From a local FB group....

When Jane (name changed to protect the innocent)and I moved into Church House 3 ish years ago we found we were paying a huge 1/4 bill for water, we are on a meter. Having settled in we contacted Southern water and questioned it. We went through a process of "Do you have a water mill" "No" "Do you have a swimming pool" "No" "Do you have 10 children" "NO". Ok you have a leak ! I said Ok can you come and have a look. They said "Yes". But they never came, I contacted them weeks later and said "When are you coming" Their reply was aggressive and unnecessary "We are not coming the leak is on your property it's down to you" end of story. Well no, not quite. After saving up a lot of money for a local company (Excellent local company) to put a new water main in, we had it completed this weekend. Great �� No 👎� we have cut off our next door neighbours water supply. She had been paying water rates whilst her water had come through our meter. What leak ? I leave you to make your own conclusions. Southern Water ??!!??

Not the first time I've heard of this sort of cock up, I have to say. Of
course nobody would have known until one site had a meter.
The point now is who is going to pay the out of pocket expenses and
compensation to the family overcharged. Who fitted the meter, who drew the
plan for the original supply etc.
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
wrote in message
...
From a local FB group....

When Jane (name changed to protect the innocent)and I moved into Church
House 3 ish years ago we found we were paying a huge 1/4 bill for water, we
are on a meter. Having settled in we contacted Southern water and questioned
it. We went through a process of "Do you have a water mill" "No" "Do you
have a swimming pool" "No" "Do you have 10 children" "NO". Ok you have a
leak ! I said Ok can you come and have a look. They said "Yes". But they
never came, I contacted them weeks later and said "When are you coming"
Their reply was aggressive and unnecessary "We are not coming the leak is on
your property it's down to you" end of story. Well no, not quite. After
saving up a lot of money for a local company (Excellent local company) to
put a new water main in, we had it completed this weekend. Great ???? No
???? we have cut off our next door neighbours water supply. She had been
paying water rates whilst her water had come through our meter. What leak ?
I leave you to make your own conclusions. Southern Water ??!!??

wrote:
From a local FB group....

When Jane (name changed to protect the innocent)and I moved into Church
House 3 ish years ago we found we were paying a huge 1/4 bill for water,
we are on a meter. Having settled in we contacted Southern water and
questioned it. We went through a process of "Do you have a water mill"
"No" "Do you have a swimming pool" "No" "Do you have 10 children" "NO".
Ok you have a leak ! I said Ok can you come and have a look. They said
"Yes". But they never came, I contacted them weeks later and said "When
are you coming" Their reply was aggressive and unnecessary "We are not
coming the leak is on your property it's down to you" end of story. Well
no, not quite. After saving up a lot of money for a local company
(Excellent local company) to put a new water main in, we had it completed
this weekend. Great �� No 👎� we have cut off our next door neighbours
water supply. She had been paying water rates whilst her water had come
through our meter. What leak ? I leave you to make your own conclusions.
Southern Water ??!!??


Hmm, the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter so where
did the new water main get connected? Unless the meter was resited as well
of course.

A similar thing happened with my wifes elderly aunt who had a meter
installed but ended up paying excessive charges. Turned out the neighbours
supply branched off well after the main entered her basement and the
meter/stopcock was supplying both properties.

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

"Tim+" wrote in message
...
wrote:
From a local FB group....

When Jane (name changed to protect the innocent)and I moved into Church
House 3 ish years ago we found we were paying a huge 1/4 bill for water,
we are on a meter. Having settled in we contacted Southern water and
questioned it. We went through a process of "Do you have a water mill"
"No" "Do you have a swimming pool" "No" "Do you have 10 children" "NO".
Ok you have a leak ! I said Ok can you come and have a look. They said
"Yes". But they never came, I contacted them weeks later and said "When
are you coming" Their reply was aggressive and unnecessary "We are not
coming the leak is on your property it's down to you" end of story. Well
no, not quite. After saving up a lot of money for a local company
(Excellent local company) to put a new water main in, we had it completed
this weekend. Great �� No 👎� we have cut off our next door neighbours
water supply. She had been paying water rates whilst her water had come
through our meter. What leak ? I leave you to make your own conclusions.
Southern Water ??!!??


Hmm, the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter so
where
did the new water main get connected?

