sanitation
.

That is a ludicrous misunderstanding of the Declaration!.

There is a (huge) difference between deliberately & permanently depriving someone of water, and a temporary interruption of supply for repairs!

Water companies regularly cut off supplies when undertaking repairs. Yes, when it's for an extended length of time they supply bottled water and/or tankers, but for a few hours? :rotfl:

No one screams "human rights" and if they did they'd be laughed at.


Plus in this case it sounds like it is only the hot water that might be cut off, so no deprivation of water at all.


Have I understood right that the neighbour also has their own hot tank? The problem might be that in order to cut the pipe and fit new stopcocks the tanks might both need to be drained, but discussion with the plumber could determine



* what he can/can't do
* whether draining down is required
* what risks to airlocks there might be, either in your system, the neighbour's, or back down towards the central boiler.

silvercar

Clearly you are going to need to do it, with or without their agreement.

The difficult decision is whether to forewarn them or not. Be a shame to put them on alert just for them not to notice.

rtho782

I think you're all missing that as I said in the edit, I initially managed to mis-read the OP as water being off for a few DAYS, and my response was written with that in mind!!

Water off for a few days would be a pretty big deal. I guess I should have deleted the post entirely

Soot2006

As above, go ahead and get your plumber to do the work. If the neighbours notice just explain that unfortunately your supply had to be turned off a bit due to the leak that is now being fixed.


When my driveway was being dug up by reputable professional company, the electricity supply to the whole street was severed. By the time the Network people came out and managed to fix it, several hours had passed, and that was with everyone moving at top speed. Yes it was annoying for everyone and I was not the favourite person of the day, but everyone survived the great power outage of 2013 without long-term trauma.

G_M

Ah yes - the great power outage of 2013.


I remember it well!

Soot2006

G_M wrote: »

Ah yes - the great power outage of 2013.


I remember it well!

:rotfl:It was hard, what with my neighbours' human rights and and all ... but we made it.

Ms_Chocaholic

Buy a few large bottles of cheap water from the supermarket for when the plumber is there so if they complain you can give them that to tide them over.

Smodlet

I do think you should forewarn them and ideally come to some agreement as to when this will happen. I must admit to surprise that G_M, of all people, has not suggested the tea and :bdaycake: treatment. After all, how would you like it if some johnnygee2-come-lately moved into your block and arbitrarily cut off your (hot only?) water supply without so much as a by-your-leave?

OK, who slipped Smodlet a "reasonable" pill? I'll getcha!

G_M

OP started with:

I knocked on my neighbours door, who I've previously only spoken to once when I brought them a card over when I was moving in, to ask when was convenient for them for me to do this. They made it extremely clear they would not be agreeing to this and threatened to call the police and the council if i tried to shut off their water for any length of time at all, which they said is a 'human right!

so I felt tea and cake was probably a non-starter here!

Buy a few large bottles of cheap water from the supermarket

I'd just get a £1 bucket from B&Q and fill it with tap water for them......

Silvertabby

This is essential work, right? So, if you don't want to face them (and start another row) just slip a note through their door, giving as much notice as possible, saying that the water will be off on (date) between the hours of X and Y and apologising for any inconvenience caused.

If they haven't got the common sense to fill the kettle/a few bottles for drinking water, and a couple of buckets for loo flushing, then that's their problem.