neighbour's overflow pipe leaking into my garden

DarkOwl666

The neighbour's overflow pipe in their loft is dripping several times a day, usually morning and late afternoon. Unfortunately, the pipe is placed above a brick wall in the garden separating our properties causing the drips to splash up and into my garden. As a result, this brick wall is turning green and the floor near the wall is often wet.
Also, the drip is extremely close to our electricity meter. I should also mention the brick wall is on the boundary which I own.

Me and the Neighbour don't really speak much and it is incredibly rare I see him. When I moved into the property about 2 months ago I mentioned the issue to him and he said he would 'Get someone out to take a look'. Two weeks passed and no change so I went around again to ask him. Again he said, 'I will get someone out to take a look'.

I'm certain now that he has no desire to fix the issue and a 3rd visit will unlikely change things.

I have spoken to a few people and the advise I have received so far has been:

1. Speak to the water board.
2. Speak to the council.
3. Speak with your home insurance.

I really need to get this resolved as it's driving me nuts and it's likely to be such a simple fix.

Any advise would be much appreciated!

subjecttocontract

I don't think there is any way to force your neighbour to repair a dripping overflow if they don't want to do it. Fix a panel to the top of the wall so the water falls the other side.

comeandgo

I agree with subject to contract, you will have to take action. 

DarkOwl666

Thank you both. I would agree if the water was not entering my property and causing damage but It is.

I have considered fixing a panel but when the wind is strong it just blows the drips further onto my property. Also, the overflow is at the very top of their roof, near the guttering.

comeandgo

When I was renting, in Scotland, many years ago, I received a letter from Scottish Water telling me to get the overflow sorted as they had seen it was continually dripping.  Maybe it is your water board you should be contacting?

Section62

subjecttocontract said:

I don't think there is any way to force your neighbour to repair a dripping overflow if they don't want to do it.

If they aren't cooperative I'd report it to the local water company.

Allowing water to be wasted may be against the local regulations/bylaws, and depending whether the supply is metered, the water company may suffer a financial loss as a result of the owner/occupiers inaction.

For a metered supply, by notifying the water company they will have a date from when they know the person was informed about the leak and therefore when any leakage allowance on the customer's bill should be stopped.  For an unmetered supply the wate company can probably serve notice on the customer requiring them to get the issue sorted.

Not something to do if you want to remain friends with the neighbour though.

DarkOwl666

Thank you both. Yes, I think our local water company should be able to help.
The properties on my street are not on water meters unless the owner requests one.

I would rather not go down this route but I don't see what option I have. I feel asking him twice to repair is more than reasonable and this is the only 2 occasions we have spoken. 

Section62

DarkOwl666 said:

Thank you both. Yes, I think our local water company should be able to help.
The properties on my street are not on water meters unless the owner requests one.

I would rather not go down this route but I don't see what option I have. I feel asking him twice to repair is more than reasonable and this is the only 2 occasions we have spoken. 

Is the dripping pipe visible from the road or another public place?  If so, you have plausible deniability - the water company shouldn't say it was you that reported the problem, and if asked by the neighbour you could say it wasn't you and must have been someone who saw it from the road.

DarkOwl666

Unfortunately not, It's in the rear garden.
I have just got off the phone with our local water company and they have told me they are unable to assist but advised I speak to citizens advise or the council.

sevenhills

I can't visualise the properties, is it feasible to just fit a piece of pipe over the outflow pipe, so that it drains on your neighbours garden or away from your wall?
That would be a good temporary fix.

Eldi_Dos

What material is the pipe made of that the recurring drip is coming from, this might give indication of what is causing drip and  why the wall is turning green.