At the meter, which is usually co-located with the in-street stop-cock.

where else would you put it?

tim

Tim+ wrote:
Hmm, the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter so where
did the new water main get connected? Unless the meter was resited as well
of course.

On a related point, are the water pipe maps available publically anywhere?

I know there's lots of it that's uncertain - I heard that at privatisation
some utilities junked all the paper records because they weren't a profit
centre - but in the way that various planning/etc documents are online, is
any water documentation?

Theo

Theo wrote:

are the water pipe maps available publically anywhere?

available to inspect at water co. offices, or to purchase an extract if
you're considering a drinking water, sewerage or surface water connection.

They used to have copies at district council offices, but I was recently
told they've stopped doing that as they were too old and out of date.

On 19/06/2019 10:48, tim... wrote:


"Tim+" wrote in message
...
wrote:
From a local FB group....

Â*When Jane (name changed to protect the innocent)and I moved into Church
House 3 ish years ago we found we were paying a huge 1/4 bill for water,
we are on a meter. Having settled in we contacted Southern water and
questioned it. We went through a process of "Do you have a water mill"
"No" "Do you have a swimming pool" "No" "Do you have 10 children" "NO".
Ok you have a leak ! I said Ok can you come and have a look. They said
"Yes". But they never came, I contacted them weeks later and said "When
are you coming" Their reply was aggressive and unnecessary "We are not
coming the leak is on your property it's down to you" end of story. Well
no, not quite. After saving up a lot of money for a local company
(Excellent local company) to put a new water main in, we had it
completed
this weekend. Great �� No 👎� we have cut off our next door
neighbours
water supply. She had been paying water rates whilst her water had come
through our meter. What leak ? I leave you to make your own conclusions.
Southern Water ??!!??


Hmm,Â* the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter so
where
did the new water main get connected?

At the meter, which is usually co-located with the in-street stop-cock.

where else would you put it?


Not everyone has such a stop-tap. And in earlier years they often
fitted them inside premises even when there was one.

I heard a surveyor of some seniority advise 40+ years ago "when you buy
a house turn off the water where the main enters your property and check
(a) you have no water from your taps and (b) your neighbours do from
theirs."


--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

Top posted for Brian from Andrew

But it's easy to check a water meter, just turn OFF your own
internal stop cock, then find the meter and watch the little
wheel on top. If it is moving at all, then water is going
somewhere.

NEXT, turn your water OFF at the meter using the little
plastic tool, and turn back ON the internal stopcock.

If your taps now work, the meter is cross connected.
Just leave it OFF out at the meter and wait for
wailing screams from a neighbour.

On 19/06/2019 08:23, Brian Gaff wrote:
Not the first time I've heard of this sort of cock up, I have to say. Of
course nobody would have known until one site had a meter.
The point now is who is going to pay the out of pocket expenses and
compensation to the family overcharged. Who fitted the meter, who drew the
plan for the original supply etc.
Brian

On 19/06/2019 11:34, Theo wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
Hmm, the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter so where
did the new water main get connected? Unless the meter was resited as well
of course.

On a related point, are the water pipe maps available publically anywhere?

I know there's lots of it that's uncertain - I heard that at privatisation
some utilities junked all the paper records because they weren't a profit
centre - but in the way that various planning/etc documents are online, is
any water documentation?

Theo


Southern water know where their water pipes are because they always
include a map if they are asked to comment on a planning
application that might affect their system.

On Wed, 19 Jun 2019 10:48:50 +0100, "tim..."
wrote:


At the meter, which is usually co-located with the in-street stop-cock.

where else would you put it?

Mine's in the downstairs cloakroom, readable from outside, and in my
previous house it was in the kitchen.

In article , Theo
wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
Hmm, the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter so
where did the new water main get connected? Unless the meter was
resited as well of course.

On a related point, are the water pipe maps available publically anywhere?

I know there's lots of it that's uncertain - I heard that at
privatisation some utilities junked all the paper records because they
weren't a profit centre - but in the way that various planning/etc
documents are online, is any water documentation?

years ago I was working with an Elecrticity Board and a customer wanted to
upgrade his supply. According to the maps he had none. A trace, in making a
new copy of the map, had missed one tiny line.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
Theo wrote:

are the water pipe maps available publically anywhere?

available to inspect at water co. offices, or to purchase an extract if
you're considering a drinking water, sewerage or surface water connection.

