Our use of cookies Water pipes – who’s responsible?
Water leakage is a common problem. It is estimated that 3 billion litres of water are wasted daily across the British water network. A leak on your business property can cost thousands of unnecessary water charges and cause structural damage to your building.
The critical question our customers ask us is, who is responsible? The water supplier, wholesaler, landlord, insurance company and tenant play a role.
Our blog outlines actions and responsibilities for all parties when a water leak occurs within or near a commercial property.
The first key question is the exact location of the leak. Here’s our simplified diagram of a commercial property connected to the water network:
If a water leak occurs before the stopcock valve, in either the mains or communication pipe, then the leak is entirely the water wholesaler’s responsibility. Since the water meter is usually next to the stopcock valve, your business will not be charged for water lost in the leak.
If a water leak occurs after the stopcock valve, the property owner, tenant, or insurance company will be responsible for the supply pipe or within your business property.
Where a supply point connects multiple properties, the ultimate responsibility is shared between the properties ultimately supplied by the leaking pipe.
How do I know if there is a water leak?
Check out our guide to the signs that your company could be suffering from a business water leak.
What do I do when a water leak occurs outside my business property?
If you notice or suspect a water leak that is not within the boundaries of your business property, you should contact your business water supplier. Your business water supplier will contact the local water wholesaler on your behalf to arrange for the leak to be inspected and fixed.
What do I do when a water leak occurs on my business property?
If you are experiencing a major leak, the first action could be to shut off your property’s stopcock value to prevent further leakage and property damage. Shutting the stopcock valve will shut off the supply of water to your entire property.
When a water leak occurs either as an external pipe on your business property or within the property itself, then each of the parties should act as follows:
Tenant – Refer to your commercial property lease to understand whether your landlord is responsible for repairing a water leak. In either case, we recommend informing your landlord of the leak and the actions taken.
Landlord – Refer to your property lease and insurance policies to understand who is responsible for arranging and paying for repairs.
Insurer – Burst water pipes are generally covered by commercial property insurance policies. Before engaging a repair company, we recommend contacting your insurer to fully understand the claims process and ensure an approved supplier is used.
Repairs – Watersafe provides a directory of local approved plumbers to help with repairs.
Depending on the size and nature of your leak, it may be necessary to contact a commercial property leak expert who can utilise pipe detection equipment to locate and repair the leak.
Who’s responsible for the sewers and drains?
Responsibility for wastewater and sewerage pipes works the same way as the potable water system above.
Regional wholesalers for the sewerage network can often be a different company from your water wholesaler. You can use our Who is My Water Supplier service to find out who your wholesaler is.
The responsibilities of business water suppliers
Business water suppliers are responsible for providing their customers with a point of contact in the event of a water leak. The customer services department at your business water supplier will work with your local water and wastewater wholesalers to fix supply issues.
Are you struggling to get hold of your customer services department? It could be time to switch business water suppliers. Start today with our business water comparison service.
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