Drains problem

bikebarbie

Hello
We live in a newly build estate, approx 4 years old.
There is a row of 4 houses and the drain pipes (which has recessed) are shared amongst us till it reaches our garden and the pipe is on a bend. Recipe for disaster already
So far the drains have been blocked twice in 3 1/2 years and all the waste gets stuck on the bend and all 4 houses are effected with blocked drains.
Our neighbor contacted the developer as they want to sort it before the warranty expires and avoid huge bills, they are coming tomorrow to investigate and there is discussion of digging up our gardens and especially ours as the bend seem to aggravate the situation.
Our garden is landscaped and laid with patio stone.
My question is. Would / Should we be entitled to compensation?
They have obviously done a poor job when they built the properties and now we have to put up with the inconvenience of having our gardens dag up because of their incompetence!

Many thanks

keystone

Its more likely the people upstream of you dumping nappies, baby wipes and other such unmentionables which are not supposed to go down the drains into it which, surprise, surprise, usually cause a blockage. This is far more likely than construction incompetance.

Who says it means digging your garden up? If it does then they should reinstate your garden to the condition that it is now as a matter of course. I really don't see why you feel that compensation might be appropriate though.

Note for the future that the cost of clearing the blockage on each occasion should be shared between all those upstream of the blockage.


Cheers

bikebarbie

keystone wrote: »

Its more likely the people upstream of you dumping nappies, baby wipes and other such unmentionables which are not supposed to go down the drains into it which, surprise, surprise, usually cause a blockage. This is far more likely than construction incompetance.

Who says it means digging your garden up? If it does then they should reinstate your garden to the condition that it is now as a matter of course. I really don't see why you feel that compensation might be appropriate though.

Cheers

Note for the future that the cost of clearing the blockage on each occasion should be shared between all those upstream of the blockage.


Cheers

thanks those are my thoughts exactly and they do have young children...
The last time the plumber came to unblock them, they had to come in our garden as this is where it all came to a stop and he said the the bend is causing a problem and the drain collapsed. The collapsing is due to recess, after few months of moving in our lawn was all bumpy and very shallow in some places it went down 2-3 inches.
No I wasnt sure either but if we were 'eligible' for compensation I dont thing any of us would turn it down
For the future the cost would be amongst all four houses right?

phill99

You don't know that they have done a bad job. Anything can cause a drain to block and one of the rarest things is poor installation. What Keystone says is correct - it could well be other numptys stuffing all kinds of nasties down the pan that should be put down (sanitary towels are often one of the worst offenders), or,typically, an accumulation of hard cooking fats.

People are obsessed with compensation these days.

ormus

i would try and get the house builders to install a manhole on that bend.
if that fails then all the homeowners should get together and do it themselves.

generally speaking, there should be a manhole where there is a change in direction, of the pipe.

bikebarbie

[QUOTE=phill99;42854718]You don't know that they have done a bad job. Anything can cause a drain to block and one of the rarest things is poor installation. What Keystone says is correct - it could well be other numptys stuffing all kinds of nasties down the pan that should be put down (sanitary towels are often one of the worst offenders), or,typically, an accumulation of hard cooking fats.

People are obsessed with compensation these days.[/QUOTE]

No you are right I dont know, Im just going by what the plumber told us last time.
Agree
No Im not obsessed with compensation but if we were within our rights I wouldnt turn it down and Im sure my neighbors wouldnt either

ormus wrote: »

i would try and get the house builders to install a manhole on that bend.
if that fails then all the homeowners should get together and do it themselves.

generally speaking, there should be a manhole where there is a change in direction, of the pipe.

I already have two in my garden! I dont know if one of them is on the bend I usually dont have much interest in my drains but when they come this is a question I will definitely ask!

TonyMMM

Compensation .....no

Have the garden put back the way it was before the work .... yes BUT only if you can show there is a fault in the design/build of the drains.

27col

As someone who installed his own drains I am a bit mystified as to exactly what is meant by a drain that is "recessed", as stated in the original post, can someone explain.

anotherbaldrick

27col wrote: »

As someone who installed his own drains I am a bit mystified as to exactly what is meant by a drain that is "recessed", as stated in the original post, can someone explain.

I wonder if the OP means Sunken . It does sound from their suspicions that a video survey of the drain would be in order. I would push the Builder / Developer to commission one .