A homeowner turned to Reddit after their neighbour allegedly helped themselves to water from their garden tap without permission
With hosepipe bans currently in force across the country, Londoners are being advised not to use their garden hoses and to use less water where possible. These rules bring their own set of challenges, with households having to look for creative ways to keep their garden plants alive or keep paddling pools full.
Unfortunately for one homeowner on Reddit, they found themselves with a totally different kind of hose woe when they discovered their neighbour using their garden tap without asking permission.
Beyond borrowing a small amount of water to tend to a few plants, the neighbour allegedly connected a hose to the tap and proceeded to fill their garden pool – leaving the homeowner panicking about who would be footing the water bill.
Outraged by the incident, the homeowner turned to social media to share their experience and seek advice on how best to deal with the situation.
Posting on Reddit, they wrote: “Neighbour helped himself to my outside tap minutes after I left the house. I popped out for a bit and, literally minutes after I left, my neighbour wandered into my back yard, hooked up his hose to my outside tap and started filling his pool”, reports the Express.
They added: “Got the whole thing on camera. He used my water for about 30 minutes without even asking. When I went round later, he first denied it, then changed his story and apologised with a pretty rubbish excuse. Honestly, I couldn’t believe someone would think that was okay.”
Frustrated, the homeowner disclosed they had resorted to “extreme measures” to prevent future incidents by fitting a padlock to their outdoor tap – though they conceded this created difficulties for themselves as well. They asked: “Anyone else dealt with neighbours like this? What would you have done?”
The post rapidly generated discussion online, with numerous commenters supporting the view that the neighbour had overstepped boundaries. One person joked: “I’d be going over and using his pool and maybe forgetting to get out when I needed a little wee.”
Another said: “This is theft. Call the police and file a police report. They will take it seriously. I’d demand reimbursement from the neighbour. If he refuses, take him to small claims court. It’s the principle.”
Is It Illegal for Neighbours to Use Your Hose?
UK Trespass and Theft Laws
In the UK, entering someone’s garden without permission is considered trespassing, which is against the law. Additionally, taking water without permission is legally defined as theft under the Theft Act 1968.
Dealing with such circumstances can be stressful, but several options exist for addressing it. Firstly, you can involve the police, as trespassing falls under civil law. While officers may not take direct action, the theft of utility water does constitute a criminal offence. Meanwhile, unauthorised entry onto private land or into someone’s back garden constitutes a civil offence.
Furthermore, using another person’s water supply – whether metered or unmetered – without their consent to wash a vehicle or tend to a garden is legally considered “dishonest appropriation of property “.
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