Help, plumbers invoices for apparent leak on my water supply pipe

TELLIT01

Just to add another element of confusion to the situation - if the plumber found the leak under the neighbour's floor, how can he be certain there weren't any other junctions in the pipe beneath the floor thereby proving that pipe section was serving only your property?  Secondly, there may be the opportunity to counterclaim against your neighbour's insurance because building over the mains may have caused the damage over time.

MAB1988

Thank you for all of your replies, all are helpful. I've spoken to the plumber and asked him to invoice my neighbour as she instructed him to do carry out the work at her property and any discussion on the apportioning of costs would be done between me and my neighbour. He wasn't happy to say the least. So I suspect he doesn't hold out much hope of his friend paying him for the job either. 

MAB1988

TELLIT01 said:

Just to add another element of confusion to the situation - if the plumber found the leak under the neighbour's floor, how can he be certain there weren't any other junctions in the pipe beneath the floor thereby proving that pipe section was serving only your property?  Secondly, there may be the opportunity to counterclaim against your neighbour's insurance because building over the mains may have caused the damage over time.

Thanks Tellit. 
I have legal services through my building insurance so I will give them a call tomorrow and let them know the sitaution and see what advice they provide. 

Davesnave

MAB1988 said:

TELLIT01 said:

Just to add another element of confusion to the situation - if the plumber found the leak under the neighbour's floor, how can he be certain there weren't any other junctions in the pipe beneath the floor thereby proving that pipe section was serving only your property?  Secondly, there may be the opportunity to counterclaim against your neighbour's insurance because building over the mains may have caused the damage over time.

Thanks Tellit. 
I have legal services through my building insurance so I will give them a call tomorrow and let them know the sitaution and see what advice they provide. 

They will probably say you have no contract with the plumber as you didn't instruct him, simple as that.

stragglebod

MAB1988 said:

Thank you for all of your replies, all are helpful. I've spoken to the plumber and asked him to invoice my neighbour as she instructed him to do carry out the work at her property and any discussion on the apportioning of costs would be done between me and my neighbour. He wasn't happy to say the least. So I suspect he doesn't hold out much hope of his friend paying him for the job either. 

You have no contract with the plumber, so his happiness isn't your responsibility. And if he's taking on work from people he expects won't pay him, he won't be in the plumbing business for very much longer.

southcoastrgi

My 5p's worth, leak was on your neighbours property it is their responsibility to repair, it is only a 3rd party that has said where the leak was & even if it was your supply pipe I still don't see it's your problem, all this work should be covered under your neighbours insurance anyway 

markin

TELLIT01 said:

FreeBear said:

I would say - Her leak, her kitchen, and she is the one that appointed a repair person. Ergo, the bill is her problem.

Whilst you are the one to identify the leak and it's possible location, it isn't within your property nor on the shared side of the pipe so you have no liability.

The OP clarified that the plumber stated that the leak was in a section of pipe which only supplies the OP's property.  On that basis it doesn't seem unreasonable that the OP should pay for the repair to the leak.  Damage to other properties is more questionable as they shouldn't have built over the mains supply in the first place.

But did they take photos to prove this!! Be a nice con to get someone else to foot the bill wouldn't it