Sewer inspection hatch in kitchen - who's responsible?

fluffyCygnet

Hello

We found an inspection hatch/manhole under the lino in the kitchen of the flat we have bought. It sticks up about half an inch above the floorboards so we're not sure what to do about flooring, and we keep tripping up on it.

The flat is the downstairs of a 1980s conversion of an Edwardian house. There's nothing about the hatch on any of our paper work - searches or survey.

We thought about getting it lowered, flush with the floorboards and someone came round to quote for the job today. He opened the hatch and it appears to service our neighbours, as there are pipes coming in from all directions. He said it wasn't really worth lowering it, but if we were putting flooring down we must maintain access to the hatch and the best thing would be to build up the floor around it.

The problem we have is we're on a really tight budget to get the kitchen done, and building a hatch into the flooring will add to the cost. As it appears to be a public sewer, I understand that either the utility company or the local authority are responsible for maintaining it. Should they also pay for any access we have to have built in, or any other additional costs we incur for this sewer happening to be in our kitchen?

Thanks!

stebiz

fluffyCygnet wrote: »

Hello

We found an inspection hatch/manhole under the lino in the kitchen of the flat we have bought. It sticks up about half an inch above the floorboards so we're not sure what to do about flooring, and we keep tripping up on it.

The flat is the downstairs of a 1980s conversion of an Edwardian house. There's nothing about the hatch on any of our paper work - searches or survey.

We thought about getting it lowered, flush with the floorboards and someone came round to quote for the job today. He opened the hatch and it appears to service our neighbours, as there are pipes coming in from all directions. He said it wasn't really worth lowering it, but if we were putting flooring down we must maintain access to the hatch and the best thing would be to build up the floor around it.

The problem we have is we're on a really tight budget to get the kitchen done, and building a hatch into the flooring will add to the cost. As it appears to be a public sewer, I understand that either the utility company or the local authority are responsible for maintaining it. Should they also pay for any access we have to have built in, or any other additional costs we incur for this sewer happening to be in our kitchen?

Thanks!

You can rule out any utility company. They are responsible for pipework up until it reaches your land and that is all.

If it's a flat are you the freeholder? Does it say nothing in the lease agreement? It's a tricky one really because at any stage anybody upstairs could stick a nappy down the toilet and you have Dynorod with all their gear plugging away in your kitchen. Personally I'd be looking to get the manhole relocated outside and get it capped off for good in a kitchen.

My upstairs toilet runs under my concrete kitchen floor. It's new when the extension was built and the manhole is just outside.

vaio

Nah, the water companies are now responsible for pretty much any shared sewer even if it is on private property.

having said that, they won't be responsible for your kitchen flooring or access.

With multiple inlets moving it would cost £££££.

Best solution is a screw down double seal cover with a recess that you can fill with flooring. Fitting & getting the levels right will be tricky but shouldn't be expensive.

Something like