Untreated leak on property to buy

[rs_london]

Hi there, we are interested in buying a house but have been informed by the tenants who currently live there that Thames water had detected a leak somewhere on the property. According to the tenants the landlord has never resolved it and we don't know anymore details than that. There are no physical signs of a leak anywhere in the house. Potentially, how expensive could the worst case scenario of an untreated leak be? We are hesitant to reveal to the seller that we know this information and ask further about it as the tenants told us in confidence.

 

[Rob Foster]

This is more a property issue than a plumbing one. If your buying then get a full survey carried out, unless you have 100% cash it will have to happen anyway. Tenants are full of
ideas , maybe they dont want a new landlord that might turf them out. centralheatking

 

[rs_london]

This is more a property issue than a plumbing one. If your buying then get a full survey carried out, unless you have 100% cash it will have to happen anyway. Tenants are full of
ideas , maybe they dont want a new landlord that might turf them out. centralheatking

Thanks Rob! The tenants are moving out anyway so have no real need to lie but we would definitely get a full survey anyway.

 

[Aire]

Worst case scenario? Could be a leak on the incoming main. Dependent on where it is how bad and how long it's been happening, damage to the foundations/footings of the property may have happened.

 

[rs_london]

Worst case scenario? Could be a leak on the incoming main. Dependent on where it is how bad and how long it's been happening, damage to the foundations/footings of the property may have happened.

Thanks Craig! I know this is a very tricky question but what would be the top end costs if something like that had happened?

 

[Aire]

Thanks Craig! I know this is a very tricky question but what would be the top end costs if something like that had happened?

I really can't answer that. There's far to many factors involved. It really is worst case scenario and the reality of it happening is rare.

 

[Coby kenny AGUILAR]

Easy way to check only if you have a water meter

Don't use any water appliance in the property for 30 minutes, check for dripping taps, ball valves ect..

Go look at the meter if the numbers are still turning, double check all appliances - anything that uses water

If nothing is running you have a leak

Isolate incoming water main and read the meter if it has stopped turning the leaks internal if it still turns it's outside or on the main coming in

Contact local water main specialist get 3 quotes and figure who to use, there's no set price on this, but will be labour intensitive
- do no expect a cheap day rate

 

[Chuck]

You need to discuss this with the solicitor doing your conveyancing.

 

[Riley]

Really not a forum thing. We can suggest but ultimately it’s down to you do your due diligence before signing on the dotted line

 

[Best]

Check with Thames Water.
It probably isn’t a data protected information

 

[rs_london]

Check with Thames Water.
It probably isn’t a data protected information

Thanks Best but I did that and they can't give out the information

 

[rs_london]

Really not a forum thing. We can suggest but ultimately it’s down to you do your due diligence before signing on the dotted line

We are absolutely going to do all the surveys we can to check it but just before putting in an offer we wanted to know whether this could be something that costs a couple of thousand or tens of thousands... as we have absolutely no experience...

 

[ShaunCorbs]

If thames have been out prob a water main leak so price for replacing

Prob old lead