No Water Thames Water Rights UK - What Are Your Rights?

No water Thames Water rights UK explained - understand what to do during a water supply interruption, when compensation may be available and what tenants and landlords should know

Losing your water supply can quickly become a serious problem, particularly in a rented property where tenants may be unable to cook, wash, use toilets properly or carry out normal daily activities.

If your property is supplied by Thames Water and the water suddenly stops, the first step is to establish whether the interruption is affecting only your property or a wider area. Thames Water provides guidance for customers experiencing no water or low pressure and says it aims to restore supplies as quickly as possible.

There may also be compensation rights where Thames Water fails to meet applicable guaranteed service standards.

What should I do if there is no water?

If your water supply suddenly stops, check whether the problem affects the entire property.

You should consider:

• Checking whether your internal stop tap is open

• Checking whether neighbours have water

• Checking for an obvious leak

• Checking whether Thames Water has reported an incident

• Reporting the interruption if it has not already been identified

• Keeping a record of when the supply stopped

Thames Water says incidents can result from problems including burst mains, pump failures and unexpected changes to planned works.

If the problem is inside your property rather than on the water company's network, responsibility may instead fall on the property owner, landlord or another party.

Does Thames Water have to restore my water?

Water companies have obligations concerning interruptions to domestic water supplies.

Thames Water's current Customer Guarantee Scheme provides payments in certain circumstances where a supply interruption is not restored within the applicable period.

Under the scheme, where an applicable interruption is not restored within 12 hours after Thames Water becomes aware of it, a £50 payment may become due, with a further £50 for each additional complete 12-hour period, subject to the scheme's exceptions.

This does not mean that every loss of water automatically results in a £50 payment. The circumstances of the interruption and the applicable guarantee conditions matter.

Can I get compensation for no water from Thames Water?

Potentially, yes.

Thames Water's Customer Guarantee Scheme provides compensation for certain failures involving interruptions to supply. For example, where the relevant guarantee applies and the supply is not restored within the specified timeframe, a payment may be due.

There are exceptions, including circumstances outside Thames Water's reasonable control or situations where another person's actions prevented restoration.

Customers should therefore check the circumstances of the particular incident rather than assuming compensation is automatically payable.

What if Thames Water gave a restoration time but missed it?

If Thames Water gives an estimated restoration time and fails to restore the supply by that time, the Customer Guarantee Scheme can provide for a £50 payment where its conditions are met.

If the interruption continues, additional payments can potentially become payable for each further complete 12-hour period, subject to the scheme's terms.

Keeping screenshots, messages or other evidence showing the estimated restoration time can be useful if you later need to challenge the handling of the interruption.

What if I am a tenant and have no water?

Tenants should distinguish between a Thames Water network problem and a problem with the property's plumbing or water system.

If the entire street or surrounding properties have lost water, the issue may be with Thames Water.

If neighbouring properties have normal supplies but your rented property does not, the problem could involve:

• Internal plumbing

• The stop tap

• A private pipe

• A storage tank

• A boiler or heating system

• A leak

• A defective pump

• Property-specific plumbing

Where the problem is the landlord's responsibility, the tenant should report it to the landlord or managing agent immediately.

Is a landlord responsible if a rented property has no water?

A landlord can have responsibility where the loss of water results from a defect or failure within the property that the landlord is legally required to repair.

For example, if a landlord knows that the property's plumbing system has failed and does not arrange necessary repairs, this can become a housing repair issue.

However, a landlord is not normally responsible for an interruption caused by a Thames Water network failure that is outside the landlord's control.

The landlord should nevertheless respond appropriately where the interruption creates a serious problem inside the property.

What if there is no water for several days?

A prolonged loss of water can become significantly more serious than a short interruption.

Tenants should keep a written record of:

• The date and time the supply stopped

• Communications with Thames Water

• Communications with the landlord

• Any estimated restoration times

• How long the supply remained unavailable

• Any alternative water provided

• Expenses directly resulting from the interruption

Where a rented property becomes difficult or unsafe to occupy because essential services are unavailable, tenants may need specialist housing advice.

Can I stop paying rent because there is no water?

Tenants should not simply stop paying rent because the water supply has been interrupted.

If the problem is caused by Thames Water, rent arrears against the landlord may not resolve the underlying issue.

If the problem is caused by a landlord's failure to maintain the property, the tenant may have separate legal remedies, but withholding rent without appropriate advice can create additional problems.

It is generally safer to report the issue formally and seek appropriate housing advice if the landlord fails to respond.

What if Thames Water says the problem is inside my property?

The location of the fault matters.

Thames Water explains that responsibility for leaks and pipework can depend on where the problem occurs and who owns the relevant pipe or infrastructure.

If the issue is on private property infrastructure, a homeowner or landlord may need to arrange repairs.

For a tenant, the first practical step is usually to notify the landlord or managing agent and ask them to investigate.

What if no water is affecting a whole neighbourhood?

A wider interruption may be treated as a Thames Water incident.

Thames Water categorises incidents according to their scale and says its response depends on factors including the number of properties affected and the duration of the interruption.

During a major incident, customers should follow Thames Water's updates and any instructions concerning alternative water supplies or restoration.

What evidence should I keep?

If you believe Thames Water or your landlord has failed to deal with the problem properly, evidence can make a complaint easier to pursue.

Keep:

• Incident reference numbers

• Screenshots of Thames Water updates

• Dates and times of the interruption

• Messages from Thames Water

• Emails to your landlord

• Photographs where relevant

• Receipts for reasonable expenses

• Records of missed restoration times

For landlords, maintaining records of reports and actions taken can also help demonstrate that a property-related water problem was investigated promptly.

How Fraser Bond can help landlords and property owners

A loss of water can quickly become a property-management issue when the interruption is caused by internal plumbing, leaks, pumps, heating systems or other defects.

Fraser Bond supports landlords and property owners across London and the UK with property management, maintenance coordination, contractor management and compliance support.

Where a tenant reports that a property has no water, identifying whether the problem is with Thames Water's network or the property's own infrastructure is an important first step towards getting the issue resolved.