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where is the manhole cover (drain)

We are buying a house and the surveyor has pointed out that there is no visible manhole at the front or back of the property. The surveyor believes that it should be at the back as the toilet, bath and kitchen are all at the back and is probably paved over. What do we do if we get a blockage???

Comments

  • david29dpo
    david29dpo Posts: 3,890 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    good question! get the vendor to find it.
  • oldandhappy
    oldandhappy Posts: 966 Forumite
    We have 2 and next door have none.....but the owner should know surely....
  • JennyW_2
    JennyW_2 Posts: 1,888 Forumite
    david29dpo wrote:
    good question! get the vendor to find it.

    definitely! Make sure you sort this out with the vendor. God forbid you need to access your drains. In our last house our manhole was under our decking but there was an access point.
  • maninthestreet
    maninthestreet Posts: 16,127 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    My house is the same - I have no visible manhole covers, front or rear, to my property. Next door (other half of the semi-detached), have one at the back and the front, the other neighbour has one at the back only. This latter cover is about 3 foot away from the property boundary. My surveyor said at the time I purchased the house that the drain cover was either buried under my patio, or that my drains were connected to the neighbours drains, as the the cover is so close to the property boundary.
    "You were only supposed to blow the bl**dy doors off!!"
  • clutton_2
    clutton_2 Posts: 11,149 Forumite
    if it is an edwardian/victorian terrace it may well not have a drain cover - they were not necessarily put in when first built. its not a huge job to put one in, once you find the line of the sewer pipe
  • maninthestreet
    maninthestreet Posts: 16,127 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    clutton wrote:
    if it is an edwardian/victorian terrace it may well not have a drain cover - they were not necessarily put in when first built. its not a huge job to put one in, once you find the line of the sewer pipe

    My house was built in 1975.
    "You were only supposed to blow the bl**dy doors off!!"
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 49,379 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Name Dropper
    If you have no drains access, you politely ask your neighbour for access from their access; if necessary pointing out that you want to solve the problem before it backs up to their property.

    In a previous house , I knew exactly where the manhole cover was - under the wood flooring in my extension! The neighbours just assumed that the acces was only provided at alternative properties.
    I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages & student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.
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