neighbours drain blocked again, whats my next move

WLM21

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

Check with your Water Authority . There has been new Government legislation enacted recently (OCT 2011) and what were private sewers have now become the maintainance responsibility of the Water Authority . Worth asking them to advise. !

http://privatesewertransfer-px.rtrk.co.uk/?gclid=CPzQ-5nkw6cCFQRP4QodBUSmDg

Thank you for the link.

We have had a couple of sewer problems over the past year or so and on each occasion we all had to chip in to pay the bill. It was only a tenner each, for the houses upstream of the blockage, but at least next time, it'll be free.

I think the drains are furred up (think of blocked arteries) and the blockage is always at the same house. No doubt they have a problem, but without a cctv survey, nobody will ever be certain.

keystone

WLM21 wrote: »

I think the drains are furred up (think of blocked arteries) and the blockage is always at the same house. No doubt they have a problem, but without a cctv survey, nobody will ever be certain.

I think they are probably putting lots of unmentionables and other stuff down the bog that the drains weren't designed to take away in the first place, That and all the cooking fat!!

Cheers

AdmiralX

toejumper wrote: »

my neighbours drain has blocked up again for the second time in just over a week and does nothing to sort it out. theres obviously a problem with the drain but refuses to even acknowledge theres a problem. it takes about a week for it to block my side, dh has been with his rods and roded it all out and got everything running again last week. but today it all blocked again. do i ring the water company and get them to have a look. oh and my neighbours a neighbour from hell and might not let us on to his property to clear them for a second time. whats my next move to get it sorted once and for all.

Contact Environmental Enforcement of your Council: these are people who deal exactly with these matters, drainage and all sorts of stat nuisance.

I did so with same thing, blocked drainage etc.

AdmiralX

You also need to insist the EE of your Council write to your neighbours and you follow what they have done... Usually some officers are Dolittles...

keystone

AdmiralX wrote: »

Contact Environmental Enforcement of your Council: these are people who deal exactly with these matters, drainage and all sorts of stat nuisance.

AdmiralX wrote: »

You also need to insist the EE of your Council write to your neighbours and you follow what they have done... Usually some officers are Dolittles...

Sorry but this is wrong if the drain concerned is a lateral drain as has been confirmed (sort of) by OP. It is therefore a water company responsbility since October and NOT the neighbour.

Cheers

AdmiralX

keystone wrote: »

Sorry but this is wrong if the drain concerned is a lateral drain as has been confirmed (sort of) by OP. It is therefore a water company responsbility since October and NOT the neighbour.

Cheers

It may be water company responsibility to unblock it, but Environmental Enforcement deal with blocked drainage when it becomes nuisance and is not dealt with. They did so in my property.

2sides2everystory

Call the water authority - in my experience they'll have someone out in less than 4 hours on a good day even if the person reporting it is not directly affected. As of October 1st 2011 it is very clearly their responsibility and they know it and accept it.

No faffing about required any more, no neighbour disputes, the drain is actually owned now by the water authority if it is in any sense shared by you and your neighbour i.e. if it backs up your drain because it is blocked on your neighbour's side. That's exactly why the law was changed and the new regulations introduced.

If the blockages do not affect your drainage or anyone else's i.e. the drain is not shared but is merely a smelly or unsightful nuisance then the Environmental Enforcement route sounds right.

keystone

LoL 2sides - did you read the thread?

Cheers

AdmiralX

What makes it block? do you think they might be throwing fat? Something similar had happened to ours, the new tenants in one flat on top had been emptying pans full of fat and so on down the drains..., but they were told to be careful and so and since then all was OK.

AdmiralX

Mind this: If you show any dispute with neighbour, any authority can consider the approach vexational and hard to get them do a lot. I was talking to an EE officer and he said: they always consider what is the relationship between neighbours before they act.