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Build Over Agreement - over a 150mm sewer pipe - options please!
whiteballed
Posts: 2 Newbie
Hi Guys,
I wonder if you can help me out here...
We are in the process of buying a house. It has had 3 extensions. The first was a ground floor side extension built circa 1970. The second was a second floor extension built on top of this side extension in 1980. The third was a small porch and downstairs toilet extension built in 1990. All have relevent planning and buildings regs but none have a build over agreement even though there is a small Thames Water waste sewer pipe (150mm) running within 3m of the pipe.
Our solicitor has suggested an indemnity insurance which only lasts for 10 years and is then renewable and costs roughly £300. The policy basically covers us for any increased costs TW could incur when accessing the sewer pipe and (if necersary) and re-build costs we may incur from them having to tear up, for example, our kitchen floor. Having looked at the lay of the land it appears as though the sewer pipe actually runs alongside the property and is outside of the foundation walls (it may just nick the corner of the latest extension). What concerns us is that the insurance does NOT cover us should any of the extensions have caused or were to cause in the future damage to the sewer pipe. Is this typical?
It seems that we are faced with two options;
1. Take the insurance out and keep our fingers crossed that there is no damage to the pipe and that no future damage occurs
2. Force the seller to get a retrospective build over agreement by Thames Water.
Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks
I wonder if you can help me out here...
We are in the process of buying a house. It has had 3 extensions. The first was a ground floor side extension built circa 1970. The second was a second floor extension built on top of this side extension in 1980. The third was a small porch and downstairs toilet extension built in 1990. All have relevent planning and buildings regs but none have a build over agreement even though there is a small Thames Water waste sewer pipe (150mm) running within 3m of the pipe.
Our solicitor has suggested an indemnity insurance which only lasts for 10 years and is then renewable and costs roughly £300. The policy basically covers us for any increased costs TW could incur when accessing the sewer pipe and (if necersary) and re-build costs we may incur from them having to tear up, for example, our kitchen floor. Having looked at the lay of the land it appears as though the sewer pipe actually runs alongside the property and is outside of the foundation walls (it may just nick the corner of the latest extension). What concerns us is that the insurance does NOT cover us should any of the extensions have caused or were to cause in the future damage to the sewer pipe. Is this typical?
It seems that we are faced with two options;
1. Take the insurance out and keep our fingers crossed that there is no damage to the pipe and that no future damage occurs
2. Force the seller to get a retrospective build over agreement by Thames Water.
Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks
0
Comments
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I wouldn't hold your breath about the build-over agreement. Yorkshire Water don't do them as a matter of principle so it wouldn't surprise me if TW were the same.
There is a 3rd option - don't go for the indemnity insurance.0
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