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Post by hereford on May 5, 2022 14:37:43 GMT 1
Hi A second home owner whose house is near ours had a leak in a cupboard (inside the house) that houses the incoming water supply and the meter. Having called a plumber out they were told that the leak was not "their side" of the meter so that the water authorites must be called to fix it. Water people came out this afternoon and they needed a new tap. When asked by the owners whether they had to pay (via google translate apparently) the water chap replied (in the same way) said that they were responsible for any major problem on their land. Owners were not asked to sign anything and the water chap said it was not a difficult problem. They owners are concerned that they will get a bill but we think they will not!
Any experience of this sort of problem please? I am hoping to put their minds at rest. Many thanks in advance
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Post by davelister on May 5, 2022 15:02:11 GMT 1
Anything pre-meter is the responsibility on the Mairie or the water company. Not the owner of the property. I've had a number of leaks over the years ( basically the previous owner broke into the water supply to steal water but that's another story ) and all of them have been fixed by the Mairie without charge. Last year I had the main stopcock replaced as it was too stiff for me to handle. To do the job took two guys and loss of water to the entire hamlet for four hours. I was charged nothing.
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ibis
Banned Member
Posts: 1,376
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Post by ibis on May 5, 2022 15:11:41 GMT 1
could it be because the house was unheated and the pipe froze and cracked?
If the "water companies" side of the meter was on the street, accessible to them without the owners being there then you would not have to pay, but interior of a private dwelling?
Maybe check the T&C of their contract...
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Post by davelister on May 5, 2022 15:34:56 GMT 1
It doesn't matter where the physical leak is. It only matters whether or not it was before or after the meter. My meter is in the garage and I have to be present to let the guy in when he wants to read it. Many years ago the pipe in the garage froze and the Mairie had to thaw it out.
Where it gets more complicated is who pays for any water damage to the property but that's another story.
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Post by annabellespapa on May 5, 2022 15:42:37 GMT 1
Anything pre-meter is the responsibility on the Mairie or the water company. Not the owner of the property. I've had a number of leaks over the years ( basically the previous owner broke into the water supply to steal water but that's another story ) and all of them have been fixed by the Mairie without charge. Last year I had the main stopcock replaced as it was too stiff for me to handle. To do the job took two guys and loss of water to the entire hamlet for four hours. I was charged nothing. Very similar situation, we had a leak in our barn where the water meter was, we called Saur our water people and they where very non comital about coming out until I pointed out it was their side of the meter, they were on site within the hour, no joke, men in suits changing into boiler suits and digging the drive to access the leak. It was on our land but never a mention of a bill. Like Dave the previous occupier had rented the house for many years and had by passed the water meter and also with the electric making it very dangerous, he bred exotic birds in a heated open loft, must of saved a fortune over the 20 years he rented it. We bought another house in the medieval port of Dinan in Brittany and again the electric meter had been by passed, every day about 11am there was a massive clunk and a whirring sound, never found out what it was as the house was sold before we finished renovating but a friend who has lived in France for 30+ years said it was a common practise back in the day, if you knew someone in the water or electric board for a small cash fee they would tell you the next time the water or electric was off so you could improvise a by pass of the meter. |
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Post by hereford on May 5, 2022 17:20:10 GMT 1
Thank you all, we were sure they did not have to pay. The house has not been used and the heating was on low. The "cupboard" is inside the house on an outside wall (as our own is). Pipe with tap and then the meter. The only damage is that the little cupboard door and the wood surround is soggy and rotted a bit. Have a good evening.
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Post by another on May 6, 2022 20:42:30 GMT 1
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