They used to have copies at district council offices, but I was recently
told they've stopped doing that as they were too old and out of date.

District councils used to look after sewage.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

"Andrew" wrote in message
...
On 19/06/2019 11:34, Theo wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
Hmm, the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter so
where
did the new water main get connected? Unless the meter was resited as
well
of course.

On a related point, are the water pipe maps available publically
anywhere?

I know there's lots of it that's uncertain - I heard that at
privatisation
some utilities junked all the paper records because they weren't a profit
centre - but in the way that various planning/etc documents are online,
is
any water documentation?

Theo


Southern water know where their water pipes are because they always
include a map if they are asked to comment on a planning
application that might affect their system.

they may have a map that they think shows where the pipes are

But experience says that they are not always correct

tim

"Robin" wrote in message
...
On 19/06/2019 10:48, tim... wrote:


"Tim+" wrote in message
...
wrote:
From a local FB group....

When Jane (name changed to protect the innocent)and I moved into
Church
House 3 ish years ago we found we were paying a huge 1/4 bill for
water,
we are on a meter. Having settled in we contacted Southern water and
questioned it. We went through a process of "Do you have a water mill"
"No" "Do you have a swimming pool" "No" "Do you have 10 children" "NO".
Ok you have a leak ! I said Ok can you come and have a look. They said
"Yes". But they never came, I contacted them weeks later and said "When
are you coming" Their reply was aggressive and unnecessary "We are not
coming the leak is on your property it's down to you" end of story.
Well
no, not quite. After saving up a lot of money for a local company
(Excellent local company) to put a new water main in, we had it
completed
this weekend. Great �� No 👎� we have cut off our next door
neighbours
water supply. She had been paying water rates whilst her water had come
through our meter. What leak ? I leave you to make your own
conclusions.
Southern Water ??!!??


Hmm, the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter so
where
did the new water main get connected?

At the meter, which is usually co-located with the in-street stop-cock.

where else would you put it?


Not everyone has such a stop-tap.

I think that it's clear from the OP's description, that she does

tim

"Peter Johnson" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 19 Jun 2019 10:48:50 +0100, "tim..."
wrote:


At the meter, which is usually co-located with the in-street stop-cock.

where else would you put it?

Mine's in the downstairs cloakroom, readable from outside, and in my
previous house it was in the kitchen.

Mine's in my hall cupboard

but that's because I don't have an outside one

but if you do, then that is where the water company would want to fit a
meter

and in 99% of cases where one stop-cock disconnects two properties, it will
be outside

tim

On 19/06/2019 19:07, tim... wrote:


"Robin" wrote in message
...
On 19/06/2019 10:48, tim... wrote:


"Tim+" wrote in message
...

wrote:



Hmm,Â* the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter
so where
did the new water main get connected?

At the meter, which is usually co-located with the in-street stop-cock.

where else would you put it?


Not everyone has such a stop-tap.

I think that it's clear from the OP's description, that she does

My stop tap is around 50 meters up the road.

tim





--
"The great thing about Glasgow is that if there's a nuclear attack it'll
look exactly the same afterwards."

Billy Connolly

On 19/06/2019 11:53, Robin wrote:
On 19/06/2019 10:48, tim... wrote:


"Tim+" wrote in message
...

wrote:
From a local FB group....

Â*When Jane (name changed to protect the innocent)and I moved into
Church
House 3 ish years ago we found we were paying a huge 1/4 bill for
water,
we are on a meter. Having settled in we contacted Southern water and
questioned it. We went through a process of "Do you have a water mill"
"No" "Do you have a swimming pool" "No" "Do you have 10 children" "NO".
Ok you have a leak ! I said Ok can you come and have a look. They said
"Yes". But they never came, I contacted them weeks later and said "When
are you coming" Their reply was aggressive and unnecessary "We are not
coming the leak is on your property it's down to you" end of story.
Well
no, not quite. After saving up a lot of money for a local company
(Excellent local company) to put a new water main in, we had it
completed
this weekend. Great �� No 👎� we have cut off our next door
neighbours
water supply. She had been paying water rates whilst her water had come
through our meter. What leak ? I leave you to make your own
conclusions.
Southern Water ??!!??


Hmm,Â* the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter so
where
did the new water main get connected?

At the meter, which is usually co-located with the in-street stop-cock.

where else would you put it?


