Right of access?

[woad]

Looking for some advice...

My neighbours and I live in what is best described as a courtyard, or mini-close.

One neighbour has a faulty water pipe/meter. United Utils have come out to inspect, decided there is a leak, and need to find it. So they dug up the courtyard opposite the house, outside another neighbour (imagine the houses at the opposite bottom ends of a horseshoe).

It turns out that the water pipes enter the courtyard, then hang a right into one neighbours garden, then do a u-turn and come back out (!!!), before feeding back in to supply water to that property.

UU are adamant that the work was done by - or on behalf of - the site contractor. The contractor is adamant it was done by UU, and they are wholly responsible. We, as residents, are caught in the middle.

The problem? The front garden has to be dug up to gain access to the neighbours' leak! The pipes are adjacent to the only pathway/access to the property. If there are further problems, it will require digging up again...

What we need to know is

1. Who is responsible for water supply on a new build residential estate - site contractor or "water board" (e.g. UU).
2. If UU have to dig up the garden, are they obliged to restore it to previous state (including established shrubs and trees)
3. Given the proximity to the house, are they liable for any damage caused by walking in dirt (its very heavy clay soil), and if carpet cleaning couldnt remove it, cost of replacing carpet
4. Given the circuitous route of the supply, can they be forced to remedy the pipework such that further work to neighbours supply does not inconvenience this householder?
5. Out of interest, do UU have any legal right of access to dig up her garden - without permission - should she decide not to allow them access to do the work?

Many thanks!

[MrShed]

I dont know the answer to any of the others, but I would have thought that question 3 really is a matter of common sense in removing your shoes prior to entering your home during the work....

[woad]

hence the use of the word "any"... Obviously no one wants any damage, she has only lived here for two years, and the carpets are new.

However, although taking shoes off seems obvious, its not quite so easy when you have shopping, a 5yr old daughter c/w friends and bicycles/scooters, etc. And soil has a habit of moving... hence the question. I take my shoes off by my back door when in the garden. Grass cuttings etc still find there way in!

[gni03349]

I don't know either, but.... the planning department at your town/county hall would have given permission to a) build in the first place, b) lay utilities .

It might be worth a call to them to see if they can help in pointing you in the right direction.

Just a thought.

Regards etc...