Wrong pipes for flat mains water supply?

[sfulg]

I had the mains pipe entering my flat (through the kitchen floorboards) burst last night. Rather, it was the collar on a T-joint, which split. All 3 seals in the T-joint were already split, it later transpired. Torrential flow from the mains ensued, which although only caused mild flooding in our kitchen, led to the false ceiling in the flat below, to cave in, and further leakage into the basement flat beneath that.

After we shut down the building stopcock and the emergency plumber arrived to repair the rupture, he told me that the pipes bringing the mains supply - 25mm polypropylene - are totally inappropriate for that job, and it should be 22mm copper, as with the rest of the pipes in the house. In fact, apparently this contravenes building/ water regulations.

Is this true? Even if there isn't a specific regulation specifying the type of pipe required, aren't these pipes inadequate for bringing a mains supply into a household? They certainly seem so. I need to get the landlord to replace the pipes entirely before they rupture again, and any regulations/guidelines/ bye-laws to support my case would be welcome. Cheers

 

[doitall]

Read this on the IPHE site.

By 25mm polypropylene I assume you mean the Blue poly.

If that is the case then I don't see a problem provided the pipe is out of direct sunlight.

more info I think

 

[sfulg]

thanks doitall. you're right, i posted it in a few places.

That's right, it's blue poly, which came up through the floor supplying the mains. It then goes across and connects via a T-joint (which was what burst); down to another blue poly pipe (which we think probably goes to the bathroom); and then up to the boiler and kitchen sink. The pipe going up converts into 22mm copper via 3 nuts. Furthermore there's the stopcock on the poly branch going back down - which was obviously redundant when we needed to shut off the mains when the leak occurred!

I don't know, I'm only a layperson, but the whole set-up looks like a bit of a dog's dinner to me, and I'm worried that it'll go again at some point in the future.

 

[doitall]

Sounds like it was installed by Farmer Giles or the landlord.

Don't know any rules that say you can't, but I will have a peak tomorrow.

Who pays for the damage, the landlord i presumme

 

[sfulg]

Much appreciated.

The house was converted into leased flats about 9 years ago, and I presume the landlord had it done then (I spoke to the girl who sold it to me, and she certainly hadn't had anything like this).

The callout for the plumber and the damage to the flat below will be covered by buildings insurance, but probably not the pipes themselves. This is what I want the landlord to replace, because their installation had nothing to do with me, even though technically they're within my flat.

 

[doitall]

For now I will say they don't need to be copper.