I would like to notify you that the stopcock which controls the water supply to my house at the address shown above is defective.

Under the provisions of the Water Industry Act 1991 it is your statutory duty to take action to remedy and to make good the stopcock.

I am asking you to take such action as soon as possible.

I further notify you that the stopcock is the only means of shutting off the supply of water to the ground floor of the house and consequently my property remains at risk from water damage until such time as you make the stopcock accessible and restore the stopcock to normal operation.

The stopcock is located in the public footpath adjacent to my property.

The stopcock is defective by virtue of the fact that contractors working for the London Borough of Barnet have, during the renewal of the paving of the public footpath, allowed a mixture of sand and cement to fall into the stopcock well which is sufficient to cover the stopcock.

The maintainence of the stopcock is your statutory duty. You may not make a charge for payment for the fulfillment of your statutory duty. To do so may be an offence.

The defect of the stopcock is not due to any action oversight or negligence on my part. Therefore you may not seek to recover the costs which you will incur in maintaining the stopcock from myself as the householder.