Neighbour wants to dig up my garden

Soldato
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I would be very uneasy about this and as such would just say no thanks.

If there is a legal requirement then advice needed at his cost, to cover your back for now and years to come.
 
Soldato
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Don't know about the utilities aspect, but a neighbour doing work close or on your boundary line can be subject to a party wall award. The developer pays, so you could ask for the neighbour to obtain one (i.e. appoint an impartial party wallsurveyor). The surveyor will liaise with the necessary specialists on both people's behalf, and at least advise you.
 
Associate
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Why don't they just mole it, along the same line they want to dig the trench? Doesn't cost a lot more, I had a new water main moled about 5/6 years ago to replace the old lead pipe. Only cost me£500, though it was handy that the gas fellas were in the area moling new gas connections at the time... I paid cash, didn't need an invoice....:D
 
Soldato
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Why don't they just mole it, along the same line they want to dig the trench? Doesn't cost a lot more, I had a new water main moled about 5/6 years ago to replace the old lead pipe. Only cost me£500, though it was handy that the gas fellas were in the area moling new gas connections at the time... I paid cash, didn't need an invoice....:D

Nice back hander if you can get it!
 
Associate
OP
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Update: I politely refused his request to dig a trench down the side of my house a cuple of weeks ago suggestingI would be more open to them moling it to reduce issue with subsidamce and damage

Since then he has become somewhat less neighbourly. Complaining of excessive costs to him and now suggesting that the trench has been agreed by the waterboard and I have to comply.

Spoke to water board who advised an application hasn't even been made yet and they certainly have not stipulated any works required. They did however suggest that an amicable solution be found and talked a lot about being neighbourly.

Still no plans or proposal for any works othrr than a verbal explanation and "survey" by the chaps builder.

So my house is still standing and no trench warfare as yet!

/Salsa
 
Soldato
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Update: I politely refused his request to dig a trench down the side of my house a cuple of weeks ago suggestingI would be more open to them moling it to reduce issue with subsidamce and damage

Since then he has become somewhat less neighbourly. Complaining of excessive costs to him and now suggesting that the trench has been agreed by the waterboard and I have to comply.

Spoke to water board who advised an application hasn't even been made yet and they certainly have not stipulated any works required. They did however suggest that an amicable solution be found and talked a lot about being neighbourly.

Still no plans or proposal for any works othrr than a verbal explanation and "survey" by the chaps builder.

So my house is still standing and no trench warfare as yet!

/Salsa

Ah thanks for the update, always good to read the ending of a story, albeit by the sounds of this one it's still on-going though.

I would assume if he makes an application to the water company, these drive his costs up significantly.

Just sounds typical of a developer putting profit before everything else.
 
Associate
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Just say no. I mean really there is absolutely no reason why you should say yes at all. On the contrary, I can think of plenty of reasons why you wouldn't want this to happen. And no, you do not have to comply at all. Tell them all to just get lost. Dig through someone else's property. I don't really understand how he is building on land he doesn't have access to. I mean he must have access he is just cost-cutting, but you become responsible for any issues in the future. No way! Either that or charge him. £500 would be nice.
 
Last edited:
Associate
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As has been previously said Be wary
IF it leaks can do major damage to your foundations and who foots the bill?

He doesn't. A house owner is responsible for any pipes, supplies and drains on their property even if they do not originate or terminate on their property. The responsibility of the water board stops at border of your property.
 
Soldato
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Dundee
Maybe I'm being funny but it sounds like maybe he hasn't even got any building plans for what he's building as he would have had to put technical drawings in with utilities being shown I would have thought? I'd have a look at the local councils planning to see if he actually has anything authorised for building.
Where abouts in Scotland is this btw?
 
Associate
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The Matrix
Update:

Since then he has become somewhat less neighbourly. Complaining of excessive costs to him and now suggesting that the trench has been agreed by the waterboard and I have to comply.

Spoke to water board who advised an application hasn't even been made yet and they certainly have not stipulated any works required.

/Salsa

Cost is not your problem, and he’s blatantly lieing...

Stand your ground! (no pun intended)
 
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Wilds of suffolk
He doesn't. A house owner is responsible for any pipes, supplies and drains on their property even if they do not originate or terminate on their property. The responsibility of the water board stops at border of your property.

I don't think this is right actually.
I believe the property owner is responsible for the length of his pipe even if it crosses another persons land.
This is different of course if its shared, which again isn't your land your responsibility, it depends on the layout, if its on your land but is shared, its shared.

This helps, its colour coded to show responsibilites. They don't have a specific one to show a pipe simply crossing, but the table says its property owner, note this doesn't mean land owner it means the supplied property owner
I think this has changed a few times

https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/households/supply-and-standards/supply-pipes/

EDIT: actually it does cater for this.
Look at the bottom of the water supply picture, where the right most property is soley responsible for the pipe on the adaject property once it becomes a sole supply for the rightmost property.
 
Soldato
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5,761
He doesn't. A house owner is responsible for any pipes, supplies and drains on their property even if they do not originate or terminate on their property. The responsibility of the water board stops at border of your property.
This is no longer correct. Depending on the water company that owns the pipe work will determine where their responsibility ends. I contacted our water company a few years ago to ask about how I get work done to a raised man hole cover on our driveway, they said previously it would have been down to me as it was on my property, but they have taken back responsibility for them now. They came and lowered the offending item all at no cost to me.
 
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