Buying semi detached house having 2 manholes in kitchen + 2 outside

Vicki4

Dear All,

We are first time buyers & have liked a house Built in 1950's and it looks perfectly good inside and outside.The vendors have maintained it well.
We put in an offer and got accepted and we have done a structural survey which identified that house is perfectly well no structural issues but the kitchen extension has 2 manholes covered by tile but accessable if requred.And 2 manhole or insepction chambers outside the property between the boundary of this property and neighbours.
Upon inquiry, the vendors informed they have the extension papers as they bought the house 8 years back and they had no issues since then.

We understand that there is till a risk of any blockage even if there was no issue till date.
and we have to maintain and keep doing cctv survey to check if there is any problem with drain?
Also do you all think that it could put of future buyer in case if we buy now and when try to sell later?
so i understand drains could lead to structural issues like subsidence because of drains around the house as it is in london on clay soil and built pre 1970 so foundation are shallows.

In light of the above,
should we walk away from the deal?
or
Is is worth asking for a discount from the vendors looking at the above risks? if so how much.
or is it ok to go ahead
does it seem that i am thinking wrongly?

Any Thoughts would be appreciated....
Thanks in advance

Richard_Webster

If the pipe in question carries drainage from more than one house it will a sewer and from 1st October 2011 will be the responsibility of the Drainage undertaker.

G_M

Vicki4 wrote: »

Dear All,

.....the kitchen extension has 2 manholes covered by tile but accessable if requred.Good. Easy access if there's ever a problem! And 2 manhole or insepction chambers outside the property between the boundary of this property and neighbours. Good. Easy access if there's ever a problem!

Upon inquiry, the vendors informed they have the extension papers as they bought the house 8 years back and they had no issues since then. Good. All paperwork in order hen!

We understand that there is till a risk of any blockage even if there was no issue till date.'Understand' how? Says who? Any drain has 'a risk of blockage'. The only alternative is to have NO drains and see what happens when you flush the loo then!

and we have to maintain and keep doing cctv survey to check if there is any problem with drain? Good grief! Why? If it ever gets blocked (& you've given no good reason why it should) you'll know about it, and for £11 you buy a drain rod and clear it! (or, as Richard says above, if the drain is shared then you call the water company).
Also do you all think that it could put of future buyer in case if we buy now and when try to sell later?Only if the buyer is paranoid like you!
so i understand drains could lead to structural issues like subsidence because of drains around the house as it is in london on clay soil and built pre 1970 so foundation are shallows. As said above, ALL houses have drains (even in London!) - where do you think the loo flushes into....?

Thanks in advance

Maybe the answer is simple - don't use the drains? When you want to use the loo, pop out to the local pub instead and use their drains (which also probobly run through London clay!), and when you have washing up to do, stick it in a box and take it round your mum's. Oh, and have a shower there as well to avoid the shower emptying into the drains!

photon901

You need to verify if the drains are shared. If they are shared and they get blocked then you may have to give access to the Water company inside your kitchen. Also there is a possibility of flooding due to blockage down the drain.Also if there are manholes then these should be the air tight ones inside the house. Its a risk which you need to manage.

Vicki4

Richard_Webster wrote: »

If the pipe in question carries drainage from more than one house it will a sewer and from 1st October 2011 will be the responsibility of the Drainage undertaker.

Thanks for information . Is it good or bad not sure?
i feel good because i do not have to pay for maintenence and bad is i would have to let them in my kitchen ..really confused

Vicki4

G_M wrote: »

Maybe the answer is simple - don't use the drains? When you want to use the loo, pop out to the local pub instead and use their drains (which also probobly run through London clay!), and when you have washing up to do, stick it in a box and take it round your mum's. Oh, and have a shower there as well to avoid the shower emptying into the drains!

Thanks, i feel bit positve reading your response but still in two minds becuase i have given good offer and wonder will it also devalue the property because of this issue?

poppysarah

If they leaked (and you need a solicitor to ask if that has happened in writing) then what would the mess be like?

betsie

Hi we had this in a previou house and never had any problems. Just make sure you don't put loads of sanitary towels down the loo, baby wipes etc. Maybe just have a 6mthly look down one of the outside accesses to make sure it is clear.
Also if you think there is a problem or blockage, get it checked straight away and don't leave it.

It didn,t put our buyers off and I think it can be quite common if there has been a rear extension.

CLAPTON

what's the access like in the kitchen; could the drains be rodded without damaging the kitchen

big5

We have an inspection cover for the shared drains/sewer in our back garden. A couple of years ago we had someone from the water company ask for access as someone in the street had problems with a blocked drain. If your neighbours are sensible and don't pour loads of cooking fat/oil down the kitchen sink or flush babies nappies and newspaper down the toilet, there shouldn't be many problems. We've only had that one issue in 5 years and the blocked drain didn't affect us or our garden.

BargainMad_3

Richard_Webster wrote: »

If the pipe in question carries drainage from more than one house it will a sewer and from 1st October 2011 will be the responsibility of the Drainage undertaker.

Richard is absolutely right and water companies should be sending letters to this effect hopefully with diagrams showing what they will maintain.

I wouldn't be too concerned about the manhole covers in the kitchen. These are just a consequence of what was the garden or yard being built on (for the extension) and obviously they can't be moved as the pipes are down there.

You should try and find a cross section diagram of how the outer sewage and water pipes work to see what happens underground.

The MASSIVE problem is people flushing things they shouldn't and thinking it will all just flow away. One of the worst offenders are those facial wipes and baby wipes which do not break down. The system gets blocked and sewage backs up into the drains.


It's not a nice subject really but once you know what goes on underground and how you can help the system function it all becomes a lot easier to deal with.


It should be taught in schools :rotfl: