Neighbour's builder ruptured lead mains into flat, advice needed!

[breaker]

Hi all,

On Monday my neighbours builder, when putting a new fence in between our properties ruptured the lead pipe main inlet to our flat. I went outside and they told me they were going to fix it. Later I returned and saw the 'fix'. They had used some sort of plastic/rubber or similar wrapping around the hole in the pipe, held in by 4 jubilee clips, 2 each side. The builder told me it would be fine, but I had my doubts straight away. By the evening they had concreted it all in.

I've since remonstrated with him and the neighbour that this does not seem like a proper fix at all. I spoke to a friend who is a plumber who said there's no way that it's a proper repair and that I will more than likely leak. I'm pretty worried about this as the position of it is right in front of our property and the repercussions of water leaking under out house are obviously not good.

Can anyone here shed any more light on this? I need second/third opinions... My plumber friend suggested that any fix involving jubilee clips/wrapping/solvent of any kind is not a proper repair at all, especially not to an old lead pipe.

Thanks

Al

 

[hammers4spanner]

I know nobody gives a monkeys but rant you suppose to be WRAS registered to be working on mains water?

 

[village idiot]

It's a shame you did not follow your gut instinct and tell them to sort it out? Now builders have gone, chances are they will not answer their phone. Builder who did our front porch now refuses to answer phone???

 

[townfanjon]

To be honest I would just dig it up and purchase a couple of philimacs lead locks and a bit of the correct size mdpe pipe ?

Be a better idea than a top hose off an old cortina, and a few jub clips, which bob the builder sounds to have used.

 

[tamz]

I know nobody gives a monkeys but rant you suppose to be WRAS registered to be working on mains water?

Allegedly :wink: :lol:

 

[Ermintrude]

Your water is not potable. Jubiliee clips are not classified as a impervious mechanical connection. Therefore the water supply is not wholesome. If it's supplying two properties after the botch call your local water company and report it.

 

[newcastle phill]

I'm not so sure there is anything wrong with putting a pipe under a fence if it is buried to the right depth

And just who is gonna bury a fence !!

 

[breaker]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I guess it's confirmed my suspicions. FWIW the pipe is the original old lead mains pipe, been there for decades untouched i'd imagine.

Particularly worried about what one of you has said about the water not being potable, as my little boy is not even two - certainly don't want him drinking that then. Also my flat is a maisonette, the upstairs flat's water is from the same feed.

Will be taking it up with the neighbour in the morning!

 

[REDSAW]

lead poisoning over time!!!!

if its any help, i was called out to a burst water main by a national company last year.
upon approaching the address i found niaga falls running down the street so just followed it to the source (bit like top gear).
when i got there the owner was installing new fencing to the front of his property and rammed a post spike into the mains
(6' inside his boundary before his stop-cock). i rang severn trent who came out and told the owner it will cost £3-400 (whatever). i then told them the feed is not set at the correct depth and is only 600mm below ground. the chap grumbled a bit, said your right then done the repair for free!.
me? i charged the call out then left

 

[goz666]

TBH you should've insisted on seeing the repair as soon as you were suspicious. If I was the builder I would argue that you had the time to question it, in fact you did and seemed happy with the reply hence he carried on and concreted over it. Hindsight is great but the builder is within his rights I think to ask you to pay for digging it back up, and if it's a poor fix then he should pay the cost of repair. Then again, how do you know he didn't make a repair with two lead loc fittings and pipe then protected it all with rubber sheath and jubilee clips.

 

[REDSAW]

its the water carriers property so they will be interested in whats been done!!