In a Reddit post, a man explained that his neighbours have their garden professionally landscaped, with gardeners attending once or twice a month. He recently learned that the crew have been connecting their hose to his outdoor spigot to water the garden, meaning he is footing the bill for their water.
The man said the two houses have water spigots facing each other, with his on the right side and theirs on the left. He had noticed his hose was disconnected after landscaping visits, and his mother later told him what was going on. He also found that the neighbour had removed the knob from her own spigot, indicating she had deliberately directed the landscapers to his supply.
A neighbour he never liked
The homeowner wrote that although the neighbour had been “friends” with his parents when they lived in the house, he has “never liked her” and is not comfortable with her using his water now that he owns the property. He said he does not want to take revenge because he thinks that would be ridiculous, but he does want to “put a stop to her charade”. He asked for advice on how to lock the spigot.
Many commenters advised him to look for a shut-off valve inside the house, so he could isolate the connection whenever he was not using the water. Others suggested buying a lockable box that fits over the spigot or faucet locks that prevent the handle from being turned.
Readers share similar experiences
Several commenters said they had dealt with entitled neighbours before. One person recalled a neighbour who turned on a sprinkler using their tap and kept it running for eight hours straight so his children could play on hot days. After a second warning, the commenter had a shut-off valve installed for that line.
Update: spigot lock and camera
In an update, the poster said he had bought a spigot lock and installed a camera to monitor it. He is not taking legal action yet because he has no credible evidence, but he may consider his options if the landscaping company or the neighbour attempts to remove the lock by force.
How to stop a neighbour using your water
To protect your outdoor supply, you can install a lockable tap cover or heavy-duty padlock, or shut off the internal isolation valve to outdoor taps when they are not in use.
According to Citizens’ Advice, the first step should be to talk to your neighbour where possible, either in person while noting the date and time, or by letter. If the neighbour has acted with threats, violence or harassment, you should not approach them and should contact your local council or the police instead.
Your local council can help resolve certain neighbour disputes, including anti-social behaviour, noise, pollution, pet problems, repair issues and building work problems.
