Who's responsibility?

pulliptears

Not sure where to put this really, so I figured here for a start lol. Apologies if its confusing!

My Mum is 75 and lives alone in an ex council property which she purchased some 20 years ago. In the garden to the property is a man hole cover on a sewer/drain that serves a run of around 10 houses (some bought under the right to buy, some still council)

Over the years the cement around the raised cover has deteriorated and it has now become a real trip hazard for an elderly lady. As the cover is outside the back door there is no avoiding it at all and Im worried sick that Mum is going to go flying over it.

Some years ago when one of the neighbours had a blockage on the pipes the council plumber who came to rod the drain told us that the Sewer and its maintenance would remain the councils responsibility despite now being on private property.

I called the council this morning, and after some time on hold they were unsure as to who's responsibility the drain actually is. Over the years some of the remaining council properties have been purchased and the nearest home it now serves is number 22 (Mum is 28).

The council are kindly sending someone out to take a look either later on today or tomorrow but I wondered if anyone had any experience of anything similar?

Thanks guys!

Optimist

Generally and as far as I am aware if the house was built prior to 1937 when the Public Heath Act was enforced, and the sewer serves several house, the responsibility for maintenance falls on the council.

If however the house is built after this time then it should be maintained by the householder assuming the council didn't keep the responsibility on selling (doubtful)

pulliptears

Optimist wrote: »

Generally and as far as I am aware if the house was built prior to 1937 when the Public Heath Act was enforced, and the sewer serves several house, the responsibility for maintenance falls on the council.

If however the house is built after this time then it should be maintained by the householder assuming the council didn't keep the responsibility on selling (doubtful)

Thanks
I've just had this conversation with my OH actually and I'm fairly sure the properties were build early to mid 30's. I need to speak to Mum again now and check (She and Dad have lived there since the mid 50's!!)

Anyway, within minutes of coming off the phone to the council a van arrived and they have taken some photos of the drain cover. I'll do some digging as to age of the property and we'll see where we go from there

pulliptears

Just to add, from Mum's understanding of the deeds the house was built in 1931 so all may be ok anyway.
I'm going over later to double check