Bowthorpe woman blames Anglian Water for causing subsidence

Tanya Rogers says that a faulty pipe outside her property in Smeat Street, Bowthorpe has caused subsidence to her house.

Her ceiling started showing signs of strain last year and then her windowsills began to separate and water began to seep inside.

Tanya noticed cracks appearing in her home late last year (Image: Tanya Rogers)

This, she discovered, was because a water main under the pavement outside her house had ruptured, sending thousands of litres of water spilling into the soil.

"The ground outside my home has sunken and left a crater which is very hazardous," Tanya, who works at the Clare School in nearby Eaton, said.

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"I'm unsure how much more damage my house will take as cracks are increasing and getting bigger, with windows and doors becoming increasingly difficult to close.

"The amount of stress, anxiety and cost of this does not bear thinking about."

The damage was caused by a ruptured water main which remains cordoned off (Image: Tanya Rogers)

According to the 44-year-old, an assessor from Anglian Water surveyed the home in May but found the firm was not responsible for the damage, instead blaming Norfolk County Council for failing to clear a blocked drain on the path.

But in September, council officers determined the water supplier was at fault.

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Tanya says all her attempts at contacting Anglian Water’s claims department are now being ignored.

She said: "They are refusing to accept liability thinking I will just go away - this isn't going to happen.”

But Anglian Water claims they are not responsible for the damage.

Tanya vows to hold Anglian Water to account (Image: Tanya Rogers)

A spokesman for the firm said: "At this stage in the investigation, it has not been found that the cracking of the property is a result of the leak."

And to make matters worse, Tanya planned to put her Smeat Street property on the market this year but is now forced to wait until this issue is resolved.

She has not yet had the damage appraised but it could be in the thousands of pounds, affecting its overall value. 

"Anglian Water may be a big company but I know I'm in the right," Tanya added.

"I never had any issues with my home in the 21 years I owned it before the leak."