renting, blocked drains who pays?

stolt

thanks, i obviously don't want to leave it, my first concern is that they were burglars that were using that as plan to see if someone was in, my wife hasn't seen them lift the drains or notice anything but i'm concerned now that they might not be who they are. But i can't get home until tonight.

the council website had a online form to fill in which i've reported now, and it says someone will call me back.

Smi1er

How is this the Landlords problem? It's you who is living there.

First up when was the house built? Where is the property? In certain areas, the drains were the local Water Boards problems until a certain year (early 1930's). Could be a case of calling them and them come out and clear them FOC.

If not then usually there are 2-4 houses connected and it the responsibility of the people living in them houses that have blocked drains to equally pay for the clearing of them.

Debt_Free_Chick

My immediate reaction is that the occupants of the house causing the blockage should pay. This means that the source of the blockage needs to be identified and whoever clears the drains/sewers will be able to confirm where the blockage is.

I agree with sm1ler - if the blockage is due to misuse, then this can't possibly be the LL's responsibility. But the source/cause needs to be identified, ideally in the presence of the offending resident!

Rikki

How can the neighbour be sure it is your fault.
To come round and say the sewage drains are blocked and can you arrange to fix them seems a bit presumptuous.

They say they can't speak to any other neighbours and assume the blockage is possibly yours further up the street.

What is wrong with them phoning in the problem to the relevant people?

stolt

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

My immediate reaction is that the occupants of the house causing the blockage should pay. This means that the source of the blockage needs to be identified and whoever clears the drains/sewers will be able to confirm where the blockage is.

I agree with sm1ler - if the blockage is due to misuse, then this can't possibly be the LL's responsibility. But the source/cause needs to be identified, ideally in the presence of the offending resident!

thanks, but by me employing someone to clear the drains, will not not bother and just want paying clear the drains and think i dont want to get involved in this and just take the money and run. I dont want to do nothing and just wait until another neighbour does something although i can see why others would if its a case of employing someone to come out and look at them and them not finding out whats the cause then its left in the hands of the person that called them, now everyone at work are telling horror stories about how much it could cost!!

ruggedtoast

Smi1er wrote: »

How is this the Landlords problem? It's you who is living there.
.

Because the landlord owns the house not them. They are paying the landlord to live there and conduct necessary maintenance.

MissMoneypenny

From Shelter England website:-

"What is the Landlord responsible for?"

"sinks, baths, toilets, and other sanitary fittings, including pipes and drains"

Page 4 of A Shelter Guide. Getting Repairs Done. Your rights if you are renting your home.

It can be downloaded from this link
http://england.shelter.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/23392/Shelter_guide_repairs.pdf

Premier_2

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

From Shelter England website:-

"What is the Landlord responsible for?"

"sinks, baths, toilets, and other sanitary fittings, including pipes and drains"

Page 4 of A Shelter Guide. Getting Repairs Done. Your rights if you are renting your home.

It can be downloaded from this link
http://england.shelter.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/23392/Shelter_guide_repairs.pdf

Until the cause of the blockage is established, the pipe may not be damaged; it could simply be blocked which is usually the case.

What responsibilities do tenants have?

As a tenant, you have to use your home in a responsible way. This includes;

• keeping it reasonably clean
• not damaging the property, and ensuring that your guests don't either
• carrying out minor maintenance (eg. checking smoke alarm batteries)
• using the heating properly (eg. not blocking flues or ventilation).

If you cause any damage to the property or the furniture, even if it's accidental, your landlord will probably be able to charge you for it. Often they keep your deposit (or at least part of it) to cover the cost of any repairs or replacements. You may have some extra responsibilities to carry out repairs if your tenancy agreement says so. Check what it says, but bear in mind that no matter what it says, your landlord is always responsible for certain things (see above).

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/advice_topics/repairs_and_bad_conditions/repairs_in_private_lets/responsibility_for_repairs

But if you really think you can pour the chip pan fat down the sink everyday and/or stuff nappies down the toilet every day and then get the landlord to pay for a plumber to come and unblock it every day - who am I to argue?

stolt

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

From Shelter England website:-

"What is the Landlord responsible for?"

"sinks, baths, toilets, and other sanitary fittings, including pipes and drains"

Page 4 of A Shelter Guide. Getting Repairs Done. Your rights if you are renting your home.

It can be downloaded from this link
http://england.shelter.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/23392/Shelter_guide_repairs.pdf

thanks for that will print off a copy and have a little read through it.

Bungarm2001

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

From Shelter England website:-

"What is the Landlord responsible for?"

"sinks, baths, toilets, and other sanitary fittings, including pipes and drains"

Page 4 of A Shelter Guide. Getting Repairs Done. Your rights if you are renting your home.

It can be downloaded from this link
http://england.shelter.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/23392/Shelter_guide_repairs.pdf

It is a total misconception that a LL is responsible for unblocking drains. Unblocking is not a 'repair' The Shelter Guide does not point this out specifically, but the way it reads, it can lead someone to believe that the LL is responsible for blocked drains when in fact, s/he isn't.

Let me clarify what I am saying...by blocked 'drains' I mean the drain that the kitchen sink empties into, and also, the soil stack where the loo and washbasin (usually) empties into. It should be make clear that if a blockage is caused by misuse, i.e. stuff that shouldn't be put in the loo, ever, and/or food waste, fats and oils etc in the kitchen drain, then the clearance of these drains are the responsibility of the tenant.

To save confusion, we have had a clause put into all our AST agreements that states clearly that if a blockage within the property boudaries is caused by tenants' misuse of the facilities, then they are responsible for paying to have it put right. We as LL's will gladly arrange for emergency clearance in any of our properties, but the cost will be passed to the tenant.

Now I've got that off me chest..to return to the OP question...

Try and find out if it is the sewers or the rainwater drains that are blocked up. It could be both since as far as I am aware, both systems join up somewhere along the way.

If rainwater, then the council should be able to fix it, usually for free. Sewers are usually the water company domain, but I warn you, it could take them a while to fix it...they aren't renowned for speed..! Again they should do this for free.

Like other posters, I am a bit surprised that these neighbours didn't call someone themselves. Have you or your wife seen evidence of the blockage? like water spilling out around a manhole cover? It sounds a bit dodgy to me in all honesty. Let us know what happens....