Legal advice needed!

[Jerroboam]

Hello,

We are tenant farmers on an estate and have new landlords. The estate was split up into two last summer (when sold) and our landlord no longer owns the land that the bore hole is on... we have to pay for our water supply like we were paying a large company. But for the last year we have had a very sporadic water supply. When it decides to be on we have very little pressure and at least once a week we have no water at all for at least a whole day (for example today it has been off since 8.30am!) We speak to the estate maintenance man and get told all sorts of tales and ring our land agents and the owner of the bore holes agents but we still get no where. We have even had to go down and fix problems with the water pump ourselves on several occassions. However I am more than fed up now, we have sheep and cattle as well as the horses on the farm and today it is 25 degress and we have NO water... We are never made aware when they have to turn the water off for routine maintenance etc so we are never able to make emergency provisions.

If you have stuck with me thank you! Some what at my wits end today!

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

No one is able to give you legal advise without letters of instruction being signed. The only thing I can suggest is you get in contact with a Rural Surveyor who is both RICS and CAAV qualified and get them to offer you advice- that will include letting you know your likely rights and what type of agreement you have for the water supply. I would suggest a strongly worded letter from either your land agents, or an Agricultural Solicitor may get their bottom's into gear!

Why have you not got an agreement in place setting out your rights to the water?! It is very risky leaving this up to common law to settle!!!