Gas pipe leak (after meter) in meter room of leasehold apartment building

CadburyPurple

Gas pipe responsibilities question: If I am in a long lease (just under 100 years - new build apartment), whose responsibility is it if there's a leak in the gas pipe in the gas meter room (nowhere near my apartment), after the meter (so not the gas company's issue)?

It is a "direct to property" supply (nothing communal).

The lease is a bit unhelpful and only mentions "services" (that the freeholder is responsible for, then the managing agent) as including "gas to the boilers only", which suggests to me it's the freeholder's / management company's responsibility, but I'm struggling to find crystal clear legislation that confirms either way or to find something determinative in the lease.

I find it hard to believe that the leaseholder can be responsible for pipes in communal areas of the building, when we have no idea where the pipe runs and likely couldn't access it without damaging those areas.

Would be v grateful for any guidance please, especially with cited legislation / rules that I can quote.

user1977

Seeing the lease would be essential to giving a proper answer, but for service media serving only your flat then I would expect it’s your responsibility, even if the pipe run happens to be outside the flat.

ThisIsWeird

And I'd hazard that it's communal, as it's both in a communal area, and a communal hazard :-)
But, no idea. 
I think you'll find that, for example, water supply pipes located between or under floors are FH, even if they only supply your flat. All the visible pipes within your flat are your responsibility. That was certainly the case with my bro's.
But, read the deeds. 

GDB2222

It depends entirely on the lease. 

theartfullodger

Any gas leak needs attention fast .. Shut off supply immediately!  If not for your sake, that of other occupants.

You've seen photos of houses demolished from gas explosions?

CadburyPurple

theartfullodger said:

Any gas leak needs attention fast .. Shut off supply immediately!  If not for your sake, that of other occupants.

You've seen photos of houses demolished from gas explosions?

Thank you but don't worry, the gas leak was weeks ago and the supply is shut off.

propertyrental

Is this the pipe to your flat? Or a different leaseholder's?

Almost certainly this is a matter for the freeholder/manco, though ultimately the cost will fall to the leaseholders.

But as advised, read the lease.

eddddy

As a starting point, you can ask the management company who they believe is responsible for the repairing the gas pipe and who is responsible for paying for the repair, and the relevant clause(s) in the lease.

Then you can read the clause(s) they suggest, to see if you agree.

CadburyPurple

propertyrental said:

Is this the pipe to your flat? Or a different leaseholder's?

Almost certainly this is a matter for the freeholder/manco, though ultimately the cost will fall to the leaseholders.

But as advised, read the lease.

It is the pipe from after my gas meter (in a communal meter cupboard very far from my apartment) to the boiler in my apartment. The leak in the meter cupboard part of the pipe. I do think freeholder / manco should sort, as it's in communal area. Cost would surely depend on whether original building defect (warranty period). Will be reading the lease in more detail later. Thank you. 

CadburyPurple

eddddy said:

As a starting point, you can ask the management company who they believe is responsible for the repairing the gas pipe and who is responsible for paying for the repair, and the relevant clause(s) in the lease.

Then you can read the clause(s) they suggest, to see if you agree.

Thank you, this is a great interim suggestion. This is what we are going back to the freeholder & mgmt co to ask, ie on what basis are they saying it's for us to sort. I've asked them to quote the lease.

chanz4

after the meter is yours