HELP!! Exchange delayed because of blocked drains

OnTheUp_2-2

Can anyone advise, we have just been informed that exchange has been delayed as the the detail survey found that the drains are blocked??

We are end of run for 3 other houses. I know its not us as our property has been vacant for some time. We do not live anywere near the house so we cant just pop over.

They have a person there now checking to see where the blockage is, but what happens after that?

Does anyone know typically how much it costs to get the drains cleared? How do we approach the neighbours if its them?

This is not good :-((

maninthestreet

If the drains are blocked on public land, it will be the responsiblity of the relevant water company to fix it.

OnTheUp_2-2

I have looked into it a little, it doesnt apear to be as simple as that. It is saying house boundaries do not define whether you are responsible and just because a pipe runs under public land it can still be your responsibilty.

It also defines the difference between a sewer and a drain.... getting confused!!


Most importantly it states that sewers/drains from houses built pre 1937 are the council responsibilty, so should i just call them??

Richard_Webster

f the drains are blocked on public land, it will be the responsiblity of the relevant water company to fix it.

No. Private drains and sewers can go under public land and highways. Public sewers can go under private land.

If the drains are not drains but sewers (pipe taking drainage from more than one property) AND they are publicly adopted then they are the water company's responsibility.

If a sewer can be shown to have existed in 1936 (outside London) and it was not he subject of a private maintenance agreement it will automatically be the water company's responsibility.

OnTheUp_2-2

Huge sigh of relief!! I have contact Thames Water and they have said someone will be in touch within two hours to send someone out. Its funny, I do not think many people know that if the property was built pre 1937 that it is the water companies responsibilty.

Maninthestreet- whilst i really appreciate your eagerness to help, please bear in mind the effect in can have when you give out incorrect advice.

Richard does that mean I need to check my title deeds to see if there was an agreement to maintain the sewers?

Richard_Webster

Richard does that mean I need to check my title deeds to see if there was an agreement to maintain the sewers?

The type of agreement in question wouldn't necessarily show on "deeds" but should be revealed by a drainage search.

if the property was built pre 1937 that it is the water companies responsibilty.

This will generally be the case in older areas of towns and cities in areas which have been on mains drainage since houses built. However it is the age of the sewer not the house that is important - normally this will be the same as the age of the house - but not always.

You can get cases of properties that were out in the country in 1936 and did not have mains drainage at all, and then post war development took place around them and they were connected to mains drainage later. Then they could have private sewers making the connection.