Water supply pipes, who owns what?

[saiello]

Hi,
I live in an upstairs flat. A pipe burst fully inside of the space of the flat below just below the ceiling. The supply to the flat below tees off immediately after a stopcock under my floorboards. If I turn the stopcock off, its turns off supply to both flats. My question is: who is responsible for the burst pipe, me or the owner of the flat downstairs? I own the leasehold of the flat below.

The owner of the flat below insists that I am responsible because I ultimately supply his water. I insist that it is not my problem because the responsibility for pipework from his flat leading up to my stopcock is technically his, even if part of his supply pipe and the stopcock is under my floorboards. I.e, my responsibility ends at the point where his water tees off. Who's right...?

We've both had our water supplys cut off for two days now to prevent further damage while we argue over whos going to repair the pipe. Please help!

Thank you.

 

[terryplumb]

Do you both have insurance cover ?
If you do You could let both insurers resolve it between them.
I know what I would do in the short term. In your property cut his supply pipe ,cap the pipe and put your water back on.

 

[Bosswhite]

If you own the freehold to the downstairs flat I would have thought you were liable for the pipework

 

[Alec_t]

I own the leasehold of the flat below.

The terms of the lease should set out landlord and leaseholder responsibilities for property mintenance. Have you checked? Have you contacted the landlord?

 

[HERTS P&D]

How much was the cost of the repair?

Andy