External Drains blocked? Need access to neighbour property but hes away!

Impet_Limpet

Our external drain is blocked/slow draining and overflows into the garden whenever we much water

I've been in with great big gloves and scooped all the 'mess' I can reach to a U bend (my previous career working for north west water in the labs means I have a strong stomach.)

I did the same with the external drain on our brick shed thought I might as well- lots of soil and grit there (I live in 1950's ex council housing) and discovered that it was slow to drain too.

I've concluded the problem must lie downstream of where these drains join.

I can't locate a inspection chamber on our property, but we can see one in next doors garden (on the other of us is a road). The problem is he's on holiday (no idea when he's due back) so we can't ask permission to lift it up and look, but we really need to fix this asap. We have some rods borrowed from a friend.

In this situation is it reasonable to go into his garden to have a look?

VfM4meplse

Are you aware of anyone looking after the property (feeding fish, watering plants etc)? If so it may be worth explaining your plight to them, and if agreeable asking them to supervise. You don't want to be falsely blamed for any damage to the property.

Impet_Limpet

No we are not aware, he's no pets and the bins haven't been put out.

In fact we'd spent the last few days knocking on his door, his cars on the drive and the blinds are shut, it was just this morning I suddenly remembered he mentioned he was going on holiday a few weeks ago.

boogiemaster

If you get on with your neighbour then i doubt he would mind.

Just remember if there is any damage you would be liable.

I doubt he wants to come home to a blocked drain

DVardysShadow

Just get on with it. Almost certainly, your deeds will give you access for this - and if they don't, it is arguably better to get on with it while he is on holiday rather than get a refusal. Remember, you are responsible for making good.

nb do have another look around your property - form the line of everything you could work out where there ought to be an access - it could have been covered over ...

jim22

I would just get on with it. I think the accepted convention is that anyone behind the blockage has to contribute to its unblocking if its on shared drains. So if you can unblock with rods thereby not calling expensive drainrod, better for everybody.

Mrs_Arcanum

Could the neighbours on the other side have access or keys or even get them as witnesses?

asbokid

if there is trouble i would say that i was told the neighbour had died.

Impet_Limpet

We've had a look, worked out that it is our drain causing the problem (there's a top and bottom pipe draining into it ours appears to be the lower one) we gave a cursory poke with the rods but they are too long and inflexible to get the best out of them, we've decided to call in the pros to give it a go. We've also taken pictures before going over to his garden in case of claims, but he's a lovely guy anyway I don't foresee any problems, with claims.

Would be sad if a mid 30's guy with a kid has died :-(

Impet_Limpet

Just an update, we had to get the professionals in.
The gentleman was also unable to locate the inspection chamber on our premises and agreed the one next door probably led to our looking at the angle of the drain, got a jet up, nothing!

He went down from the blocked end and estimated the blockage was 11m down was sorted within about 15 mins, after a significant search by us all we never found the inspection chamber!!