Shared water supply

[Sue07]

The mains water supply comes into my back yard then splits to supply my house and my neighbours. My neighbour has their own water meter.
I have never refused access to the main water stoptap but now they want me to pay £16,000 for them to have a separate water supply.
Obviously my first reaction was ************(unmentionable) but they insist that by law their house needs a separate water supply.
What do I do???

[efpom]

What law do thy rely upon? The piping arrangement you describe is fairly common.

[Peridot]

Who is asking this, the neighbours? Have you a copy of your house deeds? There may be covenants on them which explains who will be responsible for what and how costs for repairs and such like are dealt with.
If you own your property you may be able to obtain a copy of the information held by the HM Land Registry here:- https://www.gov.uk/get-information-a...opies-of-deeds
A little more detail about ownership and who is demanding this together with a potted history of how long you've been at the property and how long the neighbours have been there may help others provide more pointers but the deeds would be a good place to start if you are the home owner.

[Sue07]

I have checked my house deeds. There is absolutely no mention of a water supply.
My family and I have lived in our property since the late 1980's. The person next door has passed away.It is their family members who have informed me that their solicitor has said I am liable for paying for a new water supply for their property.
surely this is a load of rubbish because that property has its own water meter.
Next doors sewerage joins my sewerage pipe which then connects to the main sewerage pipe. I have never complained about this set up. Perhaps i should or is that just being childish?

[efpom]

Their solicitor said..Great! They have just waived solicitor client privilege on the advice they obtained! Once waived, it is waived forever.

So questions for your neighbour, preferably in writing - post a draft on here.
-------

What is your solicitor's name and address?
On what date did you instruct him/her?
Was the advice your solicitor gave you,written down?
If so, please let me have a copy of that advice.

I would be most interested in knowing what law or laws your solicitor relies on which makes me liable in principle for your water supply and on quantum, how the figure of 16,000 pounds is calculated.
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[efpom]

One can obtain an office copy at minimal cost, for any property registered by it, from the Land Registry an that can be done on line

https://www.gov.uk/search-property-i...-land-registry

[Peridot]

Hi Sue07,
I would always be mindful when someone says my solicitor said. Unless you receive a lawyers letter I would take it with a pinch of salt. They may believe they have a little knowledge and think that bolstering it saying a solicitor said, or may have asked a lawyer friend who doesn’t know this area of law who has mentioned something to them based on what they said which may not be correct factually. There are all manner of reasons someone may say their lawyer said!
I assume there has never been an issue with the water board? Would it be worth contacting them maybe as a potential purchase exploring what should be the case rather than giving chapter and verse on your situation?

[efpom]

Under the Water Industry Act 1991, water and sewerage companies are obliged to comply with any request made to them for a connection. So one does, in fact, have the right to one'’s own separate water supply.

The water company is only obliged to make the final connection from the new pipe to its water main, and it will charge for that. That final connection must be on public land. Usually, an intermediate connection is made by the company from the main, usually under the highway, to the footpath where the supply stopcock is located. Historically, a vast number of consumers were on shared supplies. The water companies made a concession on de- nationalisation, that it will take responsibility for maintenance, up to the supply property boundary.

However, whilst a person exercising the right to a separate supply can still enjoy that maintenance concession, he does have to pay for the installation of the new supply pipe to the outlet of the stopcock, whether it's on private land or public land He will also have to pay for the installation of the stopcock itself and for the intermediate connection I described above.

He is responsible for the upkeep of all pipework inside his boundary.

He also has the responsibility to stop up his existing supply pipe, in a manner that does not compromise the right of consumers to potable water. In the case of severing a formally shared supply, that duty is particularly onerous and if he compromised or interrupted the supply to others remaining on the shared network, that might well give rise to the right to sue for damages.

Gripping stuff – innit!

Applying the above facts, to your case:

Unless there exists a right for your neighbour to install his new supply under your land, he can only do so if you grant him that right, and if you do not, he must find another route for his new pipe, outside of your boundary to the mains supply stopcock.

Even if such a right exists, I am quite unable to see how that right would be accompanied by an obligation for you to be liable for paying any part of his costs in installing (or maintaining) his new pipe.

[charitynjw]

Gripping stuff – innit!

Lol....perhaps not the most riveting read, but it's exactly what I've been researching & so you've saved me hours of 'surfing'.

Thanks for that!

[charitynjw]

Hi Sue07,
I would always be mindful when someone says my solicitor said. Unless you receive a lawyers letter I would take it with a pinch of salt. They may believe they have a little knowledge and think that bolstering it saying a solicitor said, or may have asked a lawyer friend who doesn’t know this area of law who has mentioned something to them based on what they said which may not be correct factually. There are all manner of reasons someone may say their lawyer said!
I assume there has never been an issue with the water board? Would it be worth contacting them maybe as a potential purchase exploring what should be the case rather than giving chapter and verse on your situation?

Morning, Peridot.

I have done exactly as above re an 'issue' I have with a shared water mains service.
The relevant water company were very helpful & explained the whole procedure, & emailed tons of info to me, including 'estimates in the region of' costs for various different scenarios. (Obviously they would need to make a site visit to give a definite quote for the necessary works.)

[Sue07]

Applying the above facts, to your case:

Unless there exists a right for your neighbour to install his new supply under your land, he can only do so if you grant him that right, and if you do not, he must find another route for his new pipe, outside of your boundary to the mains supply stopcock.

Even if such a right exists, I am quite unable to see how that right would be accompanied by an obligation for you to be liable for paying any part of his costs in installing (or maintaining) his new pipe.

[/QUOTE]
The main water supply comes from the pavement outside my property, across my back yard where all the cars/motorbikes are parked and into my inner back yard, used to hang washing out. At this point it splits to supply my property and my neighbours property.
they have a water meter attached to their supply.
I have never stopped anyone such as meter readers from accessing my neighbours supply.

[efpom]

Why do you believe your description of the current layout it makes any difference?

Your neighbour wants an independent supply. How he does that, and the cost of it, is not your concern.

[Sue07]

Why do you believe your description of the current layout it makes any difference?

Your neighbour wants an independent supply. How he does that, and the cost of it, is not your concern.

Oh you don't know how glad I was to read your post. Thank you so very much for replying. You've put my mind at ease.
Thanks