Not everyone has such a stop-tap.Â* And in earlier years they often
fitted them inside premises even when there was one.

I heard a surveyor of some seniority advise 40+ years ago "when you buy
a house turn off the water where the main enters your property and check
(a) you have no water from your taps and (b) your neighbours do from
theirs."

We had the opposite. We had a drain that kept blocking and eventually
had to be dug up because the jetting company got their equipment stuck
in it. I took the opportunity to replace the damaged section with
plastic, only to find half-way through that next-door's kitchen drains
down our drain, when they did the washing up. Fortunately their bathroom
drains down a spearate one on the other side of their property!

SteveW

tim... wrote:


"Tim+" wrote in message
...
wrote:
From a local FB group....

When Jane (name changed to protect the innocent)and I moved into Church
House 3 ish years ago we found we were paying a huge 1/4 bill for water,
we are on a meter. Having settled in we contacted Southern water and
questioned it. We went through a process of "Do you have a water mill"
"No" "Do you have a swimming pool" "No" "Do you have 10 children" "NO".
Ok you have a leak ! I said Ok can you come and have a look. They said
"Yes". But they never came, I contacted them weeks later and said "When
are you coming" Their reply was aggressive and unnecessary "We are not
coming the leak is on your property it's down to you" end of story. Well
no, not quite. After saving up a lot of money for a local company
(Excellent local company) to put a new water main in, we had it completed
this weekend. Great �� No 👎� we have cut off our next door neighbours
water supply. She had been paying water rates whilst her water had come
through our meter. What leak ? I leave you to make your own conclusions.
Southern Water ??!!??


Hmm, the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter so
where
did the new water main get connected?

At the meter, which is usually co-located with the in-street stop-cock.

where else would you put it?

tim


That occurred to me after I posted. The only domestic water meter Ive seen
was in a basement.

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

On 19/06/2019 23:39, Tim+ wrote:
tim... wrote:


"Tim+" wrote in message
...
wrote:
From a local FB group....

When Jane (name changed to protect the innocent)and I moved into Church
House 3 ish years ago we found we were paying a huge 1/4 bill for water,
we are on a meter. Having settled in we contacted Southern water and
questioned it. We went through a process of "Do you have a water mill"
"No" "Do you have a swimming pool" "No" "Do you have 10 children" "NO".
Ok you have a leak ! I said Ok can you come and have a look. They said
"Yes". But they never came, I contacted them weeks later and said "When
are you coming" Their reply was aggressive and unnecessary "We are not
coming the leak is on your property it's down to you" end of story. Well
no, not quite. After saving up a lot of money for a local company
(Excellent local company) to put a new water main in, we had it completed
this weekend. Great �� No 👎� we have cut off our next door neighbours
water supply. She had been paying water rates whilst her water had come
through our meter. What leak ? I leave you to make your own conclusions.
Southern Water ??!!??


Hmm, the branch to the neighbour must have been *after* the meter so
where
did the new water main get connected?

At the meter, which is usually co-located with the in-street stop-cock.

where else would you put it?

tim


That occurred to me after I posted. The only domestic water meter Ive seen
was in a basement.

Last property I rented had it under the sink near the mains stopcock

Tim



--
"It is an established fact to 97% confidence limits that left wing
conspirators see right wing conspiracies everywhere"

On Wednesday, 19 June 2019 08:20:17 UTC+1, wrote:
From a local FB group....

When Jane (name changed to protect the innocent)and I moved into Church House 3 ish years ago we found we were paying a huge 1/4 bill for water, we are on a meter. Having settled in we contacted Southern water and questioned it. We went through a process of "Do you have a water mill" "No" "Do you have a swimming pool" "No" "Do you have 10 children" "NO". Ok you have a leak ! I said Ok can you come and have a look. They said "Yes". But they never came, I contacted them weeks later and said "When are you coming" Their reply was aggressive and unnecessary "We are not coming the leak is on your property it's down to you" end of story. Well no, not quite. After saving up a lot of money for a local company (Excellent local company) to put a new water main in, we had it completed this weekend. Great �� No 👎� we have cut off our next door neighbours water supply. She had been paying water rates whilst her water had come through our meter. What leak ? I leave you to make your own conclusions. Southern Water ??!!??

Well usually anything downstream of the meter is your responsibility.
I should have been checked out when the meter was installed.