Property under offer - blocked sewage drain

TranceNRG

Hi guys,
After a bit of advice regarding the following situation:

I had an offer accepted on a share of freehold ground floor flat in West London last week. The mortgage application was submitted last Thursday and the survey has been booked for tomorrow.

I went to see the property for the 2nd time last Saturday with a builder to get some quotes on possible renovations. When EA and I went outside, we noticed the drain (next to my back garden) was blocked and it was starting to leak in to my back yard and was getting smelly. Couple of days prior to that there was no blockage.

Anyway I went there again on Sunday with another builder and it was really unpleasant when I looked in the garden and the bad odor was pretty strong even inside the flat.

The EA apologised and told me she'd contact the vendor (who's in Australia) and get that sorted immediately.

I rang her yesterday and she said someone was going to unblock the drain today but when I rang today the EA told me couple of plumbers went there today to assess what needs to be done and that they are going to forward the quotes to the vendor (and first floor flat owner) and then go from there. She said it could take anywhere from a few days to a week and that the backyard will be cleaned. She also mentioned that they wouldn't normally discuss these things with me since I haven't bought the flat yet.

I'm just getting a bit worried about all the the nasties going all over the garden and to the side of the building and getting a bit frustrated with the seeming lack of urgency. The longer it takes the more crap that's going to go in to the backyard.

EA assured that this won't affect the valuation tomorrow as she will explain the situation to the surveyor.

What should I do in this situation? Should I just wait and see? Am I able to press them to hurry up with unblocking the drain?

Thanks.

Doozergirl

I would ask for a CCTV survey of the drains just to check it's a regular blockage and not a break in a drain etc. The people jetting it should be able to provide as part of their service, I'd hope. The vendor pays, obviously. I am sure the surveyor will recommend one anyway.

I wouldn't worry too much about what is coming up - clearly you don't exchange contracts until you have been satisifed that it is clean. These things do happen and the vendor being away can delay things.

TranceNRG

Thanks Doozergirl! Yeah being a FTB I'm a bit nervous and not sure what to do in these situation. You are right that vendor being away is delaying things but hopefully they'll clean everything once it's fixed.

eddddy

It does sound slightly odd. For a blocked drain you'd normally just call out a drain company who would often turn up within hours - and clear the blockage with rods or a water jet in a matter of minutes, for a fixed fee (maybe less than £100).

(You'd then follow-up with a cctv survey later, if required.)

So either the vendor is being a bit silly in not arranging it, or there's something you're not being told.

Doozergirl

What's most important is that they prove this isn't something likely to happen again. If it is and work needs doing by the freeholder then you can ask for a retention of funds to be held by one of your solicitors to pay for it when the bill comes.

Better now than later!

Doozergirl

eddddy wrote: »

It does sound slightly odd. For a blocked drain you'd normally just call out a drain company who would often turn up within hours - and clear the blockage with rods or a water jet in a matter of minutes, for a fixed fee (maybe less than £100).

(You'd then follow-up with a cctv survey later, if required.)

So either the vendor is being a bit silly in not arranging it, or there's something you're not being told.

I'm not that cynical. This sounds like a sales agent making calls on a vendors behalf. But vendor needs to approve and pay for it and they are many hours ahead. I guess the agent won't be chomping at the bit to pay out of their pocket, given that its not their house.

TranceNRG

Yes the EA is getting quotes on their behalf and she said they don't normally do this for properties on sale. But if all it takes is a few mins to unblock the drain, why did she call the plumbers and get quotes? (She previously told me she'd arranged someone to unblock the drain today). So maybe she's not telling me the whole story.

Anyway how do I make sure this won't be an ongoing issue? Should I ask her to show me the quotes/reports, etc?

Obviously I don't want to !!!! them off by being too demanding but don't want the issue to drag on.

[Deleted User]

Personally I'd post phone the survey until I'd received okies that there isn't a major problem with the drain.

It sounds like the drain would be your responsibility if there were any problems after you buy it. Consider the implications of this.

I have a rental with a drain in the back. All the neighbours sewage comes through it. If it blocks I have to call the water board to clear it. I don't pay because its an old shared sewage pipe. But you'd need to clarify that you are in the same situation. I've been waiting for a year for the waterboard to send a camera down.

TranceNRG

Can't delay the survey now. It's booked for tomorrow morning.

From what the EA said it's the responsibility of both co freeholders (1st floor flat and ground floor).

How do I make sure this problem won't happen again in the future? Should I ask them for a CCTV inspection? (they might refused)

Should get one done myself before exchanging contracts? Do you know how much they cost?

DaftyDuck

A CCTV drain survey costs around 155 quid, from one of the nationals like Dynorod. You should be able to find a smaller firm will do one for half that, but they may be worse, or much better. Given there is a problem (and given it wasn't instantly sorted by a bloke wiv rods, which I would have had done), it may be indicative of a longer-lasting, expensive and nasty problem, particularly as it is a flat, shared sewer, shared bills, multiple complexity....

I would get a drain survey done, and I'd prefer to organise and pay for it myself, so the surveyor isn't encouraged to minimise a problem.

G_M

The delay (which could extend) is because

a) the vendor is abroad and
b) it's share of freehold, so the repair has to be agreed by all the freeholders (probobly each flat owner)

* delay the survey
* don't exchange till you're saisfied
* don't just acept the clearing of the blockage - check what caused it in the first place
* ask for (or arrange yourself) a cctv inspection