Who is responsible for a blocked drain/sewer under the road?

[muffking]

This should get you thinking...

For the last 9 months I've had to call the local council's housing office several times to report blocked drains that back up on to my private property. The first time I had to prove that the blockage was not on my land to show that they were liable as the last house down the line to the public sewer was a council owned house which was also blocked so the agreed to foot the bill.
However, after several blocked drains I think that they got fed up of the reoccuring problem as they are giving me the run around since seem to be the only person complaining about this problem (I'm not an old f@rt BTW, I'm only 31) as it's my garden that overflows due to having the lowest lying land.

Previously they said that they have raised a job for a specialist company to inspect the drains/sewer to find out why the problem kept coming back and thought that using sewer cameras would help, but I rang them 3 days ago to request another priority unblocking which they had done every time in the past, but when I rang them today to ask why nothing had been done they said that the job had been refered to the Highways Agency. They gave me a number to call the local City Hall (city council offices I guess), but they knew nothing about the job despite me naming the person who the job had alegidly been passed on to. I was then asked to contact the Highways Agency direct, but I refused and explained my position. Which is basically that the local Housing Office admit to a blockage under the roadside and sewerage is overspilling onto my private property as a result.
At first the woman at City Hall took my details and promised to call the local Housing Office on Monday until I pursuaded her that it couldn't wait, so she promised to try this afternoon just as the local Housing Office was due to close for the weekend.

As I type, I am still none the wiser as to whether they will do anything over this weekend, or whether I will see Mr Hankey floating down my drive.
But in any case, exactly who is liable, and how can I complain to MAKE SURE that the long term problem is sorted ???

 

[croydoncorgi]

My suggestion would be treat it as a serious health hazard and call the relevant official that deals with these. Then wait while one bureaucrat beats up the other. At least you won't have to stay in the loop!

 

[muffking]

croydoncorgi has it in one. I'm at the end of my teather and there's no general forurm for this. I'm open for mods to move the post just in case I'm wrong, but plumbing is the closest thing that this problem relates to.

One way of argueing this I suppose could be who you would send the bill to if you jetted a drain under a public footpath/road ?
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lynda, moderator

I have moved it to general chat, you may get more opinions (t)here

 

[keego]

Firstly, you are lucky that the council have been clearing the blockage free of charge to you & the other properties on the run, as in law everyone who uses the sewer is liable for it's upkeep, so if there is 10 props on the run then you would be liable for 1/10th of the charge to clear it.
However when the drain that serves your property enters the connection on the main sewer it then becomes the water company's responsibility, but they contract the work out to the local authority. If you are getting the runaround then complain to the water company as ultimately they are the ones who are taking your money to remove sewerage from your property & treat it.

 

[Agile]

Firstly, you are lucky that the council have been clearing the blockage free of charge to you & the other properties on the run, as in law everyone who uses the sewer is liable for it's upkeep, so if there is 10 props on the run then you would be liable for 1/10th of the charge to clear it.

That depends on the size of the drain and when they were built!

If two or more houses share a 150 mm or larger drain AND the houses were built before 1931 then its the Council's responsibility. Public Health Acts.

Tony
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lynda, moderator

edited to correct quote

 

[Moz]

Agile
Its ... a MGNK........

Man on Ground Need Know

I had many when Tescos were trying clear me ground/earth on old gas works ...lol..lol..lol..lol.Had mad

not bad for £400a day. easy after hollinwood

 

[markie]

muffking


is that a rep you'v got or what, ?
You are better going to the plumber section for a speedy reply.

 

[muffking]

There is a possibility that the houses are older than 1931, but the council did admit that the blockage was under the ublic foorpath or public road either in the public sewer or in the pipe that leads up to it.

The pipe that leads up to it is fed from 2 rows of houses on 2 streets where they join in like a Y shape just before entering the public sewer.

A waste suction lorry did turn up yesterday morning to remove the waste under one of the drain covers on the road side, but our drains are still backing up, so I'm not sure if they came out to solve the problem but failed, or whether it was coinsidence and they were there to cure a different problem ?

 

[muffking]

muffking


is that a rep you'v got or what, ?
You are better going to the plumber section for a speedy reply.

Nahh, the username just stuck from using other BB's
Tried the plumbing forum, but the post has been moved to general.

 

[Moz]

get /read the deeds to your property they tell you about drains etc , an if shared costs ...
after the interceptor trap /manhole in your garden its generally the council liability ,but some are now saying the householder is responsible to the main sewer in the road ...which is a lie ...

 

[Softus]

get /read the deeds to your property they tell you about drains etc , an if shared costs ...
after the interceptor trap /manhole in your garden its generally the council liability ,but some are now saying the householder is responsible to the main sewer in the road ...which is a lie ...

Er, is isn't necessarily a lie. For example, in my section of road, I'm responsible for dealing with underground blockages, not the local council.

 

[Moz]

Softus
never trust the council on these things

a local solicitor in property law on consultantation ... (at most £ 30 for interview )will check on his puter your postcode an it will show wether you are responsible for drains /sewers
( drains are usually homeowners , sewers are council ....)

Never ever trust your council , as I did a stint in my youth on placement at the council works while doing a apprenticeship at the water board, it was a sackable offense to admit a drain was council one that was back in the early 80s too ... now they are so paranoid about claims

a lad I know , who works the drainage trailer/van at North Manc council say its a right horrible job due to supervisors scr*wing people about drain clears an repairs dig ups
he must lie all the time ... about council

 

[Softus]

Moz, many thanks for this advice and information.

My solicitor did check in 1995, but thinking back I think there was some stonewalling going on, so I might investigate again and dig a bit deeper (ha!) this time.

Cheers Moz.

 

[muffking]

There has been a developement today, although I'm not sure what to make of it.

My missus rang the repairs office at City Hall today and was spoken to by a very abrupt woman who was adamant (but rude) that they have nothing to do with the sewers and told my missus to get on to Angian Water to fix the problem. Her words were "I'm not going to argue about it, it's not our problem. You ring them".

I can only guess that the painters were there, but I was really p1ssed about this so I rang their Customer Service department to see what happend about my call to them on Friday. I spoke the same woman as last time who did a bit more digging around (you just can't but drop that one in Softus) and rang me back half an hour later to say that they have booked a drain unblocking for the next day and will be looking into the long term problem at the same time.

I was amazed, she even said in true customer service form, to ring back if I have any furthur problems.... wow.

Shame I don't know the name of the cow in repairs though as I have around 10 gallons of poo in my man hole that could be shoved in her direction.

 

[toffee]

I dont know much about these things but you should take the name of the people you talk to. (it does make people be a little more aware of doning everything they should in case of a later complaint.
consider the press too.