My Water Supply has been cut off is this legal

jenson · 1 May 2011

Hi,
My water supply crosses my neighbours land to get to my property and they have a stopcock which when switched off cuts my water off. My problem is that they have started to cut my water off at no notice to cause me inconvenience.

Can they do this?

I have telephoned the water board who have said that it is a private matter as it is on private land.

Is it illegal for them to cut me off? I have pointed out to them that its not a nice thing to do but they took no notice as it happened again today I was cut off for 5 hours.

big-all · 1 May 2011

i assume your mid terrace or similar with a shared supply with them

is he doing any work or just doing it to annoy
any young kids or elderly people in your house ??

cumbriahandyman · 1 May 2011

jenson said:
Hi,
My water crosses a neighbours land before it gets to my property and they have a stopcock which when switched off cuts my water off. My problem is that they have started to cut my water off at no notice to cause me inconvenience can they do this? I have telephoned the water board who have said that it is a private matter as it is on private land. Is it illegal for them to cut me off? I have pointed out to them that its not a nice thing to do but they took no notice as it happened again today I was cut off for 5 hours.

When it is on, sneak out at night and pour fast setting concrete into the hole, they will not be able to turn it off again. They will then be lumbered with the cost of putting it right.

jenson · 1 May 2011

It is not a mid terrace or similar it is a bungalow with 10 acres of land and my neighbour has the same ammount of land with the stopcock on his part. I do not know where the stopcock is sited on his land only that that is where it is. He is not having any work done it is just to annoy . We have children but not babies our youngest is 5 yrs.

Bahco · 1 May 2011

You should first speak to your neighbours and inform them that you will be suing for compensation which is charged at an hourly rate according to the Water Regs Act 1976. (bluff)

Also speak to your local EHO officer at the council for advice and also your water co to sort out your own water supply ASAP.

Onetap · 1 May 2011

You need to see a solicitor. I don't know enough about it to provide a sensible reply.

You probably have a easement for the water supply pipe and it is probably trespass for your neighbour to interfere with the water supply. There is no point in bluffing, they'll just look up any regulations you quote and turn off the water more frequently when they know you were bluffing. Just get advice and, depending on that advice, maybe a solicitor's letter telling them you will be recording all interruptions to the supply and will be seeking damages and payment for an alternative supply.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easement

"Turning off the water supply to a downhill neighbor may similarly trespass on the neighbor's water easement."

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forum...our-stopped-our-water-supply-easements-rights

kirkgas · 1 May 2011

why is he doing it? there must be a reason he wants to annoy you, what did you fall out over? i couldnt be bothered to go outside my ex-council semi to turn off my eighbours water never mind any further so he must be doing it to get back at you for something you done/he thinks you done

Norcon · 1 May 2011

Theres always two sides to these stories and were only hearing one.
You don't just cut off a water supply for no reason.

Perhaps the OP will englighten us.

It may be metered with one guy paying and the other guy using free water.

joinerjohn · 1 May 2011

Being as it's illegal for the Water Supply Company to cut your supply off now, I'd have thought what your neighbour is doing is also illegal. I think it comes under public health grounds.
Thames Water was pushing MP's to have the law changed some years ago, but as far as I know no law was passed saying that water companies could cut people off.
Solicitors advice is what you really need. If the neighbour is doing this intentionally, then it could be termed harassment , and as such, the courts would take a dim view of it.

Agile · 2 May 2011

Its illegal for a water co to cut you off.

But there is no automatic right to take your water supply across someone else's land.

The land owner can charge for granting a wayleave.

This sounds odd but in Salisbury the water co owned a ransom strip of land and charged Barratts £2000 per house for taking water supplies across THEIR land.

Tony

htgeng · 2 May 2011

to the OP. Check your buildings/contents insurance. If you have legal cover included on the policy call them for advice. They should be able to organise a solicitors letter to him.

Onetap · 2 May 2011

Agile said:
But there is no automatic right to take your water supply across someone else's land.

There should have been an easement marked on the deeds when the parcel of land was sold off; even if it wasn't, one may have become established with time. He needs to see a solicitor.

On the plumbing side, maybe he could install a new 50 gallon cistern in his loft, if he doesn't already have one, to maintain a supply of potable quality water whilst the neighbour is playing silly buggers.

PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN · 2 May 2011

And he doing is doing this for what reason ?, did you **** on his fireworks on 5th November, do you keep letting off those fekkin chinese lanterns and setting his field/barn/hedge/thatched roof on fire with the bloody stupid things ? come on, whats the beef ?

Agile · 2 May 2011

People in the countryside can be very difficult sometimes.

My job at the BBC involved resolving problems with landowners and one farmer agreed to a meet and carefully arranged to be shovelling muck in his barn when I was due there.

Unfortunately I had my wellies and just put them on and waded through the mess to get to him. He had also put his shotgun beside himself to add to his image!

Actually when he saw that I was not phased by the muck or the shotgun he actually became quite reasonable and we were able to sort out the problem amicably. The problem is that people will often not talk about problems.

Tony

PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN · 3 May 2011

Well ??????????????

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My Water Supply has been cut off is this legal

cumbriahandyman

joinerjohn

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