Can Water Board charge for blocked drain

rose28454

My elderly parents seem to have a problem with the drain overflowing when they use the washing machine or have a bath. They have a drain cover just inside their conservatory which was there when they bought the house but we thought it was a bit odd being inside. However this morning the drain outside ran over again and the patio was covered in sewage. I called our local Water Board and the lady said that they would come out as the main drain ran across the back of the house. Anyway they came out and said the main drain was half way down the garden but the blockage was my parents responsibility. They charged my my parents £107.00 and insisted on being paid immediately.
Now I am a little unsure they have told the truth because I had this problem at home for more than 5 years and paid 2 or 3 times to have the drain unblocked. However the last two times it happened my garden was flooded with sewage and after a lot of phone calls and a visit from their engineers they finally admitted the problem was in the main driain and they eventually rerouted it outside our property. How can I find out which part of the drain was responsible?

tealady

Hi Drains are always the home oners responsibility even if they run across another persons property. However when they join in with someone elses drain it becomes a sewer and depending on the age of the property who is responsible whether it is the home owners or the water company. It may have been a case of the water company sorting the problem previously, without asking for payment even though the problem may not have been their responsibility.
I would ask them for a report of the problem to see what they did.

C_Mababejive

No one works for nothing do they..?

ecoelle

Isn't there some rule about the distance from the house to the blockage?

I know that our water company unblocked ours for us free of chrage, but the drain was only a couple of feet from the house, and under the ground it ran parrallel to our house down our alleyway and then into the main drain.

Cardew

Above post #2 is spot on.

A drain overflowing can be caused by the main sewer being blocked(as in your case) or simply a problem with the drains from your parent's house before they enter the sewer.

Again, as stated above, even if the problem is with the sewer(you call it main drain) it is still your parent's responsibility if the sewer is under their garden.

The exception to this is if their property was built before Oct 1937 and there are two or more similar aged properties feeding into the sewer. In that case the sewer(but not the drains) are the responsibility of the water company/council.

If it is likely to be an ongoing problem, it might be an idea to buy a set of rods and clear it yourself - not a difficult job if the drains are accessible.

ecoelle

Well my property is 1900 and it has my neighbours waste going through the same drain, we are in terraced housing, the whole street share bits of drain with their neighbours so maybe that's why it was free for us. I do know that my parents who are both pensioners got their drain fixed for free though as it was winter and was overflowing near their back door causing an ice hazard, worth remembering in case it happens to anyone else.

rose28454

C_Mababejive wrote: »

No one works for nothing do they..?

No Point taken. Just a bit dubious about it after the way they let us pay for 5 years and ten finally admitted it was their problem and not ours. We ad half our water rates refunded twice also. I will call them tommorow and ask them.

rose28454

I just visited my parents and the drain is overflowing again. I had a look down their garden where the main drain is supposed to be and could not find a manhole cover. I looked at the report the engineer left yesterday and it said the drain was blocked by rags. It seems to me with my limited knowledge that it is the main drain backing up. My Mum said he asked when the house was built ( we think the 1950'S ) and I see from the net if built before 1937 water board are responsible for all drains. However my house was built in 1930 and it did not them charging me. A minefield I think. I will call water authority tommorow.

Cardew

We did explain above that a drain, as opposed to a sewer, is always the householder's responsibility regardless of the age of the property.(A drain is from the house and it joins a sewer into which the drains of several house flow.)

It is only when the houses are pre-1937 and the blockage is in a sewer, does it become the responsibility of the water company/council. So if the blockage is in the sewer under the garden of your parent's 1950's house it is still their responsibility.

However if they have paid for having the blockage cleared, and it is still giving problems, they should make a further no charge visit. Ring them and report the problem.

The main reasons for blocked drains are tree roots, fat build up and sanitary towels

mgirl_2

It is a minefield - and most people don't realise they are liable for now for drains, and sewers on their property. The Flood and Water Management Bill - passed at the end of the last parliament - included the transfer of private sewers (not drains, sewers) to water/sewerage company ownership, but I think it doesn't happen until 2011.

scoobysam2

mgirl wrote: »

It is a minefield - and most people don't realise they are liable for now for drains, and sewers on their property. The Flood and Water Management Bill - passed at the end of the last parliament - included the transfer of private sewers (not drains, sewers) to water/sewerage company ownership, but I think it doesn't happen until 2011.

Does this include houses built pre 1937??