On Sun, 22 Apr 2018 11:37:06 +0100, newshound
wrote:

Well the downstairs person could still "sabotage" the upstairs one by
turning off the stopcock in the road. I can see some logic in providing
an extra tap downstairs for, as you say, plumbing disasters (although I
don't think it is normally done). Best "fix" would be for stop taps to
be in a communal area, for example a shared hallway.

Had a leak a few years back, the water supply to next door goes
through my property with one stop cock for the two properties 1 metre
from my front door.

I had a leak under the kitchen floor just prior to having to go abroad
on a job. The cost of a plumber at short notice was frightful, along
with the fact that the pipework route was under and through my house.

The neighbour wasn't willing to contribute and was not keen on having
no water for a month.

Apparently I had no choice legally but to fork out.

I was told that if there was a water meter on either property, the
pipework would need to be re-installed by the water authourity. I
didn't have time to persue it then and I don't now either.

AB