water pipes

Bitstring , from the wonderful person miles said

You're responsible for the pipework your side of the stopcock/meter out in the street, typically. The little 9" square metal covered hole that is probably in the verge outside your house (obviously different for flats, offices, etc).

The message from "miles" contains these words:

From the isolation tap outside of your building to the house is the house owners responsibility. Beyond that, it is the water supplier's. That's what I was told when I last had reason to enquire. BTW we are on a water meter which is located at that stopcock (underground). jim

I take it you have just had a letter from an insurance company, written in such a way as to make it look like a letter (or bill even) from your water co, trying to sell you cover for those pipes for about 15 for 5 months.

Why 5 months???

Yes the pipes are yours to sort. However the questions to ask are: Does you existing home policy cover it? Do you want the extra ability to get an "emergency" service? etc.

if you have a water meter in your house, with a stopcock, the water compant is responsible up to that point. Posting from Peter Rogers

Replace NOSPAM with ntlworld to reply

There was a recent TV program (Watchdog?) on this item. Whilst the pipe is the property owners responsibility the water boards have (reluctantly) agreed to repair leaks foc. To offset this they are pushing insurance policies and have customer service departments who deny all knowledge of the agreement.

Additionally the program mentioned that as water companies get fined for water loss (as their own leaks account for the vast majority of losses) they simply reduce pressure. Less pressure, less water loss and hard luck if like me you have an upstairs mains pressure electric shower.

Quote from Wessex Water

' To help meet our leakage target, we offer to repair or replace a domestic customer's leaking service pipe free of charge up to the outside wall of their property, provided it does not pass under any structure '.