Urgent...is it legal to switch off my water?!

sacha28

My ex landlord has switched off my water I'm a dispute over past rent. In a nutshell, he has gone back on a deal we had and has now decided that I now owe a month that he said I wouldn't owe. He has messaged me a couple of times this week but I've been at work and unable to respond. Today I get back from food shopping and have found he has cut off my water.

He is no longer my landlord, the house I rent is owned by a country estate which took back possession at the end of march, however the water supply comes from his parents farm. I have tried to phone him but he's not answering and I can't get hold of the director of the estate. 

I have a 9 year old son, surely he's not loved to do this?! How can I sort this out legally?

elsien

You need to get onto the estate. They are your landlord now and it's up to them to resolve it. 
It is an offence for your landlord to cut off the supply but as he's no longer your landlord that complicates things. 
Do you pay water rates and if so have you got onto the water company directly?
Edited to add, how do you know he's turned it off and that there isn't another issue such as work being done?
The other option is to contact environmental health at the council. 

xylophone

Try Environmental Health at your local council?

sacha28

elsien said:

You need to get onto the estate. They are your landlord now and it's up to them to resolve it. 
It is an offence for your landlord to cut off the supply but as he's no longer your landlord that complicates things. 

I've been trying to contact them since I discovered the issue but there's nobody in the office. 

princeofpounds

How do you know he is involved? Assuming that he is...

What is the legal status of the water supply? Are you billed by a water company with your own account?

Report it to the police on 101, as harrassment initially and possibly a breach of the Water Industry Act (see below). Illegal eviction won't apply given he is no longer your landlord. Get the incident on record and get the police to investigate, if they will.

Then contact your water company and explain what is going on.

It can be an offence to mess around with water supplies e.g. interfering with a water main without consent under section 174(1)(a) of the Water Industry Act 1991

"Offences of interference with works etc.

Subject to subsection (2) below, if any person without the consent of the water undertaker—

(1)(a)intentionally or recklessly interferes with any resource main, water main or other pipe vested in any water undertaker or with any structure, installation or apparatus belonging to any water undertaker; or

(b)by any act or omission negligently interferes with any such main or other pipe or with any such structure, installation or apparatus so as to damage it or so as to have an effect on its use or operation,

that person shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale."

Etc. Etc.

elsien

I added another point  after you saw my post: 
How do you know he's turned it off rather than another issue, have you checked with the local water supplier (do you pay water rates?) and if all else fails contact environmental health.

[Deleted User]

sacha28 said:

My ex landlord has switched off my water I'm a dispute over past rent. In a nutshell, he has gone back on a deal we had and has now decided that I now owe a month that he said I wouldn't owe. He has messaged me a couple of times this week but I've been at work and unable to respond. Today I get back from food shopping and have found he has cut off my water.

He is no longer my landlord, the house I rent is owned by a country estate which took back possession at the end of march, however the water supply comes from his parents farm. I have tried to phone him but he's not answering and I can't get hold of the director of the estate. 

I have a 9 year old son, surely he's not loved to do this?! How can I sort this out legally?

He’s not your landlord anymore and we have no idea what contract is in place between his parents and the estate to supply water to your home. My advice is to phone Shelter now. 

moneysavinghero

Contact your new LL. They have a legal obligation to supply you with water which they are now not doing. Let them get involved with the ex LL.

sacha28

moneysavinghero said:

Call the police. This is tenant harassment.

Is the water supply private or is a public supply that is shared with his parents supply?

It's a private supply from a bore hole on his parents farm, it supplies next door too but I don't know if it's a stopcock for each house or one for both, if that makes sense? My neighbour is out at the moment so I can't check

elsien

When the estate took over did they not give you an emergency contact number? 

sacha28

Who do I phone? South west water? The council? The police? We can't be without water.

Should have known he would pull some carp like this, he has a reputation for being an utter a*rse but I've never been on the receiving end until now.