Southern Water + Section 24 drain

patgc

My daughter lives at the end of a terrace of houses and the drains for these properties run at the back of the houses and are a community drain (i.e. everyones waste goes through the same run and built in 1900)They get blocked frequently and she or a neighbour calls Southern WAter to come and clear them, which they do with no charge as they are section 24. There is a manhole next door and one in the side passage to the back of the houses. The last time the were cleared the man reckoned he could 'feel' a problem area in the pipes that run across her property. If the drains have indeed collapsed who would have to pay for repairs. Even though its on her property everyone elses waste goes through it, not just hers. Is it Southern Waters responsibility ?.

Alienfingers

Ex-"section 24" is a term derived from the 1936 Public Health Act and is now used to describe sewers (which by simplified definition take waste from more than one property) that were constructed prior to 1st October 1937. The responsibility for the maintenance of these sewers was transferred from the local authorities to the Water and Sewerage Companies upon privatisation. Any maintenance on the sewer, no matter whose land it runs through, is the responsibility of the Sewerage Undertaker, which in your daughter's case is Southern Water. This responsibility means that they have the right to carry out work on other peoples property but more importantly that they bear the cost of this work (funded through water bills of course). The fact that the blockage has occurred a number of times should prompt them to investigate further, usually by a CCTV survey of the pipe. The defect or defects causing the problem can then be identified and located ready for any excavation or other remedial works. Your daughter (or any others who are served by the sewer at this point) will not have to pay for these works whether they are in her property or not. If they are in her property then she needs to ensure that the reinstatement after the work is carried out satisfactorily. Hope that helps.

patgc

Many thanks for that information. I had hoped that that was the case. They have been up today to rod it through again. Its only about a 4 weeks since they were there last.Usually it about 3 months. No mention of any further investigation though. Should my daughter ask Southern Water to carry out a CCTV survey as this is happening so frequently now ?