Neighbours Gas Supply Crosses Our Garden
Discussion
I have discovered that the neighbours gas supply crosses my front garden. Discovered this whilst digging a hole for some posts for some trellis, and managed to put a spade through the gas supply.
National Grid gave me a letter stating that I will be charged for fixing the gas pipe. So question comes can I claim that: -
The pipe shouldn't be there in the first place
And that it should have been protected?
Have checked the Report on Title I got when moving in and can't see any mention of the gas pipe or an easement to permit it.
National Grid gave me a letter stating that I will be charged for fixing the gas pipe. So question comes can I claim that: -
The pipe shouldn't be there in the first place
And that it should have been protected?
Have checked the Report on Title I got when moving in and can't see any mention of the gas pipe or an easement to permit it.
Was probably 300mm deep, but you need to go deeper than that for a post, and as the ground is solid clay/sandstone digging is not easy. Using a post hole digger and it was straight through the pipe with no hesitation!
Wouldnt mind if it was my own pipe, or had been marked, or we had been using a digger. Mind you guess I don't know if I will be charged or not yet!
Wouldnt mind if it was my own pipe, or had been marked, or we had been using a digger. Mind you guess I don't know if I will be charged or not yet!
Power supplies, drains, phone lines, they all cross over/under other properties to get to neighbours. I know the layout of the drains & phone lines for around two properties on either side of me, due to the problems we have with the drains mainly, but were never told or shown details of there routes when we bought the house (new)
Even the council obviously don't have, or can't get hold of plans of their layouts, as they have been around the whole estate checking every house this summer, putting dye down each sink, toilet, bath, etc. mapping the flow, to find out where there is a particular problem as sewage is getting into the top water main drain somewhere on the estate.
Also try your insurance, they may pay for the repairs.
Even the council obviously don't have, or can't get hold of plans of their layouts, as they have been around the whole estate checking every house this summer, putting dye down each sink, toilet, bath, etc. mapping the flow, to find out where there is a particular problem as sewage is getting into the top water main drain somewhere on the estate.
Also try your insurance, they may pay for the repairs.
Chrisgr31 said:
I have discovered that the neighbours gas supply crosses my front garden. Discovered this whilst digging a hole for some posts for some trellis, and managed to put a spade through the gas supply.
Was the pipe cast iron or yellow plastic? Just wondered how you managed to put a spade through either.This may help.
"A gas main should normally be laid with a minimum depth of cover of 750 mm in a road or verge and 600 mm in a footpath. A gas service pipe should normally be laid with a minimum depth of cover of 375 mm in private ground and 450 mm in footpaths and highways"
Service Pipe runs from main to meter box.
Check depth at other places on route of pipe.
Even if you scanned the dig area using a CAT unit it wont pick up PE pipe.
Chances are its not at the correct minimum depth.
"A gas main should normally be laid with a minimum depth of cover of 750 mm in a road or verge and 600 mm in a footpath. A gas service pipe should normally be laid with a minimum depth of cover of 375 mm in private ground and 450 mm in footpaths and highways"
Service Pipe runs from main to meter box.
Check depth at other places on route of pipe.
Even if you scanned the dig area using a CAT unit it wont pick up PE pipe.
Chances are its not at the correct minimum depth.
Chrisgr31 said:
I have discovered that the neighbours gas supply crosses my front garden. Discovered this whilst digging a hole for some posts for some trellis, and managed to put a spade through the gas supply.
National Grid gave me a letter stating that I will be charged for fixing the gas pipe. So question comes can I claim that: -
The pipe shouldn't be there in the first place
And that it should have been protected?
Have checked the Report on Title I got when moving in and can't see any mention of the gas pipe or an easement to permit it.
The gas pipe will have a legal right to be there, like it or not. National Grid gave me a letter stating that I will be charged for fixing the gas pipe. So question comes can I claim that: -
The pipe shouldn't be there in the first place
And that it should have been protected?
Have checked the Report on Title I got when moving in and can't see any mention of the gas pipe or an easement to permit it.
It will have been installed to whatever standards prevailed at the time, they are not retrospective.
You were negligent not checking where services were before commencing work.
It's really that simple. Pay the bill (as mentioned contact your insurers).
Our gardener went through the original cast iron pipe which was only inches above the surface in a flower bed. How no-one else in however many years has missed it I don't know!
Isolated the gas, called National Grid who replaced it deeper in the ground with yellow plastic. The engineer said it would be 'unlikely' I'd have to pay for it due to the depth/age.
Got a letter a few days later outlining the work they'd done and that no liability or costs would fall on me.
