I would assume the surveyor did that, or the previous owners. I can’t get down on hands and knees to check, and wouldn’t know what to look for.
Handily, in the flat I sold last year, each stop cock/tap in the large walk in cupboard in my lounge was handily labelled!!
See my post no. 9. Yes, I do know the location of the outside one, but as also mentioned, the chamber is very deep. I don’t have the key, and don’t want to bother buying one.
So do you not intend to have a new stop tap fitted inside?
We have a matt well with a hatch in our front hall. The stop cock is within hand reach under the hatch. As someone mentioned they can get stiff with under use so I periodically close and open it to keep it free.
It’s a good idea to do that a few times every year but most people forget (myself included).
Tip. Make sure you can turn off your stopcock and on again . Ours had seized up but we had a plumber for another job and he freed it up
It sounds like a lever type would suit you, rather than a screw down type or perhaps have both fitted. Once the water is off, the whole job should take about 20 minutes.
Most are doing this now and often in conjunction with Homeserve. I had a dispute with Homeserve when my general house insurance sent Homeserve along to look at a large broken window after a swan had decided to fly into it. They were worse than useless and demanded my policy’s £50 excess before they would even measure up. I told them where to go in no uncertain terms and employed my local glazier. My insurance paid the fully descriptive bill in full minus the £50 excess. To demand the excess before the job is finished to my satisfaction is completely unacceptable but apparently is typical of dodgy Homeserve.
LD homeserve have a very bad reputation if you see their reviews . My neighbour had a contract with them and she had to keep paying up front before an engineer would come out to her boiler. I did look at going with them for my homecare things but since reading reviews I stay well away .
I really don’t want to sound like a scaremonger but …
personally I would be more concerned that the supply is very likely to be a lead pipe.
Some suppliers will come and test free and since the previous owners owned your house for 20 years and haven’t changed the supply (or they would know where the stopcock was) I recommend you check before deciding anything.
I hope the poor swan was OK.
Yes Barry, I do.
Then I don’t understand your problem, the plumber will turn off the water at the meter whilst he fits the stop tap… or am I missing something?
BTW a stop tap key costs less than a tenner, and personally I think is always worth having in case of an emergency… 
Jazzi, if you can afford it, I suggest you save £10-20/month in a separate bank account set aside specifically for heating/plumbing related works. Then, if you need any work carried out the money will be there ready and waiting.
I completely agree, which is why I bought one some time ago.
All I need now is a barrier and some temporary traffic lights, as ours is in the very busy road outside our house!
Seriously, though, in an emergency I’d park my car just behind the stop cock and there are no yellow lines to say I shouldn’t.
I would agree with that.
I noticed that house insurance was mentioned but check because some insurances specifically do not cover water leaks.
Ask you neighbour where theirs is?
That’s what I was going to say Primus.
My water company have tried getting me insure the drains too, but I know it is covered on my house insurance.
Sorry folks, been forgetting this thread. Ooops.
I will, at some stage in the future, speak to neighbours to ask about their stop cock, and the whereabouts.
I thought of getting one of those outside keys, in case of a *whispers…leak.
As for setting aside money in the event of repairs, all my money is in an ISA, or my esavings. In other words, reasonably healthy.
