Shared water supply

[gazzab1968]

So….we have brought a property that used to be the village rectory which in 1964 was separated from the adjacent village hall. It was all one property as far as the land registry are concerned prior to this.

We were aware that the village hall shared our septic tank for which we are now in discussion about how they contribute financially to maintain it.

However we have now ascertained that they take their mains water supply from a stop cock inside one of the rooms inside our house. They have also admitted to not having an account with Thames Water.

Our water bill is based on rateable value and as the village hall does not have an account with a water company we believe that our bill also encompasses the village hall as it used to be part of our land/property.

Does anyone know where we stand here? Can I just turn off the stop cock in our home to force them to contact Thames Water and thus get sussed as to not having an account? Any help or advice would be appreciated, thank you!

 

[jeds]

You can't just turn it off. I've come across this situation several times when developing properties and have been told very firmly by Wessex Water that if my client was to turn the water off (on one occasion the relationship with the neighbour was not good) they will be obliged to provide an alternative supply to the neighbour but that legally my client would be liable for the costs.

I had a quick check to see what happened in that case, but it was different because the neighbour also had a water account.

In your case I think you would be entitled to instal a meter and charge the neighbour accordingly, but you should check that?

 

[motorbiking]

Assuming there is nothing in your deeds. It’s likely they have an established right by prescription, even if it doesn’t mention it in your deeds.

Two options.

1 ask them to apply for there own supply from the water company

2 be a moderate pain reducing pressure etc. until they do

3 dob them in to the water company

 

[Old Salt]

Has your rateable value changed since the properties were split? The local council should be able to tell you that and whether the hall is paying council tax. Then contact the water company and let them know and sort it out. As long as your rateable value is correct then your water charges will be correct too surely.

Get the village hall to run their own supply independent of yours if a meter is to be installed.

 

[gazzab1968]

You can't just turn it off. I've come across this situation several times when developing properties and have been told very firmly by Wessex Water that if my client was to turn the water off (on one occasion the relationship with the neighbour was not good) they will be obliged to provide an alternative supply to the neighbour but that legally my client would be liable for the costs.

I had a quick check to see what happened in that case, but it was different because the neighbour also had a water account.

In your case I think you would be entitled to instal a meter and charge the neighbour accordingly, but you should check that?

Yeah, I understand I can’t turn it off permanently as I’d be liable, as you say, but I was more thinking of turning it off temporarily (they don’t know the sop cock is in our house, literally inside) to prompt them to complain to Thames Water. In doing so they would surely have to confess to not having an account?

I want to stay away from a water meter as we have a very large garden and we’re not in a mandatory water meter area.

 

[gazzab1968]

Assuming there is nothing in your deeds. It’s likely they have an established right by prescription, even if it doesn’t mention it in your deeds.

Two options.

1 ask them to apply for there own supply from the water company

2 be a moderate pain reducing pressure etc. until they do

3 dob them in to the water company

Ok, but surely it can’t be right that I have the stop cock inside my house? And they may have a right by prescription to have a supply that comes off of ours (it’s definitely not in the deeds) but they must surely have to have a separate water account?

We’re not on good terms with the village hall chairwoman ever since we moved in and removed their fire escape route that went through our garden to a locked electric gate! Not sure they’d respond well to being told to get their own account.

I did phone Thames Water but their ‘level 1’ customer services were next to useless, I’m currently awaiting a manager callback…

 

[gazzab1968]

Has your rateable value changed since the properties were split? The local council should be able to tell you that and whether the hall is paying council tax. Then contact the water company and let them know and sort it out. As long as your rateable value is correct then your water charges will be correct too surely.

Get the village hall to run their own supply independent of yours if a meter is to be installed.

Hi, the properties were split in 1964 but we’ve only been in 4 months. You make a good suggestion about contacting the local council though, I’ll give that a try. When I spoke to Thames Water they said the rateable value was the rateable value (even if it’s wrong) and were unable to tell me how I could correct this if it was wrong, only suggesting I install a water meter instead (they would wouldn’t they!!)

From what I’ve read the village hall would insist I pay for the new supply as I’m sure they’re quite content being parasitic as they are with our septic tank…..

 

[Charlie George]

You can't change or query the rateable value which were set by Inland Revenue, just found this out when asking neighbours, their water charges and discovering we were paying double, united utilities have a set fee for size of house etc if you want to avoid a meter, Thames may have something similar, i reckon i've overpayed £7000
PS i think you can get a reduction also for having a septic tank

 

[Bouy]

No need to turn it off just turn it on by half a turn so they are getting some flow but at such a rate they will complain to the WC and let the WC take it from there

 

[gazzab1968]

No need to turn it off just turn it on by half a turn so they are getting some flow but at such a rate they will complain to the WC and let the WC take it from there

That’s pure cunning! Lol!

 

[gazzab1968]

You can't change or query the rateable value which were set by Inland Revenue, just found this out when asking neighbours, their water charges and discovering we were paying double, united utilities have a set fee for size of house etc if you want to avoid a meter, Thames may have something similar, i reckon i've overpayed £7000
PS i think you can get a reduction also for having a septic tank

I suspect you’re right and being on rateable value is probably better than being on a meter with a large garden and family….such a con though isn’t it? We already get a reduction for a septic tank and a soak away for our surface drainage so at least we have that.
But this isn’t just about the rateable value being wrong for a property that has remained the same, this is where land was sold off by the church, splitting the village hall from what was the rectory, so morally at least the rateable value should have been changed but I suspect not. I’d settle for the village hall getting their comeuppance and having to pay their way rather than sponging off of us! Lol!

 

[Mottie]

Have a water meter fitted and they will have to do something about it as you can say you don’t want to be paying for their water usage. They will need a meter fitted. When they have done something about it, you can come back off of the water meter and go back onto rates based charging. They will be stuck with a meter from your property onwards. You have a year to decide, sometimes two.

 

[gazzab1968]

Have a water meter fitted and they will have to do something about it as you can say you don’t want to be paying for their water usage. They will need a meter fitted. When they have done something about it, you can come back off of the water meter and go back onto rates based charging. They will be stuck with a meter from your property onwards. You have a year to decide, sometimes two.

Ok, that’s interesting, so you’re saying you can get a meter fitted but then demand to pay by rateable value? You say a year or two to decide? Do you mean a year before you can ask to go back to a rateable value charging system? However I’m interested as to how Thames Water would know to put a meter on the village hall when as far as they’re concerned they don’t exist. I can’t even shop them because they said they can’t act on what I’ve told them!

 

[Mottie]

Ok, that’s interesting, so you’re saying you can get a meter fitted but then demand to pay by rateable value? You say a year or two to decide? Do you mean a year before you can ask to go back to a rateable value charging system? However I’m interested as to how Thames Water would know to put a meter on the village hall when as far as they’re concerned they don’t exist. I can’t even shop them because they said they can’t act on what I’ve told them!

A couple of links

Getting a smart water meter | Help | Thames Water

Learn more about what getting a smart water meter fitted at your property means for you and your water bill, and how they help us find and fix leaks.

www.thameswater.co.uk

This one is interesting about shared supplies.

Request a water meter | Help | Thames Water

Learn how to request a water meter for your property. If we can't fit one, we may be able to change your tariff.

www.thameswater.co.uk

 

[Charlie George]

They wont fit a water meter for a shared supply, but they will give you a fixed rate, hopefully at a lower rate, my water rates were £900 per year for a 3 bed end terrace in the well known drought hit NW, now reduced to £350 on a fixed rate, i also have a shared supply, i had a look on UU website and i was paying the same as a Mansion with swimmimg pool (under the fixed rate)for the last 22 years.