Customer repair offer

The offer covers household properties, whether private, local authority or housing association owned with some stipulated limitations, which are outlined within this document. The offer is to replace or repair the supply pipe between the outside stop valve and the point of entry to the building at the discretion of Thames Water. 

We’ll only repair or replace the water supply pipe beneath a building or structure at our discretion. Where it’s been deemed necessary to replace a pipe which runs partially beneath a building, we may alter the route of the pipe as appropriate. 

Please be aware that while we strive to provide comprehensive coverage free repairs for leaks inside the house may not be fully covered under the policy. This limitation arises due to the potential complexities involved in accessing the affected pipes. Each job will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for a decision.  

When replacing the pipe, we may offer to install a secondary outside stop valve at the point of entry to the building to help identify further leaks under the building. This is offered at our discretion. 

A full replacement of the supply pipe is our preference, but we may complete a repair when the leak is easy to spot and more practical. 

Where possible we look to provide a like for like reinstatement outcome. 

The following properties are excluded from this offer: 

• Properties where a free or subsidised repair / replacement has already been carried out, for the current owner(s)
• Properties with internal plumbing systems, standpipes, irrigation systems or other external water supplies (including garden taps)
• Properties with supply pipes exceeding 30 metres in length, and those with an outside diameter exceeding 50 millimetres
• Properties where the leak location would result in needing to dig into a resin driveway 

We may employ sub-contractors to carry out the whole or part of the work.

We, or one of our representatives, will arrange with you the day we’ll start work. If it’s going to take more than one day to complete, we’ll let you know. We will need an adult representative (over the age of 18) at the property to turn the water fittings on and off as necessary. 

If we are going to replace the pipe up to the internal stop valve, you’ll be responsible for removing any kitchen units, or other fixtures and fittings, to allow access to the pipe/valve. We will not accept liability for any loss or damage resulting from such removal. 

If we are excavating near plants and bushes, we would advise that these are temporarily removed prior to our attendance, to reduce any damage to them during our work. It will be for the customer to remove and replant any plants or bushes before and after our work. 

Natural ground – On completion of the work, the trench will be backfilled with material from the excavation only, making the surface level and safe. 

Tarmac and concrete – On completion of the work, the trench will be backfilled with material from the excavation only and surfaced with black Tarmac or concrete. It should be noted that on a Tarmac or concrete drive, the area of new black Tarmac or concrete over the excavated area may create a patch effect. We will not re-surface (or accept liability for the costs of resurfacing) the entire drive.

Block paving or brickwork – On completion of the work, we’ll relay the slabs or modular paving to a safe and level manner. We’ll not accept any liability for any areas that had broken/ damaged slabs or paving prior to our work commencing.

Other materials – We reserve the right to exclude relaying other surface types, and we’ll advise you of the position in each case where this applies. To return the affected area to its original condition, especially for specialist surfaces, you may need to arrange for further work to be carried out, for which we accept no liability.

We do not accept liability for:

• Any claims (whether direct or indirect) for injury to persons or damage to property arising from execution of the work except to the extent that such a claim arises from our negligence or that of our sub-contractors
• Any damage to property caused during the period you wait for a leak to be repaired 
• Any damage or loss you suffer after the repair, where such damage or loss is caused by the ground drying out because the leak has stopped
• Any remedial work to driveways, paths, patios, carparks or any other areas following natural sinkage of resurfaced material 

You agree to indemnify us against any loss we suffer as a result of the claims listed above. In particular, but without prejudice to the foregoing, this shall include any claims against us from anyone occupying the premises as a tenant or otherwise, or any visitor to the premises, whether lawful or otherwise. 

If you’ve asked us to repair your leak, we may need to work together to get access to a neighbouring property. We’ll then make a decision as to whether it is practical to replace the whole of your water supply pipe, or carry out a repair to the existing pipework.

The supply pipe will remain your responsibility.

We guarantee the quality of the repair / replacement and connections, for normal conditions of use and when the pipe and its surroundings are not otherwise disturbed, for a period of two years. We do not guarantee the quality or condition of the existing pipe either side of the repaired pipe and connections. 

Note: Our guarantees are additional to and do not detract from any statutory rights you may have. 

Each property on a shared supply is eligible for a replacement or repair where the average length of the supply pipe is less than 30m per property (for example if there are three properties on a shared supply, the supply pipe must be less than 90m). However, the supply pipe must remain no more than 50mm in diameter.

Where a property is elevated (for example, an individual flat) or where the supply enters another building first, the point-of-entry will be where it physically enters the building, not the individual property.

As shared supply pipes replacements/repairs are often very complex, we will always discuss with you, and your neighbour(s), your options before we start work.

If you don’t get the leak fixed yourself within four weeks for household properties, or ask us to do the work for you, we may use our statutory powers under the Water Industry Act 1991 to replace or repair your water supply pipe. Before we do this, we’ll send you a formal notice and if there’s no response, an enforcement notice will be sent, to give you the opportunity to get the leak fixed. 

If we have to notify you that we are using our statutory powers under Section 75 and Section 170 of the Water Industry Act 1991, we reserve the right to charge you for the cost of the work and not consider you for a full leak allowance. 

If you’re a tenant, we’ll still consider giving you a full leak allowance if you have informed your landlord (i.e. local authority or housing association) but they have failed to get the leak repaired within the four-week period. This will only apply if you have fully cooperated with getting the leak repaired quickly. 

If you have asked us to repair the leak and we do not complete the work within the four-week period, we’ll still consider giving you a full leak allowance, unless you have failed to cooperate with us to get your water supply pipe replaced or repaired.