Why should I pay???

dun4

About a couple of months ago Thames Water were doing a check in our village, looking for leaks. The chap said he had detected a leak on my supply and reckoned it was on my side of the meter. :mad:

A few weeks later another chap came out with his basic listening device and thought he had located the leak, near my kitchen door, possibly where there is a joint between the house and another supply further down the garden. Now I have lived here, on my own, over three years and that garden supply has always run very slowly, so this could be the reason. I chose to go on a meter when I moved here and, although I am very careful, my bill isn't a lot less than the original one that the previous owner was paying as part of the water rates.

Anyway, this second chap gave me the option of (1) having a free repair or (2) going for a complete new pipe relay from the stop-!!!! on the road to the old pipe outside my kitchen door, at a cost of £250, (plus £150 if I decide to have a 'break-through' to the actual stop-!!!!, indoors) ... and left the forms with me to complete. He pointed out that if the piping from outside my door to the stop-!!!! inside was weak, then it would probably blow when the new pipe was laid, so recommended having the break-through as well. This would mean having to pay some-one to remove my kitchen units to enable the work, and replace them afterwards. This second option carried a ten-year guarantee for free repairs to any subsequent leaks.

Needless to say, I opted for a free repair and yesterday two more chaps came out and dug a hole, nowhere near the kitchen door, I might add, through the concrete, 3' by 3', and nearly 4' deep. They couldn't detect the leak, even after using all sorts of gadgets, including hydrogen gas pumped along the pipe and an electrical sounding device. They rang their boss to explain the situation and then said 'Sorry, Madam, it looks like you will have to fork out for a complete relay of new pipe.' I am a pensioner, receiving Guaranteed Pension Credit and have looked into claiming on my insurance but I would have to pay the first £100.

Now, my problem/question is, keeping in mind that I am metered, do I HAVE to have the repair done - am I obliged by Thames Water to get this repaired? What would be the outcome if I refused? Thames Water have a very bad record as far as leaks are concerned and if they want to improve their image, then I think THEY should pay.

I'm not too good at reading profit and loss accounts but from what I understand - Thames Water made a profit of nearly £200m in the SIX MONTHS up to 30th Sept. 2007 and are still accountable for nearly 200m litres of leakage, per day - so I don't see why I should increase their profits even more by paying them to mend this leak. I haven't worked it out, but wasting water aside, I am probably better off paying for the water from the small leak on my property than if I were to pay to have it repaired.

I would be most grateful if someone could advise me on this matter, please. How would I stand legally if I refused to pay?

Cardew

I think if the leak is 'your' side of the meter you can of course refuse to pay for any repair and simply pay for the water that is lost; and of course you pay for sewerage on that water, as if it were going down the drains.

Leaks do tend to get worse!

H2O

I suppose the main question here for you, still, is there actually a leak at all ?

dun4

H2O wrote: »

I suppose the main question here for you, still, is there actually a leak at all ?

Yes, H20, that's just what I've been wondering. I can't hear anything when I put my ear to the kitchen cold tap, which is very close to the stop-!!!!!!!!. (it won't print male chicken!)

Since I first wrote in with this, I have heard from my Insurance co. that they are sending someone out next Wed. to repair the leak(?), come what may. They do not wish to go to the expense or laying a new pipeline. At this rate I shall have quite a few large newly concreted patches all over my driveway. Oh, well, in for a penny in for a pound. I'll let you know what happens next Wed.

deanos

When the guy said there was a leak did he do a leak test on the meter ?

I presume you have an external meter, turn off the internal stop tap and then look to see if the meter is spinning if it is you do have a leak.

Incisor

dun4 wrote: »

About a couple of months ago Thames Water were doing a check in our village, looking for leaks. The chap said he had detected a leak on my supply and reckoned it was on my side of the meter. :mad:

OK, TW thought you had a leak

A few weeks later another chap came out with his basic listening device and thought he had located the leak, near my kitchen door, possibly where there is a joint between the house and another supply further down the garden. Now I have lived here, on my own, over three years and that garden supply has always run very slowly, so this could be the reason.

So, is this the leak? Not clear exactly what you mean. Can you turn this supply off? If you can't, can you get a plumber to fix it?

I chose to go on a meter when I moved here and, although I am very careful, my bill isn't a lot less than the original one that the previous owner was paying as part of the water rates.

Yes, the charges will be different for meter and rateable charging. And if there is a leak on your side of the meter, you pay for it. So have you got a leak?

Anyway, this second chap gave me the option of (1) having a free repair or (2) going for a complete new pipe relay from the stop-!!!! on the road to the old pipe outside my kitchen door, at a cost of £250, (plus £150 if I decide to have a 'break-through' to the actual stop-!!!!, indoors) ... and left the forms with me to complete. He pointed out that if the piping from outside my door to the stop-!!!! inside was weak, then it would probably blow when the new pipe was laid, so recommended having the break-through as well. This would mean having to pay some-one to remove my kitchen units to enable the work, and replace them afterwards. This second option carried a ten-year guarantee for free repairs to any subsequent leaks.

So now we know exactly how much it costs to do this and that.:j And TW are salivating, doing cash register impressions.:beer: But do you have a leak? And if there is, is it actually a problem with the garden supply?

Needless to say, I opted for a free repair and yesterday two more chaps came out and dug a hole, nowhere near the kitchen door, I might add, through the concrete, 3' by 3', and nearly 4' deep.

Money saving expert through and through.:rotfl: Gets a hole dug for free.:T But do you have a leak? And would this hole allow TW to fix it?

They couldn't detect the leak, even after using all sorts of gadgets, including hydrogen gas pumped along the pipe and an electrical sounding device. They rang their boss to explain the situation and then said 'Sorry, Madam, it looks like you will have to fork out for a complete relay of new pipe.' I am a pensioner, receiving Guaranteed Pension Credit and have looked into claiming on my insurance but I would have to pay the first £100.

So, is there a leak or not? We are still no wiser. But we do know about your income.:T

Now, my problem/question is, keeping in mind that I am metered, do I HAVE to have the repair done - am I obliged by Thames Water to get this repaired? What would be the outcome if I refused? Thames Water have a very bad record as far as leaks are concerned and if they want to improve their image, then I think THEY should pay.

I don't know whether you are obliged, but if you do have a leak on your side of the meter the outcomes of refusing to have a repair done will be

• You will pay for the water lost
• As far as TW are concerned, the water is deliverd to your side of the meter, so it doesn't show up on their leakage record

I'm not too good at reading profit and loss accounts but from what I understand - Thames Water made a profit of nearly £200m in the SIX MONTHS up to 30th Sept. 2007 and are still accountable for nearly 200m litres of leakage, per day - so I don't see why I should increase their profits even more by paying them to mend this leak.

Report them to the Charities Commission, although you risk criticism for letting TW attempt a repair without being clear about whether and where you have a leakage problem.

I haven't worked it out, but wasting water aside, I am probably better off paying for the water from the small leak on my property than if I were to pay to have it repaired.I would be most grateful if someone could advise me on this matter, please.

Read the meter to the last digit, turn off your main stopcock for an hour, read the meter again and post the readings here. At least we can establish whether there is a leak in the main pipe between the meter and the stopcock. Repeat the exercise, leaving the stopcock on, but don't use any water whatsoever during the hour. We can then see how big your garden supply leak is.

How would I stand legally if I refused to pay?

Ask a lawyer. But first of all understand what the physical problem is before thinking about costs.