Drain survey further investigation or just draining money?

[ajmetro]

Anyone had experience with a drain survey. We just had one done with the CCTV and mapping. They mentioned part of the sewage system (pipe) was missing and could not get the camera down it as it kept slipping into a ditch. They mapped all of our gullies and foul waste pipes as well as storm drain which did not go through the sewer pipe that was missing, however they had verbally mentioned that it could be replaced and when we received the report it says a recommendation of further investigation of dye, jetting and CCTV. All this for the princely sum of £380 excluding VAT. The pipe in question is not cut off as it is the main where all of my gullies and foul water would go into from an adjoining pipe. I had also looked at it today and noticed that water was flowing through it which suggested to me it was connected to my neighbours house and flowing through my extension and then into the drain.

Am I being taken for a ride or is this how they usually would work? My questions are:

1. Is this usual as they said they could not get a camera down there, so why another CCTV survey? (sounds pointless even after jetting as they may have the same problem)

2. Why the dye? (they have already traced my gullies, taps foul waste etc)

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If the drain (s?) are shared ie serving someone elses property as well as your own then its upkeep is the water company's responsibility not yours.

 

[ajmetro]

So... they are trying to take me for a ride?

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

First question is why did you need a CCTV survey in the first place, the 2nd is why would you need this proposed extra work? Freddy gives good advice too, once the drain becomes shared or leaves your property then it's usually the responsibility of the Water Company now anyway.

Sometimes a camera cannot travel through a pipe due to build up of scale or fat etc, but this usually manifests by way of a blockage, which is then cleared and a CCTV survey is only done if there is an obstruction suspected to be remaining in the drain.....

I suspect workload has dropped off somewhat for the large franchised companies in brightly coloured vans and their counterparts since the Water Co's took on a lot more of the network, so they are anxious to relieve any customers they do get of as much as possible by selling unnecessary work!

 

[ajmetro]

The survey was due to just moving into the property and noticed a crack as well as having slugs in the kitchen in the morning, suspected damp, to rule out drains we had the survey done. But it seems like it may be the drains and possibly a shared drain under out extension.