Issue with neighbour’s foul water drainage

[AlocinJane]

Hi All,

The house next door was purchased by someone who revamped it to sell. He did the majority of the work himself. Whilst remodelling the kitchen he diverted the foul waste to the surface water drain. Now the new owners have moved in and are using the kitchen the rain drain at the side of my property is smelling really unpleasant.
I am aware it is an offence to reroute foul drainage in this way.
Who is liable to correct this problem? The previous owner or the current ones?

 

[Lower]

The current owner is liable. They may have some recourse to the previous owner, but that's not your problem.

 

[motorbiking]

A photo would help. However, its possible the works were notifiable under building control and they don't sound like they comply. Its the current owner's problem to fix.

Does the rain water go in the sewer or is it in to a soaraway?

 

[AlocinJane]

He moved the sink from the usual under the kitchen window location to another wall in the room. Rather than connect to foul drainage he’s run the waste into the soakaway drain, being the nearest. This meets with my soakaway and then runs to the drains below the street. The drain for the guttering at the front of my house is the one that smells. Unfortunately it is noticeable it when I am getting in and out of my car!

 

[foxhole]

He moved the sink from the usual under the kitchen window location to another wall in the room. Rather than connect to foul drainage he’s run the waste into the soakaway drain, being the nearest. This meets with my soakaway and then runs to the drains below the street. The drain for the guttering at the front of my house is the one that smells. Unfortunately it is noticeable it when I am getting in and out of my car!

Your front of house soak away is not connected to your neighbours , so smell is your problem.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

This meets with my soakaway and then runs to the drains below the street.

Is it a soak-away or is it a drain, cannot be both.

If you locally have separate foul water to rain water drainage, it is an offence to discharge foul water into a rain water system. In which case you need to simply advise your local water company and they will deal with it officially. Initially with a letter of warning, which if ignored can end in court action and fines.

In separated systems, rain water can go untreated into streams and rivers, the lesser flow of foul water is then treated and filtered. In a combined sewer system, the whole lot has to be treated.

 

[CBW]

If the drain/gulley for rain water is smelling at the front, either the trap has lost its seal, or there’s another issue. Can you provide photos, more information or both?