Rain water into sewer no trap issue

[Eric77]

Hi
We have a unique situation where the back of our house is in our neighbour's yard. Their rain water drain is attached to our house, the pipe then runs under our kitchen extension and into our sewer.

Since moving into the property, we get sewer smells when it rains heavily and recently have heard rats in the kitchen flat roof ceiling.

Having paid for a survey, our drains have no issues but it has been identified that our neighbours rainwater drain has no gully or trap. It seems logical to me that this is where the smells and rats are coming from. However, I am no expert on this kind of thing and do not know how to proceed.

Surely, this is against regs?
Should they have a gully and trap?
Should I contact environmental health as neighbour's are failing to admit there is an issue. One gets the feeling that as it isn't causing them a problem, they don't want the disruption.

Thanks for any guidance.

 

[Ian H]

They aren’t always a gully, but when there is just a bend they are normally sealed to the downpipe with mortar or a rubber adaptor.

 

[bobasd]

why dont you put up some photos

 

[^woody^]

Won't that be the water authority's sewer and not yours?

 

[Eric77]

I don't know, I work in finance so no idea about this sort of thing? Will it? It's on my land...

 

[^woody^]

Yes it seems like the sewer is the water authority's responsibility as it's shared. Get them out to investigate.

Otherwise, yes it's an environmental health issue for the smell - specifically the lack of trap, and may be actionable as a statutory nuisance. What is not so clear is the responsibility if it's down to the landowners. Their drain, your land, your building, their yard is a bit hard to decipher. It may be down to you to sort out if the actual problem is on your land.

 

[Eric77]

Thanks for all your help. I can't post photos because it is in their hard.