Shared supply leak
Discussion
I’ve recieved the above from severn trent water, the supply is shared with 6 houses (including mine), 3 semis & a block of 3 terraced of which mine is the moddle
3 of the neighbours I’ve never spoken to, 1 is a tool & the other I get on with.
My home insurance have basically told me because it’s shared they wont sort it but can reimburse me if I sort it, severn trent wont touch it but I’m struggling to find a plumber that will look into it because it’s shared.
Has anyone dealt with this before & have any tips, I’m tempted to let severn trent sort it & cover my 6th with by myself or through home insurance is this a wise move too?
How far is it to the main stop tap in the street ? Is the main beneath tarmac , concrete or garden ? The big problem will be locating the leak if the pipework is a fair distance . Is it steel or plastic service ? You could of course just renew your service back to the main stop tap ?!
We had one of these from seven trent at the start of the covid lockdown so we got absolutely caned by a plumber. It was as in a neighbour in a Victorian terrace. Both btl properties. It cost us £1,500 each and they just put a pipe up through the ceiling at the front of the house to the floor above run along the hallway and connected into the bathroom at the back. Absolute rip off but they knew they had us by the short and curlies and there was nothing we could do about it. Not wishing to worry you but we ended up two or three years later with cracks at the back of the house where the ground was drying out and shrinking. We got rid soon after that.
zsdom said:
My home insurance have basically told me because it’s shared they wont sort it but can reimburse me if I sort it, severn trent wont touch it but I’m struggling to find a plumber that will look into it because it’s shared.
Have you tried searching for leak detection services rather than a plumber? your insurance may cover the cost.I had this after they replaced the stopcock which had seized open. They tried to charge me to fix the leak on my supply, I argued that it was their feed as it was their side of the meter. They grumbled, but sent a team out.
Took them hours as they had to get through my 150mm concrete path!
They footed the bill. I think it's damn cheeky them trying this with you, with a shared supply.
Took them hours as they had to get through my 150mm concrete path!
They footed the bill. I think it's damn cheeky them trying this with you, with a shared supply.
This isnt to me specifically but the 6 houses they say are on the shared supply line but severn trent wont even look for the leak, they say it's our responsibility unless we do nothing & they're forced to fix it but charge us through the roof & I have no idea where the leak actually is, it could be on my property or could be 4 houses down the road
The trouble I'm having is finding someone that look at domestic pipes as most plumbers I've contacted on the watersafe website are either commercial only or dont touch shared lines
The trouble I'm having is finding someone that look at domestic pipes as most plumbers I've contacted on the watersafe website are either commercial only or dont touch shared lines
My understanding is the the water company deals with anything off your property.
If there are 6 people this to me would simply be what the water company did ( or approved ) when it was built.
It is not on the op'S land so to me that makes it the water companies responsibility.
I am not saying I am right but how can they create a situation of a shared supply and not deal with it.
If there are 6 people this to me would simply be what the water company did ( or approved ) when it was built.
It is not on the op'S land so to me that makes it the water companies responsibility.
I am not saying I am right but how can they create a situation of a shared supply and not deal with it.
zsdom said:
This isnt to me specifically but the 6 houses they say are on the shared supply line but severn trent wont even look for the leak, they say it's our responsibility unless we do nothing & they're forced to fix it but charge us through the roof & I have no idea where the leak actually is, it could be on my property or could be 4 houses down the road
The trouble I'm having is finding someone that look at domestic pipes as most plumbers I've contacted on the watersafe website are either commercial only or dont touch shared lines
Presumably all six houses have been sent the letter? How do you know their charges will be excessive - they might be the same as anyone you can source. If the six of you cannot agree to share the cost of investigation you might have to let the water company sort it out or pay for a leak detection company & risk your neghbours won't cough up.The trouble I'm having is finding someone that look at domestic pipes as most plumbers I've contacted on the watersafe website are either commercial only or dont touch shared lines
My understanding is the the water company deals with anything off your property.
If there are 6 people this to me would simply be what the water company did ( or approved ) when it was built.
It is not on the op'S land so to me that makes it the water companies responsibility.
I am not saying I am right but how can they create a situation of a shared supply and not deal with it.
If there are 6 people this to me would simply be what the water company did ( or approved ) when it was built.
It is not on the op'S land so to me that makes it the water companies responsibility.
I am not saying I am right but how can they create a situation of a shared supply and not deal with it.
Mr Pointy said:
Presumably all six houses have been sent the letter? How do you know their charges will be excessive - they might be the same as anyone you can source. If the six of you cannot agree to share the cost of investigation you might have to let the water company sort it out or pay for a leak detection company & risk your neghbours won't cough up.
Yes, all 6 have been sent the letter, regarding the charges they say in the letter:severn trent said:
"fixing leaks is a legal duty for all water users, as if left they can waste water & damage property.
If a leak isnt repaired, we may need to repair it ourselves & charge you for our costs. This is called enforcement
We'd prefer not to do this as local plumbers/contractors will cost you far less"
I'm heading more towards doing nothing & letting ST sort it, if I pay for a leak detection & they find nothing on my property but then ST find it's on the shared line I'll have 2 lots of costsIf a leak isnt repaired, we may need to repair it ourselves & charge you for our costs. This is called enforcement
We'd prefer not to do this as local plumbers/contractors will cost you far less"
Jeremy-75qq8 said:
My understanding is the the water company deals with anything off your property.
