Sewer under the house

loki13

The water searches for a house we are buying have come through the post today and it appears the house is built over a public sewer. Of course I will be talking to our solicitor on Monday, but that seems a very long way away. A cursory search shows build over indemnities are available for the lender, but I am a little worried I can't find any information about the implications of having a building directly over a sewer for an owner. The house was built in the 1930s, with an extension I think that was built around 5-10 years ago.

sujman

I'd be interested to hear what your solicitors says about this issue.

I am considering an extension that may or may not be built over a public sewer (public records dont show anything but doesn't mean it aint there.)

My house to may have been built around the 1930's (cant ascertain for certain - again no records) and therefore "Section 24" applies.

Do a google search for "Section 24 Sewers" and see if that applies to you.

Long and short of my situation is that I was told not to worry about it. If at the foundation build stage they do find a public sewer (i.e. if house built after 1935, the sewer belongs to STW so I need ther permission), then it'll cost more for build over agreements, diverting sewer and / or dig deeper foundations etc etc.

Doozergirl

If houses share drains which subquently run to the main sewer (often under the street) and are built pre 1936 then they are classified as public sewers. The same layout in modern houses would be classed as private drains. To have it classed as public sewer is a benefit to you because the cost of repairs is absorbed by your water authority.

You need to establish how many house this 'sewer' serves and also that the drains are accessible at least for rodding purposes (if there is a blockage) with suitably spaced inspection chambers. Have a thorough look at the maps on the searches and then perhaps spend 100 quid or so on a proper drain survey with a camera to confirm there are no issues under the house with the structure of the drains.

Ham_+_Bud

We have the same problem as loki13, but worse. Just discovered that a main sewer runs through the centre of our house, and cannot find manhole for our property, even though it shows on sewer map. We were about to build an extension, It has been rejected because the extension would also be built over the main sewer.
My concern is that we bought the house 22 years ago from the local council. We had a search which did not show any problems with sewers.
The houses were built in the 70s by a private developer who went into liquidation. They were then sold to the local council.
Surely the council and or United Utilities should have refused permission. What can be done at this late stage.
Any advice would be appreciated

loki13

Sorry about your predicament. We pulled out of the purchase, after advice from our solicitor. The house has been put back on the market at less than our accepted offer.

IIRC, build over permission wasn't required in the seventies, but I would have thought that the sewer would have been picked up on water searches when you bought the house.

Ham_+_Bud

Thanks, Just what we were afraid of. Not much point wasting more money on an extension.

Doozergirl

Ham_+_Bud wrote: »

Thanks, Just what we were afraid of. Not much point wasting more money on an extension.

You can put an access point in your extension.

We needed to have one but all we did was tile over it and grout it in. If it ever needed using, fair enough, we'd have had to up the tiles and have them relaid but we'd try the access points either side to rod first and only then use the one in the house. The likelyhood is that it would never need using especially if the drains are running in a straight line.

Richard_Webster

How deep is the sewer? I once acted for a client who was buying a house in London and this kind of entry came up on the water search. We asked about it, and it turned out that the house was on a hill and the sewer was deep down and 7 feet in diameter!