Sewage Pipe problem - Need advice\help with Thames Water

Joined
3 May 2008
Messages
46
Reaction score
0
Location
Nottingham
Country
United Kingdom
I'm in a dire situation and really need some help.

background: I am the first house in the terraced street, and the sewage pipe begins from my house and goes down the street. If there is a blockage in a house down the street, I tend to notice first.

I had a builder start my kitchen extension. I had the kitchen extended as by 6m. That meant that my kitchen now sits on top of the sewage pipe. The next door neighbours have had the same extension done but move the pipe forwards so there is a u shape in the sewage pipe.

When the builder began work, he noticed there was stale water in the pipe and refused to continue. We had thames water look at it. They took 8 weeks to look at it, then came back and took another 4 weeks to get a camera. In this time the builder has walked off the job, as he cannot build anymore and I have no cooking facilities.

Thames are now saying the next door neighbour is causing the obstruction as they have created a belly in the pipe. However, they don't want to take him to court to dig it up and fix it.

So I am in a position where if I start building, I am liable for all future blockages as my house gets blocked due to the belly in the pipe. If I don't no one will fix the problem.

It transpires that the next door neighbour never got planning permission to change the sewage pipe either.

what do i do ? does anyone know anything about water regs ? Can anyone give me some pointers ?
 
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
The house was built in 1910-1920.
Then it is probably a "public sewer". See http://www.ccwater.org.uk/upload/pdf/private_sewers.pdf

Under Building Regulations a "Building over Sewers Agreement" has to be entered into with the sewer owner - normally the local sewage company.

When my son's house was being purchased a few years ago, the searches found that there was a sewer under the conservatory which served all the houses in the terrace. It also transpired that no Building Over Sewers Agreement was in place. So the solicitor recommended that an indemnity policy should be taken out (premium to be paid paid by the sellers!) to cover any possibility of the local sewage company demanding that the conservatory be removed. The sellers paid the premium without any argument!
 
When you say 'first' are you at the head of the drain, i.e. no-one else discharges into it, or at the end, everyone else's sewage runs throught the pipe under your property? I still fail to see why your builder has stopped work, as long as the pipe under your property is ok and suitably protected as necessary, then the problem still rests with your neighbours.

I suspect as next door have diverted the run there is now insufficient fall on the pipe, hence the problems. Planning permission isnt needed for drainage works, Building Regulations approval is. The Building Control guy from the council should have been notified and inspected the works, might be worth asking them or Environmental health to look, as the neighbours works are causing repeated problems.
 
can you put a line drawing on here to show how the piperun deviates round your neighbour`s cons. I`m thinking maybe you should just follow their new line and go round your own extension - But we`re all working blind here . ;) D_H is right , but you have to weigh up the cost of legally fighting a large water co. against just doing the pipework round the extension - also as Hugh says , can you confirm you are @ the head of the drain ( that`s how I read your description )
 
Hey Guys

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate your help.
I am not the head drain. I am the first house in the line. Therefore, my sewage runs down through all the neighbours to the end. I am not aware of having any building over sewers agreement. Considering the extension on the neighbours property and the movement in his pipes are post 1947... does that matter ?

The problem is there is a belly further down the pipe, so the sewage does not flow down completely.

You're right, I could divert my sewage pipes to go round my house and raise the gradient on them so they are higher than the neighbours, but that's going to cost me a lot of money I don't have.

I'm going to speak with the building regs inspector. Another neighbour said they should have approved the pipes, if they haven't and it's within 7 years, they may be able do something about it. Thanks for the note about Environmental health too. I'll give them a go too if this does not work.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top