If there are 6 people this to me would simply be what the water company did ( or approved ) when it was built.
It is not on the op'S land so to me that makes it the water companies responsibility.
I am not saying I am right but how can they create a situation of a shared supply and not deal with it.
You're quite simply wrong. It isn't the water companies responsibility.If there are 6 people this to me would simply be what the water company did ( or approved ) when it was built.
It is not on the op'S land so to me that makes it the water companies responsibility.
I am not saying I am right but how can they create a situation of a shared supply and not deal with it.
zsdom said:
Mr Pointy said:
Presumably all six houses have been sent the letter? How do you know their charges will be excessive - they might be the same as anyone you can source. If the six of you cannot agree to share the cost of investigation you might have to let the water company sort it out or pay for a leak detection company & risk your neghbours won't cough up.
Yes, all 6 have been sent the letter, regarding the charges they say in the letter:severn trent said:
"fixing leaks is a legal duty for all water users, as if left they can waste water & damage property.
If a leak isnt repaired, we may need to repair it ourselves & charge you for our costs. This is called enforcement
We'd prefer not to do this as local plumbers/contractors will cost you far less"
I'm heading more towards doing nothing & letting ST sort it, if I pay for a leak detection & they find nothing on my property but then ST find it's on the shared line I'll have 2 lots of costsIf a leak isnt repaired, we may need to repair it ourselves & charge you for our costs. This is called enforcement
We'd prefer not to do this as local plumbers/contractors will cost you far less"
zsdom said:
Mr Pointy said:
Presumably all six houses have been sent the letter? How do you know their charges will be excessive - they might be the same as anyone you can source. If the six of you cannot agree to share the cost of investigation you might have to let the water company sort it out or pay for a leak detection company & risk your neghbours won't cough up.
Yes, all 6 have been sent the letter, regarding the charges they say in the letter:severn trent said:
"fixing leaks is a legal duty for all water users, as if left they can waste water & damage property.
If a leak isnt repaired, we may need to repair it ourselves & charge you for our costs. This is called enforcement
We'd prefer not to do this as local plumbers/contractors will cost you far less"
I'm heading more towards doing nothing & letting ST sort it, if I pay for a leak detection & they find nothing on my property but then ST find it's on the shared line I'll have 2 lots of costsIf a leak isnt repaired, we may need to repair it ourselves & charge you for our costs. This is called enforcement
We'd prefer not to do this as local plumbers/contractors will cost you far less"
I may have missed it but haven't seen how the Water Co have explained how they know there is a leak?
Using Mr Pointy's previous diagram:
I assume leak is somewhere on properties C, D & E.............in either pipes 6, 5, 4 & 3?
I also assume Severn Water have do not have a meter on the roadside of the stopcock at 6 and the OP and the other homeowners do not have their own individual meters either?
Therefore I am struggling to understand how Severn Water know there is a leak in the private properties somewhere and before I commited to anything I would ask a few more Q's as I would like to know what they are basing their position upon?
Not sure I'd be using a plumber either if the leak is underground but it's been many years since I dug holes for a living.
Using Mr Pointy's previous diagram:
I assume leak is somewhere on properties C, D & E.............in either pipes 6, 5, 4 & 3?
I also assume Severn Water have do not have a meter on the roadside of the stopcock at 6 and the OP and the other homeowners do not have their own individual meters either?
Therefore I am struggling to understand how Severn Water know there is a leak in the private properties somewhere and before I commited to anything I would ask a few more Q's as I would like to know what they are basing their position upon?
Not sure I'd be using a plumber either if the leak is underground but it's been many years since I dug holes for a living.
LimmerickLad said:
I may have missed it but haven't seen how the Water Co have explained how they know there is a leak?
Using Mr Pointy's previous diagram:
I assume leak is somewhere on properties C, D & E.............in either pipes 6, 5, 4 & 3?
I also assume Severn Water have do not have a meter on the roadside of the stopcock at 6 and the OP and the other homeowners do not have their own individual meters either?
Therefore I am struggling to understand how Severn Water know there is a leak in the private properties somewhere and before I commited to anything I would ask a few more Q's as I would like to know what they are basing their position upon?
Not sure I'd be using a plumber either if the leak is underground but it's been many years since I dug holes for a living.
All ST have said is they monitor usage accross the network & if we see an increase in usage they will investigate their sides of the pipework, they have recently dug up some of the pavement so I guess thats how they think its on the shared pipeline.Using Mr Pointy's previous diagram:
I assume leak is somewhere on properties C, D & E.............in either pipes 6, 5, 4 & 3?
I also assume Severn Water have do not have a meter on the roadside of the stopcock at 6 and the OP and the other homeowners do not have their own individual meters either?
Therefore I am struggling to understand how Severn Water know there is a leak in the private properties somewhere and before I commited to anything I would ask a few more Q's as I would like to know what they are basing their position upon?
Not sure I'd be using a plumber either if the leak is underground but it's been many years since I dug holes for a living.
I have a water meter but after looking at it, it's not moving when water isnt being used/disposed of
Edited by zsdom on Monday 25th November 18:03
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