Advice on dispute about water company having completed work in garden

Ciaoadios

Hi all, Severn Trent had a pipe going through our garden that collapsed and so they had to fix it in August 2023, however 2/3 garden is still unusable due to them not completing all the work. 

The original issue led to them digging a 4 metre deep hole in the garden and ripping up 2/3 turf in the garden and apparently about 100 tonnes of soil. Those works took place from Aug - Dec 2023 and they fixed the pipe and the issue with that. In Dec they said they’d replace the grass in April. 

Cut to 3 months later and it still hasn’t been done. Making 2/3 of our little garden unusable. 

I’ve been emailing and calling them and making multiple complaints through their process and they keep apologising and say will chase. But still no progress. Any advice on another approach? It’s a long drawn out process and I just want my garden back for the 2 days of summer we may get! Wondering if anyone has any wisdom around this or other approaches as I am at a loss. 

user1977

What's the legal status of their pipe - do you have a wayleave or similar, and if so what does that say about reinstatement after works?

Grizebeck

Go to the top of the tree

Green_hopeful

They will have a policy for this situation. You should have received a copy before they dug up your garden. https://www.stwater.co.uk/content/dam/stw/about_us/documents/Codes-of-Practice-June2015.pdf There is some info here from page 35. Laying or maintaining their pipe is the same rules. If their complaints team are unable to assist then ask for the next level of complaint. I think they should refer you to the Consumer Council for Water. Hopefully they will pay attention then. If none of it works you could try writing to Liv Garfield their CEO explaining that you just want to be able to use your garden. Send some pictures if you can because obs the CEO doesn’t know everything that is happening. Her email address is liv.garfield@severntrent.co.uk

Grumpy_chap

Ciaoadios said:

Hi all, Severn Trent had a pipe going through our garden that collapsed and so they had to fix it in August 2023, however 2/3 garden is still unusable due to them not completing all the work. 

The original issue led to them digging a 4 metre deep hole in the garden and ripping up 2/3 turf in the garden and apparently about 100 tonnes of soil. Those works took place from Aug - Dec 2023 and they fixed the pipe and the issue with that. In Dec they said they’d replace the grass in April. 

Cut to 3 months later and it still hasn’t been done. Making 2/3 of our little garden unusable. 

I’ve been emailing and calling them and making multiple complaints through their process and they keep apologising and say will chase. But still no progress. Any advice on another approach? It’s a long drawn out process and I just want my garden back for the 2 days of summer we may get! Wondering if anyone has any wisdom around this or other approaches as I am at a loss. 

Have they fully reinstated apart from the turf / grass seed?
I assume you don't still have a 4m deep trench through the garden.

When they did the work, did the contractor for ST give you a contact name / number for their foreman / team leader / project manager?  You are probably best to call that person directly if you can as this will be the company that needs to do the reinstatement on behalf of ST and they have probably simply lost the paper trail.

Grizebeck

A photo would be helpful

Ciaoadios

Thanks all these are really helpful pointers. 

Yes, they have filled the hole and finished that in December. So it is the grass that’s still being awaited and they said they’d replace a mature apple tree they took out. 

We have the number of the project manager, but I think the issue is someone on Severn Trent signing off the funding to the work and this is where it seems to be getting blocked. 

Grumpy_chap

The funding won't need further Governance.

If the work finished in December, the grass would not have successfully recovered if planted then.  
When was the last time you spoke with the Project Manager?
If that is not recent, then a friendly call to mention the work has slipped may work wonders.  

Ciaoadios

Thanks all these were really helpful. I was able to quote the code of conduct in an email to the ceo. One week following that the garden was turfed! 

peterhjohnson

If playing nicely still doesn't work, consider:
1. Involving your local Media. August is a slow news month!
2. Telling ST that if they don't fix it by a certain date, you'll get it done yourself and deduct from your water rates.