Note: The DearEsq free 'ask a lawyer' site is offered as a free informational service to the public and is not intended as legal advice. Laws vary from state-to-state, and in addition every situation is unique, and relevant facts may not be known. The answer to the question posed below may not apply to in your state or to your situation. For legal advice in your state and your situation you should consult with an attorney in your state who is familiar with the rules and laws in your state.
‘My house was in probate for a long time due to my fiance passing away. His parents were the executors of his estate. In 2009 the house was deeded to me. Also in 2009 I found documents on line in public records that his =
parents received a $10,000 payment from the water department for selling a portion of the land for a water easement. Coincidentally in 2009 my water bills skyrocketed to approx $1800 monthly due to water leaks. Since then, I’ve had to have three broken pipes fixed. Could this be because of the water easement? Also my house was built in 1958 and EVERYTHING including pipes are still in original condition…pipes being made of poly-pipe. I am anxious to hear your feedback. Thank you very much.’It sounds like the first person you should be asking is your plumber.
Question: An easement is a right to use the land that belongs to another person. By “water easement” you could mean an easement to put a water pipe on your property (possibly to benefit a neighbor) or to have surface water flow over the property (like in a flood control ditch), or something else. However, it’s not clear to me how the mere existence of an easement would cause your pipes to leak. That’s the question for the
plumber: why are you getting all these leaks, and what is the likely cause?
Answer:
Without some sort of physical cause, the easement and the leaks may just be a coincidence.
