guttering question...

charliee_3

we are end of a 4 house terrace. the only downpipes at the front are on the two end houses so we have water from all the roofs coming down our downpipe. This is causing water to come into our bedroom (not right now but there are marks to show it happened). Are we allowed to block it up so its only our roof water going down our downpipe ...and therefore make the neighbours have their own downpipe put in or is this how to make sure we are ostracised from the neighbourhood till the day we move??

and if this downpipe is for the whole row shouldnt they all pay to help maintain it??

savemoney

No you cant block it up I am guessing the whole block was built that way, perhaps there is a fault some where or simply not designed to take the volume of water due to global warming etc in the past few years

Either way you block it up and the owners may sue you for damages

duncan303

It is a sort of implied quasi-easement assuming you are all freeholders.

I would write to the other householders explaining that the rainwater directed from their properties in contributing to damage to your property and you wish to arrive at a solution.

As it is on your property it might be not advantageous or possible to obtain contributions from them for repairs.

Does the rainwater pipe lead into the sewer for example.? You could construct an argument that you intend to apply for a sewerage bill concession for not having surface water fed into into your sewer. Indeed have they applied for this concession due to the fact that their surface water may go down your sewer. The solution could save them ALL money.

Does the rainwater go to a soakaway? or directly onto the surface of a public highway?

Waterbutts etc etc somebody may want the water you never know untill you ask.

Anyway I would strongly advise you NOT to simply block it off without discussing it with your neighbours first and seeking acknowledgement of your intention to redirect the rainwater goods from each and every housholder preferably in writing.

are you in a conservation area? are the building listed?

Anyway these are just some immediate off the cuff thoughts.

Do you have family legal cover, you could phone your insurers and ask, this is the sort of thing they advise on. See what they say and post back.


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Rosebery_2

charliee wrote: »

we are end of a 4 house terrace. the only downpipes at the front are on the two end houses so we have water from all the roofs coming down our downpipe. This is causing water to come into our bedroom (not right now but there are marks to show it happened).

That would probably be because the gutters need cleaning and there may be leaves etc blocking the downpipe too. when was the last time it was done?

Are we allowed to block it up so its only our roof water going down our downpipe ...and therefore make the neighbours have their own downpipe put in or is this how to make sure we are ostracised from the neighbourhood till the day we move??

No because they will have a right of drainage. In any event where are they going to put the outfall from a new downpipe? Let it run all over the gardens?

and if this downpipe is for the whole row shouldnt they all pay to help maintain it??

No.

Cheers

Rosebery_2

savemoney wrote: »

perhaps there is a fault some where

yes they probably need cleaning.

or simply not designed to take the volume of water due to global warming etc in the past few years

Surely you can't be serious?

Either way you block it up and the owners may sue you for damages

Quite.

Cheers

AdrianW2

Rosebery wrote: »

No because they will have a right of drainage

I was under the impression that drainage rights only applied to natural flow, not artificially diverted streams like guttering.

savemoney

@ Rosebery

We have had a lot of rain lately, two very wet Summers of course global warming can be a contributing factor they all say on TV that drains etc arent designed for amount of wet weather we now get of course there is another factor still at play here ie damaged guttering, blockage but it may be only partial but with wet weather we got that contributed too

I didnt mean it at that context just that because 4 houses rely on the one house for drainage it may just tip the balance with all the above factors, taht is what I meant

savemoney

Guttering has to be cleaned out once a year. I did mine annual. I just cleaned mine and repainted inside with bitumen paint

You can get leaks with guttering which can run into house if not maintained

duncan303

Rosebery wrote: »

Surely you can't be serious?

The drainage system in this country was designed to withstand a 1:30 year downpour of a given volume of water per second. Intensity.

This 1 in 30 year model has been used since the early 1900's however it has been revised dramatically within the last few years, and it is expected to get worse. I do not have the official documentation to hand, but I can find it if wanted.


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