Is A Plumber Liable For Water Damage?

Is A Plumber Liable For Water Damage?

Hiring anybody to come into your home to perform repairs or replacement to your plumbing system isn’t without its risks. This applies even when employing the services of a fully qualified plumber. After all, they’re only human and so there’s always going to be room for error. Of course, most plumbers will do everything reasonably possible to ensure an excellent standard of work and to avoid any water damage. 

But in some cases, unfortunate things might happen and the last thing you want is to be left to foot the bill. So is a plumber liable for water damage?

There may be times that a plumber is liable for any damage caused by water while working on your property. This may include times that the plumber causes an accident that results in water damage to the property or when equipment has not been correctly installed and as such, water damage has occurred. 

A plumber who causes an accident that leads to water damage may still be liable even if the event is not related to the work he or she is currently performing. In the case of faulty installation or poor workmanship, a plumber may be held liable for the cost of the repairs as well as other costs relating to the incident, for example, if the customer needs to pay to stay away from their home while remedial work takes place. They may also be required to cover any legal costs. 

One of the most common situations that plumbers find themselves in where water damage costs are concerned is when taps are fitted that leak water onto the surrounding areas or when pipes are not correctly connected. There are even stories of plumbers dropping their tools onto bathroom furniture and causing cracks. 

As a plumber it is essential to take out some kind of liability insurance. All it takes is one serious accident and you could find yourself in a whole world of financial pain. For most plumbers, a lot of thought and effort goes into each job but even a faulty piece of equipment that goes unnoticed could be the cause of the breakdown of your business. The cost of liability insurance is far more preferable than having to fork out to put things right. 

How Long Is A Plumber Liable For His Work?

Most plumbing companies and sole traders will give some sort of guarantee on their work. But the length of time that this covers will vary from company to company so it is imperative to check this before hiring their services. 

In the UK, you will find that most plumbers offer a 12 month guarantee on all of their jobs but there is no legal requirement and so some companies only offer a six month warranty. There are other, more generous companies out there whose guarantee may stretch to two years so it’s a very mixed bag.

Generally speaking, your plumber will provide you with a 12 month guarantee which will begin from the date that the work was completed. However, you will not be able to claim on this warranty if the work has since been altered, defaced, abused or damaged in any other way because of the customer. When claiming on a plumbing warranty, your plumber will return to your property to put right what has gone wrong without you having to incur any costs.

You should keep in mind that a plumber will only guarantee equipment that he or she has supplied. It is possible for you to hire a plumber but supply them with the equipment and parts needed to complete the work. In this case, any defect with this equipment would be solely your responsibility. However, the plumber may still offer a guarantee on the installation of the products.

Even when the plumber supplies the equipment, you may find that it does not come with any other guarantee than that given by the manufacturer. This is because it is through no fault of the plumber if this equipment fails as he or she did not manufacture, only install it. 

Who Is Liable For A Water Leak?

A water leak should be investigated and dealt with as soon as possible as they can quickly get out of hand and cause significant damage. 

Your water company will have a policy that covers leaks but it’s not always cut and dry as to who is responsible for repairing a leak. Much of this depends on where the leak is located. For example, if the leak has occurred on your side of the meter then you will be responsible for fixing it. Moreover, you’ll also be liable if the leak appears on an external stop valve.

That said, first time leaks or those that are not overly expensive to repair may be fixed by the water company. But this is something you will need to discuss with them because they are under no obligation to do so and may expect you to hire someone to do the work. 

However, if the leak is caused by a problem with the water meter then it falls on the water company to fix the issue.

In some cases, the leak will be because of a damaged water pipe and you’ll need to see which part of the pipe is damaged in order to determine who is liable. If the damage occurs to the mains or service pipe then it will be the responsibility of the water company to fix this, anywhere else and the onus falls on the homeowner. 

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Conclusion

Plumbers will usually provide customers with a guarantee for their work, although this doesn’t always cover everything. In the case of water damage caused because of poor workmanship, incorrect installation or other accidents caused by the plumber, he or she would be liable to pay for the damages. It is for this reason that plumbers and plumbing companies should always have a liability insurance policy.