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 ?
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 ?