Newbuild - Outdoor Tap Location

[MattSawyer]

Hi All,

First time poster on DIYnot

I've recently purchased a newbuild home and have an issue with the outdoor tap.

I'm unsure where I stand in terms of regulations and whether the developer is obligated to solve the issue detailed below.

Any guidance you guys have would be super appreciated, and hopefully help me navigate this whole situation.

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Our house is a new build in the UK, and we are the first owners purchasing direct from the developer.

The property has an outdoor tap on the right side of the property facing our neighbours house.

Due to the way our neighbours house and garden fence are located, the only access to the tap is from the front (bottom of the diagram below).

The only way to access the tap is by stepping onto their path/property. We have no right of way here, so we're technically trespassing.

Access is further hindered by bushes planted by the developer at the front.

In summary, the tap is totally inaccessible from our property.

I've drawn a diagram to help explain the above. The red circle represents the tap position.

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Some additional information. Our house is a standard build. There are many just like ours on the estate.

On a typical build, the garden fence extends up the right side alley so that the tap can be accessed from the garden. Due to our neighbours positioning, our fence has been cut short. Evidence that this is an oversight over a typical build.

The issue was reported within 2 weeks of purchase.

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After months of conversation, the developer will not take responsibility for the tap position and will not sort this issue.

Regrettably, the tap was shown here on the plans we signed.

However, the plans did not show the neighbouring property position or the garden fence.

It was not possible to see/anticipate the issue above from the plans alone.

I'm hopeful the above issue fails building regulations due to their being no access to the tap.

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My post boils down to the following questions:

1. Is access to an outdoor garden tap a regulation requirement?
2. Does the positioning of the tap fail any regulations?
3. If so, what regulations clause should I be looking at?

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Cheers guys, any guidance you may have on the issue above would be most appreciated.

 

[conny]

Don't know about any regulations to be honest, but if the builder put a tap there, especially if he knew how the other house was going to sit, then he should have done something about it. What's the point of having something if you can't access it?
As for usage, we use ours most days, either watering flower beds, washing down the patio or each weekend washing the cars. It also comes in very handy every few months to drain and refill the spa.
Speak to your solicitor/conveyancer about it. It doesn't matter if it was shown on the plans, the neighbours house wasn't so you can't be expected to ask if their house is going to interfere with your usage of a tap.

 

[Old Salt]

Remove the tap, run some insulated copper pipe, into your garden refit the tap.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Is the kitchen at the front of the house where the bushes are?

Andy

 

[MattSawyer]

Is the kitchen at the front of the house where the bushes are?

Andy

Hey Andy,

Thanks for the reply bud,

The kitchen is indeed on the front of the property.

The current tap position is by the downstairs bathroom (tap is likely branched off from this).

Our proposed solution is to move it to the other side of the property (left) and connect it to the kitchen water supply via the other wall.

The question above comes down to whether we (or the developer) should cover the cost of the work.

 

[Old Salt]

I had problems with a new build, the developer and highways agency about the finish on a boundary supporting the road. Eventually sorted at the developers cost but the time, aggravation and stress involved was immense.

For the cost involved I would just crack on and sort it out. Believe me it will be far easier in the long run.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

The developer should, probably, it's obviously a cock up. However I would say unless there are other problems you are looking to get rectified by the developer then just suck it up and do it yourself.

 

[algas]

With the expected water shortages you wont be able to use it anyway soon, in Devon there have been thousands of new house builds yet no extra resavoirs built since 75/76 when we had a real drought, as with everything else all these houses are being built without the corresponding infrastructure to go with them, all local authorities moaning they don't have ant money for anything, what about all the extra council tax revenue from these houses, and a lot are used as second/holiday homes.

Sorry I hyjacked your thread, just move the tap!

 

[HERTS P&D]

The question above comes down to whether we (or the developer) should cover the cost of the work.

As everyone has mentioned, just move the tap yourself.

Andy

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Stick a photo on their social media pages with some kind of cynical humourous post. It won't get you anywhere most likely but may make you feel a bit better.