Looking for some advice please. A guy turned up on the doorstep a few weeks back and said he’d traced a water leak affecting our property.
After much muttering and walking round the garden the leak was found to be at the connection of our supply to the mains pipe which is in the middle of the public road and outside of our boundary. I wasn’t too surprised as the road had been dug up there a few weeks earlier to lay pipework for a Gemeinde run centralised heating project for some of our neighbours.
Our water was turned off, a temporary connection made and in due course the road was dug up again and the connection was repaired. Today a Fr.-2000 bill arrived for the work.
Are we responsible? Who could we speak to to challenge the bill?
We own the property. The bill came from the contractor. When the guy first came he said we'd need to contact our building insurance company, which I did, asking that they speak directly with him. They said they would and I didn't hear anything more. I assumed this was because the leak was outside the boundary of the property and repairs were in hand.
We have some (basic) legal insurance.
I've sent a message to the contractor querying who owns the pipe at the point the leak occurred but have not had a reply.
Who ever orders is repsonsible for payment, you have a contract, oral or written with a contractor.
However you should be able to pass this on to somebody else, the water company, youir insurance company or the guys who dug up the road. Speak with youre Gemeinde, they should be able to help !
We had the same and had to pay. The leak was on our neighbour's property - but was at the T-junction where the pipe to our property came off the main pipe.
We got a bill from the Gemeinde (actually we got two or three for this) but checking the paperwork showed it was our responsibility.
We didn't feel too bad - after all, our neighbour had their drive dug up!
Normally, unless stated otherwise, you are responsible from your boundary to your home. At or near the boundary on your property should be a stopcock. You are responsible for that and from there to your property. The commune or water company has the obligation to deliver water to that point.
If you were liable you should have been informed there would be a cost and given an estimate at worse or a quotation at best.
I would talk first to the Commune to see why you are being charged.
Many thanks, I'll book a meeting at the Gemeinde but it sounds as though we may be on the hook, not least as I missed the German module on plumbing works & legal disputes. I'll report back.
1. As others wrote you, normally it is your responsibility to the point of junction with a communal line. From there, it is a common responsibility, expenses are divided according to Gemeinde / provider.
The final result slightly varies according to location and building process, but even if you were the original investor you wouldn't have much power to influence it. It looks like this: "If you want to build a house here, you need to connect there. You have to pay this and that. Sign this."
2. You can try and get refund from those who were doing that digging. If it was their fault, and if you will be able to prove it. Building and project companies have insurances fro that. Best for you would be if your and their insurance provider would communicate that between them. Good luck
Looking at the photo, I'd say it's not down to you. You could also check with your household insurance and see if they cover it if it turns out it is down to you!
I've just heard back from the contractor and "invoice sent in error", it should have gone to the Gemeinde. Phew! I'm going to have a second cup of coffee to celebrate.
Thanks again everyone for the information and useful suggestions. It really helps to have some objective advice.