Council house on shared supply leaking

longwalks1

After some advice please. There are 4 houses supplied from one stopcock on the street, 3 are privately owned and one is a council tennant.  We are one of the private ones.  Low water pressure for the last week, and a plumber has pretty much narrowed the leak down to the council owned property.  Problem is the particular family don’t care about anything, and even though repairs would b covered by the council I’m assuming, it’s going to be quite a task even getting them to call the council.  She said to me ‘well I can still fill the kettle so I’m not bothered about it’.

what are our rights about chasing the council to investigate and carry out a repair?  At present, 3 houses (all the privately owned ones) don’t even have enough pressure to shower) . Water board have said the pressure is fine up to their main stopcock, and anything the house side of it is our problem to get resolved.

any advice please? 

macman

Contact the council to report a leak that is reducing your pressure.
If the tenant is metered, they may be more 'bothered' when they get their next bill.

longwalks1

will be contacting council tomorrow first thing.

Surely if the leak is between the main stopcock and the tennents meter, the meter wont be increasing due to the leak?

macman

No, it won't. Your post said it was 'down to the council owned property'.

longwalks1

macman said:

No, it won't. Your post said it was 'down to the council owned property'.

Sorry macman, a typo.  I meant to say 'on the council owned land/garden/driveway'.  My mistake.  Called the council emergency line (as the tennant isnt fussed) and was told the emergency Number doesnt open til 9am??  Got to call back then 

longwalks1

Update - Now the council are clainig their plumber said he couldnt hear water on their property through the tap, and the leak must be one of the 3 privately owned places.  She went on to tell me the shared pipe is the water boards responsibility (Affinity Water) which i know to be wrong as on their website it says its the responsibility of the collective home owners......   !!!!!!

Spoke to the tracer gas leak detection company, its £395+VAT for 3 hours investigative work then £68 thereafter.  Sounds high tech etc, just going ot be hard getting the council tennant to chip in their 1/4 of the cost.  Plus, one neighbour doesnt have a stopcock so makes it even harder for the tracer gas checks to work...

reefer37

You could put a new supply in and separate the supply.
you would then be independent from the other 3 and the low pressure/leak is down to them. Also you will have new supply so should not have any issues for 30 plus years.
if on a old metal pipe some water companies do free connection

unforeseen

Sounds high tech etc, just going ot be hard getting the council tennant to chip in their 1/4 of the cost. 

Tenant has no responsibility for 'chipping in'. As it is an infrastructure problem it will be the landlord. Good luck with getting the council to divvy up their share. 

tealady

If the problem is on a Council property I would suggest you contact your councillor(s) for help.

longwalks1

update for everyone, apparently the leak is now from the council owned property, and possibly down the communal alleyway thats a public footpath between both sets of houses.  Water board are due to make the repairs within the next few days (so im promised)

As a side note, can anyone recommend an inurance policy to cover the mains pipe under my property, just in case.  Seeing as it'll be 90 years old and probably just as delicate or crumbling as the one thats been leaking

reefer37

Homeserve normally do a policy for introductory 12 months it’s £1 a month then rises after that.
dyno rod (British Gas) normally do policy but due to cv19 are currently taking up to 3 months to do repairs