Isolated the gas, called National Grid who replaced it deeper in the ground with yellow plastic. The engineer said it would be 'unlikely' I'd have to pay for it due to the depth/age.
Got a letter a few days later outlining the work they'd done and that no liability or costs would fall on me.
Chrisgr31 said:
jagracer said:
Was the pipe cast iron or yellow plastic? Just wondered how you managed to put a spade through either.
It was yellow plastic, and the answer is remarkably easily! I'd have thought it should have bounced off!bimsb6 said:
I don't believe you are responsible for damaging a neighbours feed in this scenario , if you had damaged your own yes ,this is based on how we work (BT) .
If it crosses your property and you damage it then you are responsible. Water pipes under your boundary are your responsibility but i believe gas pipes are covered up to the ECV by Transco or whoever they are now. As it was you who damaged it however you are going to have to stump up unless you can prove there was negligence by whoever laid it.I don't think it matters who the feed is for or what the service is, if you damage it then you will get a hefty bill.
I put a pickaxe straight through a 3 Phase cable about 12 months ago.
It was under tarmac in a car park of a building I had just bought, and I kid you not, was less than about 10-15cm from the surface.
What a bang! I Sounded like a gun going off
I phoned Electricity Northwest, and then watched in fascination as the guy sat on the floor with the cable draped across his knees and cut it off wire by wire and sealed it while it was still completely live! Apparently it was 'too much hassle' to turn the power off to do it safely...
I was pretty impressed. Didn't get charged for it either as the engineer blagged it with his call centre on the phone and put it down as just a random fault
The next day I watched a guy cut off the gas supply for me and he didn't have to turn the gas off either, just used a machine to squash the gas pipe flat to stop the flow and then hacksaw it off and put a clamped bung in the end.
It was under tarmac in a car park of a building I had just bought, and I kid you not, was less than about 10-15cm from the surface.
What a bang! I Sounded like a gun going off
I phoned Electricity Northwest, and then watched in fascination as the guy sat on the floor with the cable draped across his knees and cut it off wire by wire and sealed it while it was still completely live! Apparently it was 'too much hassle' to turn the power off to do it safely...
I was pretty impressed. Didn't get charged for it either as the engineer blagged it with his call centre on the phone and put it down as just a random fault
The next day I watched a guy cut off the gas supply for me and he didn't have to turn the gas off either, just used a machine to squash the gas pipe flat to stop the flow and then hacksaw it off and put a clamped bung in the end.
Chrisgr31 said:
I have discovered that the neighbours gas supply crosses my front garden. Discovered this whilst digging a hole for some posts for some trellis, and managed to put a spade through the gas supply.
National Grid gave me a letter stating that I will be charged for fixing the gas pipe. So question comes can I claim that: -
The pipe shouldn't be there in the first place
And that it should have been protected?
Have checked the Report on Title I got when moving in and can't see any mention of the gas pipe or an easement to permit it.
Was there marker tape above the pipe?National Grid gave me a letter stating that I will be charged for fixing the gas pipe. So question comes can I claim that: -
The pipe shouldn't be there in the first place
And that it should have been protected?
Have checked the Report on Title I got when moving in and can't see any mention of the gas pipe or an easement to permit it.
V8 Fettler said:
Was there marker tape above the pipe?
Nope nothing, and the guys who fixed it said one of the problems with plastic pipes is they dont say where they were placed.I still cant believe that the gas supply isn't obliged to have a wayleave or easement. Certainly there is one for the water and soil, but none for anything else.
Nickyboy said:
bimsb6 said:
I don't believe you are responsible for damaging a neighbours feed in this scenario , if you had damaged your own yes ,this is based on how we work (BT) .
If it crosses your property and you damage it then you are responsible. Water pipes under your boundary are your responsibility but i believe gas pipes are covered up to the ECV by Transco or whoever they are now. As it was you who damaged it however you are going to have to stump up unless you can prove there was negligence by whoever laid it.I don't think it matters who the feed is for or what the service is, if you damage it then you will get a hefty bill.
jagracer said:
o would I, we've just had new mains fitted and the pipe looks quite tough. How long did it take them to repair it?
Well the actual fixing it time was about 20 minutes, however the first guy arrived within 50 minutes of the call and couldnt start work until a second guy arrived about 45 minutes later. Once they did the job they then spend ages chatting on phone to control or whoever, leaving about 3 hours after first being called.Oh and we found my own phone cable last year with the digger, that was buried 3 inches deep alongside my drive. Luckily the digger didnt break it, and its still there, although now buried in the stone that makes the new drive.
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