Cutting off the water from the street

[WD40solvesall]

Hello all,
Successive plumbers have been unable to locate an internal stopcock for my house, so have always turned my water off from the street, so I have followed suit. However, today I have discovered it full of sludge (and ants) and despite my best efforts of remove it all, I can't turn the valve to shut off my water.
Does anyone anyone know whose responsibility it is to maintain this is? Me, the council, or the waterboard?
Also, is it generally extremely pricey to get an internal stopcock fitted? As this is finally starting to become tedious.
Thanks to anyone who can help.

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

request a water meter. nice clean plastic

 

[ted456]

The utility own the external stop tap, and you own everything after back into your house.
They will release or replace a stuck valve if requested.

What material is your service pipe - lead, steel, copper or plastic?
Internal stop-cocks are sometimes under the floor at the front of the house in a direct line from the external valve.
Or sometimes the supply line runs to the kitchen and comes up below or behind cabinets.

Any plumber who cant find an existing stop-tap is not a plumber.

 

[WD40solvesall]

The utility own the external stop tap, and you own everything after back into your house.
They will release or replace a stuck valve if requested.

What material is your service pipe - lead, steel, copper or plastic?
Internal stop-cocks are sometimes under the floor at the front of the house in a direct line from the external valve.
Or sometimes the supply line runs to the kitchen and comes up below or behind cabinets.

Any plumber who cant find an existing stop-tap is not a plumber.

There is something that turns and does nothing that appears to be an ex-stopcock......ours is a weird house where the previous owners made strange DIY decisions, I wouldn't have put it past them to have needed to move the stopcock and then not bothered for some reason. Our street service hatch is different from everyone else's on the street and newer. TBH - makes me nervous. We're trying yet another new plumber in, this time recommended by a human rather than a questionable internet review, so hopefully we'll actually get someone decent.

 

[Bosswhite]

Water Board own exterior Stop Cock , so its their job to replace they will probably insist on a water meter , once the outside stop cock has been replaced fit a new interior stop cock a simple job that is within the range of a competent plumber or DIYer

 

[JBR]

Although we have an interior stop cock, our exterior one is in the road - a very busy road - where there is no pavement. The last time I managed to have a look was when the cover had been ripped off, presumably by a passing car/lorry.
I reported it to the 'water board', who replaced it toot sweet, presumably being more concerned that a cyclist might issue a claim for damages rather than anything else!
At that time, I noticed that it was completely full of mud and God knows what else. They ignored that, of course, when they replaced the lid.

My concern now is that, if our internal stop cock should leak or come adrift or whatever, I'd be hard pressed to get to the external stop cock.

I have thought about asking a plumber with strong digging abilities (I'm afraid I'm not up to it these days) to dig down nearer to the house and insert a new (additional) external stop cock away from the road. Hopefully, that would be far less likely to fill with gunk if we look after it and, of course, would be much easier for us to access in an emergency.

 

[Luckyphil]

Where are you ?
I had the same problem on the Refurb I’m just completing , inside stop tap knackered , outside full off maybe tarmac / crap etc , I’m in South Manchester , so I contacted United Utilities and they were out within 48 hours , I did say there was a ‘leak’ inside the Property which maybe quickened things up a bit , no charge as well

so that’s your first point I’ve contact , get in touch with whoever sends your Water Bills

regards

Phil

 

[JBR]

Where are you ?
I had the same problem on the Refurb I’m just completing , inside stop tap knackered , outside full off maybe tarmac / crap etc , I’m in South Manchester , so I contacted United Utilities and they were out within 48 hours , I did say there was a ‘leak’ inside the Property which maybe quickened things up a bit , no charge as well

so that’s your first point I’ve contact , get in touch with whoever sends your Water Bills

regards

Phil

Thanks, Phil.
We're in Gatley, and we're with UU as well, of course.

When I informed them of the missing cover they were straight out to replace it, but when I asked they denied any responsibility for clearing out the junk.

I might try the 'leak' tactic!

 

[Keithmac]

Ours was full of rubble, reported it to the Water Board and they came out, dug a big hole and replaced the lot.

All free if charge as it's on the path outside out garden.

I believe they have an obligation to provide a serviceable means of shutting the water off to your property?.

 

[JBR]

Ours was full of rubble, reported it to the Water Board and they came out, dug a big hole and replaced the lot.

All free if charge as it's on the path outside out garden.

I believe they have an obligation to provide a serviceable means of shutting the water off to your property?.

Well, that confirms it. I'm going to call United Utilities next week and clear this matter up.

 

[Keithmac]

Well, that confirms it. I'm going to call United Utilities next week and clear this matter up.

I was very impressed with the service, I believe it was Yorkshire Water that did the work.

Last time I shut it down we fitted a secondary shut off valve in the house that was much easier to access.

 

[JBR]

I was very impressed with the service, I believe it was Yorkshire Water that did the work.

Last time I shut it down we fitted a secondary shut off valve in the house that was much easier to access.

Of course, it is quite possible that Yorkshire Water provides a superior service to United Utilities.

That wouldn't surprise me, though, because as we all know Yorkshire is superior in every way to Lancashire!

 

[JBR]

Emailed UU today to ask if they'd be so kind as to clear the gubbins from the external stopcock hole.
I live in hope!

 

[JBR]

NO. Simple answer. They take no responsibility for their own stop cock. In fact, they say that it is now redundant.
In an emergency, they assure me, they would send someone out within a couple of hours to cut of the supply to the neighbourhood. I'm sure our neighbours would be almost as pleased as we would be!

So, in answer to my question, no, UU is quite inferior to Yorkshire Water.
But what else would you expect?

 

[Keithmac]

That's very poor service, shockingly bad really.