Can neighbour legally turn off water indefinitely?

heartbreak_star

Okay, here's a strange one.

My friend moved into his rented flat 2 days ago, and so far the downstairs neighbour has turned off his water twice.

Apparently the boiler has been leaking into his property for a month and causing damage (allegedly £2k worth so far) and my friend's landlord is refusing to take responsibility.

So the neighbour has basically said he has no choice but to turn the water off until the leak is fixed.

Is he allowed to do this? My friend has been there 2 days and can't even flush his loo!!

Any advice appreciated. Happy to provide more info if I can!

HBS x

davidmcn

heartbreak_star wrote: »

Is he allowed to do this?

If the alternative is more damage being caused by the leak, it doesn't seem an unreasonable step to take. Isn't there a stopc0ck in the flat, or some other means of isolating wherever the leak is coming from? What is the landlord saying about the repair?

heartbreak_star

The landlord's trying to get a plumber round ASAP.

So my friend - who has been there 2 days! - has to go without water indefinitely??

HBS x

lincroft1710

Why doesn't your friend turn it back on?

heartbreak_star

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Why doesn't your friend turn it back on?

No stopcock in his flat - it's a branched communal supply with the control in the flat downstairs...

HBS x

HampshireH

If your friend knows the problem and then turns the water on he is deliberately causing further damage to the property.

Go and buy some big bottles of water and a bucket and invoice the landlord.

It ridiculous to suggest he has to go without water or a working toilet. What woulf he do in his own home?

Yes it should have been fixed. No it hasn't been. Therefore you adapt until a fix is in place and then discuss the finer details.

need_an_answer

Your friend is unfortunately stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one and clearly been dragged into a dispute between their LL and neighbour.

No its not reasonable to have the water switched off unless its whilst the work is carried out to actually fix the problem....The quick fix solution for the neighbour is to switch off the water but they simply cant leave your friend without it going forward.

Hopefully a plumber will be found shortly to fix

spadoosh

heartbreak_star wrote: »

The landlord's trying to get a plumber round ASAP.

So my friend - who has been there 2 days! - has to go without water indefinitely??

HBS x

There needs to be a certain amount of understanding here.

Water is leaking in someone house and the only way to stop that leak is to turn it off. The person turning it off is not responsible for the leak or repairs but is the one who will be on the receiving end of damages.

Tell your friend to go to a shop and buy a couple of 5l bottles of water for £1 each. One for use on the toilet after solids and one for cooking hygiene purposes. If they use them tell them to get a couple more to store under the bed.... just in case.

davidmcn

heartbreak_star wrote: »

The landlord's trying to get a plumber round ASAP.

So my friend - who has been there 2 days! - has to go without water indefinitely??

Until the leak gets fixed, yes. Are you suggesting the downstairs flat should instead put up with the leak indefinitely? If it's that important then perhaps he can try to get someone to fix it quicker than his landlord?

heartbreak_star

need_an_answer wrote: »

Your friend is unfortunately stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one and clearly been dragged into a dispute between their LL and neighbour.

This is pretty much it. The neighbour appears to have waited for a tenant to move in that they can harass instead of the landlord *eyeroll*

Friend's got in touch with the landlord and threatened to end his tenancy if a plumber's not out within the next day or so. A plumber will hopefully be out by the end of the day. He's also got in touch with neighbour to inform them of this and politely but firmly redirected him to the landlord

Thanks for the replies everyone

HBS x

heartbreak_star

davidmcn wrote: »

Until the leak gets fixed, yes. Are you suggesting the downstairs flat should instead put up with the leak indefinitely? If it's that important then perhaps he can try to get someone to fix it quicker than his landlord?

I honestly don't know why it wasn't fixed in the month that the flat was empty *sigh*

Also - for future reference - does anyone know whether LEGALLY a neighbour/other person can cut a person's water supply on a whim? As the water company can't, it seems crazy that a person with a stopcock can...

HBS x