Broken Thames water pipe under kitchen extension

BACKMS

Hi All


We are in the process of selling our house and recently the prospective buyer carried out a drain survey which showed a hole the size of a tennis ball in the shared public sewer which runs under our kitchen extension. The company which carried out the survey said this needs to be fixed asap, we contacted another independent company to come and have a look they also said this needs to be fixed as did the insurance company LV who came to look however said they cant fix it as its a Thames water pipe.


These buyers were spooked by this so pulled out of the property chain leaving us at a financial loss. We contacted Thames water who confirmed that they are responsible for maintaining this pipe as its is a shared sewer however at the moment as the hole is not causing any problems they will not take any further action, even though we have a bit of damp in the kitchen walls at the bottom. I have asked them to review this decision as I am not happy with this as if another survey is carried out the same thing will happen and the chain will collapse. Thames water have said until this gets worse they will not do anything as it is not effecting how the sewer works. If the pipe collapses further however the kitchen extension will have to be dug up causing untold disruption and cost. We have said to Thames water that we will pay an independent company to fix this and they have said that you cant as it is their pipe. I am at a loss as to what to do next, has any one had similar experience or know of how this can be resolved?


Many thanks in advance

Davesnave

Pipes can be re-sleeved without the need to break floors, but finding a company who'd be both willing and able to do this illegally on a Thames water pipe would be a real hurdle to overcome, I'd imagine.

I have no idea of costs, so it could be cheaper to dig down, and utilities will maybe choose the cheaper option.

This might be worth contacting your MP about. Sometimes they can bring more pressure to bear than us ordinary mortals.

jc808

hold on

there are two types of sewers

private sewers (on your property, for your use only)

public sewers

what type is this?

if you built an extension over a public sewer without any form of easement, this was unwise

in any case, the sewer company is right to choose to defer the repair of their own volition imo (though dont see what the problem is if youre paying an approved contractor for the work)

most unwise to build an extension over a sewer imo

jc808

ask them if you can engage one of their own approved contractors to do it

be prepared to pay megabucks though

Davesnave

jc808 wrote: »

if you built an extension over a public sewer without any form of easement, this was unwise....

most unwise to build an extension over a sewer imo

We don't know if there is a building-over agreement, but assuming one exists, it wouldn't usually give the householder any rights, beyond allowing them to build.

People build over sewers when there is no other possibility. The matter wasn't even raised when I sold my house with a build-over in 2009, having enjoyed the use of it for 20+ years.

Times and attitudes change.

tired_dad

What made made the prospective buyer to a drain survey? Unusual thing to do. Is there more to the story?

PheoUK

Suspect they worked out where the drains ran, or were warned by surveyor.

I'm guessing this hasn't been an issue before due to adoption by Thames Water being relatively recent.

I think your only course of action is to escalate higher inside Thames Water.