# Who is responsible for the water supply pipe? | Notts Leak Detection > Who is responsible for the water supply pipe? You are, from the boundary to the house, even under a neighbour's land. The water company owns the rest. URL: https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/who-is-responsible-for-water-supply-pipe/ 1. [Home](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/) 2. [Water Supply Pipe Repair](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-supply-pipe-repair/) 3. Who is responsible for the water supply pipe? Learn # Who is responsible for the water supply pipe? [Notts Leak Detection](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/) explains who is responsible for the water supply pipe: where the water company's responsibility ends and yours begins, and the awkward cases. Published 28 September 2026 · Updated 28 September 2026 · By Notts Leak Detection **Short answer:** The homeowner is responsible for the water supply pipe from the property boundary to the house, even where it runs under someone else's land. Severn Trent is responsible for the water main, the communication pipe, the boundary stop tap and the meter. A shared supply pipe is the joint responsibility of every property it serves. Who is responsible for the water supply pipe comes down to one line: the property boundary. On the street side, the pipes belong to the water company. On your side, they belong to you. The awkward cases are shared pipes and pipes that cross someone else’s land. ## The rule [Severn Trent says](https://www.stwater.co.uk/my-supply/tap-water/my-water-pipes/water-pipe-responsibility/) it owns the water main, the communication pipe, the boundary stop tap and the meter. The homeowner owns the supply pipe from the boundary to the house, and all the plumbing inside. Pipe Whose it is Water main under the road Severn Trent Communication pipe from the main to the boundary Severn Trent Boundary stop tap and meter Severn Trent Supply pipe from the boundary to the house You Internal stop tap and plumbing You A [BBC explainer in August 2026](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3d3772v7kro) quoted the Consumer Council for Water on a common misconception: that water companies are responsible all the way to the house, as gas and electricity suppliers often are. They aren’t. ## Pipes under other people’s land Your supply pipe is yours even where it runs under a neighbour’s garden, a shared drive or a back alley. Severn Trent says so explicitly. It works the other way too: if a neighbour’s pipe runs under your drive and leaks, it is theirs to fix, though they need your agreement to get to it. Not sure whose side the leak is on? A meter test on the phone usually answers it in a few minutes. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) ## Shared supply pipes Sometimes one supply pipe serves several houses. Severn Trent says Victorian terraces usually share one supply pipe, pre-1940s semis often do, and many council estates were built with one large pipe along the backs of the houses. A shared supply pipe is the joint responsibility of every property it serves, so a leak on the common section is a shared cost. A leak on the branch that serves only your house is yours alone. See [shared supply pipe leaks](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/shared-supply-pipe-leak/). ## Renting The supply pipe belongs to the property owner, so a leak on it is normally the landlord’s to repair. If you are on a meter and paying the bill, tell the landlord in writing as soon as you suspect a leak. Who pays for the lost water depends on the tenancy. ## What happens if you don’t fix it If the water company believes water is being wasted from your pipe, it can serve a notice under [Section 75 of the Water Industry Act 1991](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/56/section/75) giving you at least 7 days to repair it. If the work isn’t done, it can do it and recover its reasonable costs. See [private leakage notices](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/private-leakage-notice/). ## What you can get back Once a supply-pipe leak is fixed, Severn Trent offers a one-off leakage allowance once the leak is repaired, covering up to 12 months or two bills based on actual meter readings. See [how the Severn Trent leak allowance works](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/severn-trent-leak-allowance/). ## Bottom line If the leak is between the boundary and your house, it is yours to fix, even under a neighbour's land. If it is in the road, it is the water company's. Shared pipes are shared costs. Call 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791), 9am–7pm, 7 days. ## Questions people also ask ### Is the water meter my responsibility? No. Severn Trent owns the meter and the boundary stop tap. A leak on the meter or in the boundary box is theirs to fix: report it on 0800 783 4444 (+448007834444). ### My neighbour's pipe runs under my garden. Is it my problem? No. A supply pipe belongs to the property it serves, even where it crosses other land. A leak on it is your neighbour's to fix, although they will need your agreement to get to it. ### How do I find out if my supply is shared? Check your property deeds, and ask the water company what records it holds. On site, tracing the pipe route and checking which stop tap turns off which house settles it. Related service [Water Supply Pipe Repair](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-supply-pipe-repair/) One leak on your supply pipe, found and fixed through a single small hole. [View service](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-supply-pipe-repair/) Talk it through Lines open Monday–Sunday, 9am–7pm. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) ## More guides - [Learn How does the Severn Trent leak allowance work?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/severn-trent-leak-allowance/) - [Decision Guide How much does leak detection cost in Nottingham?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/leak-detection-cost/) - [Decision Guide How much does water supply pipe replacement cost?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/water-supply-pipe-replacement-cost/) - [Learn How to find a water leak underground](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/how-to-find-water-leak-underground/) - [Learn What does trace and access cover?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/trace-and-access-cover/)