Transfer of ownership of private sewers

[Adrian80]

Hi All,

I wondered if you guys had any opinions, on this stealth transfer of ownership of lateral drains.

http://www.wessexwater.co.uk/water-and-sewerage/threecol.aspx?id=4570

their official pdf leaflet.
http://www.wessexwater.co.uk/workarea/linkit.aspx?linkidentifier=id&itemid=7414

I am planning on appealing the transfer as i am planning on building an extension and can only see this causing problems.

Very interested in your comments, and or suggestions for lines of attack or successful attack against the further encroaching state..

Cheers
A

 

[Geps]

As someone who has 2 public drains and a manhole within my property I say thanks!

Can't see how this is a bad thing?

 

[D_Hailsham]

I wondered if you guys had any opinions, on this stealth transfer of ownership of lateral drains.

About time it was done.

It only affects drains which carries effluent from more than one property. So it saves arguments between neighbours about getting work done if there is a blockage or part of the drain collapses. It also saves arguments over how the costs should be shared.

My son is about to move into a four year old house where a main sewer runs underneath the house. I can't begin to imagine the costs involved if it collapsed or sprung a leak. Fortunately that will no longer be his problem.

I am planning on appealing the transfer as i am planning on building an extension and can only see this causing problems.

If you want to build over a shared drain you already have to get special permission.

My son currently lives in a house where the conservatory was built over a lateral drain. The vendors could not produce any documentation to show that the necessary approvals had been obtained, so the solicitor insisted that the vendors purchase a £100k indemnity policy to cover him against any claim.