Underground pipes and your insurance
Sinead Campbell, from London Flats Insurance, discusses who is responsible for underground pipes and how they can affect your insurance.
When broken or leaking, underground pipes can be very difficult to manage. If a pipe starts leaking into the ground surrounding it, this can cause a multitude of problems, such as:
- Cracked or uneven paving slabs
- Damage to walls, patios and outbuildings
- Building damage
- Subsidence
Usually, insurance policies only cover damage to the pipe itself. That’s why other policies which specifically cover subsidence or escape of water are so handy – they will ensure a high level of protection, no matter what happens.
Who is responsible?
Your local water company owns and maintains the water mains and services in the street and in the footpath up to the boundary of your property, subject to some minor or rare exceptions. All Residents Management Companies (RMC) are responsible, by law, for maintaining the underground water service pipe that runs from the boundary of their property grounds into the flat blocks.
So, if there is a leak on this part of the service pipe within the property boundary, the responsibility for making a repair falls to the RMC. In some circumstances, responsibility may extend beyond the property boundary, however this should be detailed in your lease.
If you have a leak on your section of the service pipe, your local water company may still be able to help you. However, they will not normally carry out a free repair if the leak is found to be inside your home, underneath or close to a garage or outbuilding (or other permanent structure), or if it is under a block paved or concrete surface.
If the repair required is not entitled to a free repair by your local water company, then they will advise you and ask you to arrange repair usually within a short period of time, as leaks can cause serious issues for yourself and your neighbours.
Your local water company may be able to provide you with a quote for the work and they should provide you with an estimate of costs prior to you arranging for the work to begin. It is always a good idea to keep their number handy in case of these emergencies.
Will my policy cover a broken underground pipe?
Here at London Flats Insurance, our Buildings Policy includes cover towards damage to underground pipes, as well as protection against subsidence and escape of water.
Although most policies include some type of cover against the damage caused by leaking underground pipes, there are some common policy exclusions that you should be aware of.
These include:
- gradual damage
- wear and tear
- poor design
- poor construction
- poor workmanship
Broken pipes can often be a big hassle, especially as you can’t see the cause of the damage. However, having a suitable insurance policy in place which offers sufficient protection is a great way to give you peace of mind that if any pipes do start leaking, you’re prepared.