Drainage

sandraa_2

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of buying a house with what appear to be a shared drainage with a manhole close to the kitchen door at the back of the property.

Could you please tell me if this is normal or unusual?

This house is an ex-local authority... so I am wondering about responsalinities in case of blockage?

Anyone with shared drainage system could you please tell me of your experience...

Does it smell?

Do yo get problem often?

Reply will be sooo appreciated.

thanks

Sandra

Cardew

Not certain what you mean by 'shared drainage'. Presumably you mean a sewer?

If so, the sewerage from every house goes into a common sewer. So a sewer will pass behind a whole row of houses and take the sewerage from all properties.

If there is a blockage 'downstream' from your house, there are a number of possibilities. The council might clear it if the houses are very old, or some are still local authority houses. If the 'culprit' can be found they might have to pay, or several houses might have to jointly pay.

Some owners have insurance coverage for drainage - e.g. with British Gas.

If there is an existing problem, the present owner should have to declare to solicitor.

Of course the manhole might just be for a soakaway and not a sewer.

Gerrard_8_lfc

Be careful when choosing Insurances / Care plans as a lot of them will not look after shared drains.

How ever the "shared" drain may be the common drain outside of your property. Flats have a shared system ( How did I guess that ).