Single storey rear extension over foul water sewer and manhole issues !!

buder

Hi everyone,

Not sure this is the right place to post this but in desperate need of some advice.

We are in the process of purchasing a property and really close the point of exchange. Our searches have returned a rather worying development that the single storey rear extension has been built over a foul water sewer and man hole.

The drains and water search shows a very poor picture of where this sewer runs in comparison to the original back wall of the property. The plan included in the search makes no reference to any man hole/inspection chambers on the property it was only after contact with TW that they told me there should be one along the sewer run at the rear of the prop, likely now underneath.

The rear extension in question does not have a build over agreement, building regs or a completion cert and has been up for 12 years now. We had a full survey performed and without exposing the structure they were happy with what they could see.

The fact we now know that its likely a foul water drain and man hole is underneath is now worrying me to the point we are considering pulling out.

What do people think regarding possibly correcting this without digging up the extension as it houses a kitchen dinner presently ?.

Indemnity is presumibly out the question now I contacted them, unless I dont tell them I have done this.

Would be such a shame to get this far and have to start over.

Regards

B

RS2000.

There's been no issues in 12 years then there may never be.

What has your solicitor advised about buying a house without building regs?

Is the extension full width of the plot? Without knowing where the drains run everything is just a guess. There is s chance you can dig down and install inspection chambers is the extension isn't full width.

phoenix_w

Stupid question, but have you checked to see if there is an airtight manhole cover in the extension? If they're tiled well or covered over with some other floor covering you wouldn't know it's there.

You need to speak to your conveyancer earnestly. It's been up long enough that it's unlikely anyone will take any action regarding building regs and it's unlikely to fall down around as soon as you move in.

Furts

It is buyer beware and a decision for OP buder.

Whilst there may be no apparent defects with the extension it does raise doubts. These are how carefully has one looked for defects? I doubt that anyone has inspected the wall ties, or the cavity insulation, or the roof insulation to name just three items. Indeed, there is a reasonable likelihood that none of these are present. I say this because somebody has built in contravention of accepted procedures. This suggests there was a reason for doing so, that corners were cut, and that it was a penny pinching construction.

Basically, good builders and good home owners do not evade accepted procedures. Those that do usually have something to hide.

buder

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I absolutely agree Furts and this is my main concern.

The rear extension runs full width and the sewer runs across the boundaries now underneath or close to the edge of the extension under the patio.

TW say regardless of whether a double seal is used or not, they will not grant permission for a man hole to be moved inside so without effectively moving it, we are in breach of this and TW should they need to get access could insist we dig up part of the extension.

I feel building regs and therefore a completion cert were not pursued as the owner at the time knew they were affectively covering the man hole/foul water sewer pipe and therefore the building regs application process would have exposed this and all the additional costs in moving the man hole and possible diverting the sewer run etc.

I have no problem with the structure of the extension and planned to expose and make a regularisation application once in with regards to this. my main worry is the drains underneath and what could happen regarding access or if they were not protected properly although it has been over 12 years and not been a problem so far. if they were to leak we could have structural issues and all sorts !?.

I really don't know what option I have, I want to proceed with the purchase but the way its looking everything is stacked against it presently.

The guy that owns it now, purchased it like this and was obviously not a problem for him, he actually claims his conveyancers didn't even make him aware of this fact. TBH mine didnt until i pointed it out to them, although the drains map provided is so poor it could actually be under the patio in which case would make me feel a little easier about it all, as it would seem easier to fix. The drains map provided also didn't show any manhole covers at all so had i not taken the initiative here would be none the wiser !

pendragon_arther

When my mum died a few years ago the house went up for sale and the purchaser's searches revealed the washroom extension had been built over the sewer manhole cover. She'd been living there for forty years with no problem. Their solicitors wanted proof of permission to build over the outlet because nothing showed up in the building regulations dept. Luckily I found a certificate of permission my late father had obtained from the then mayoress and presented this thus allowing the sale to proceed.

The purchaser happened to be my next door neighbour so it also saved estate agent fees too. Solicitors like to nit-pick because my neighbour desperately wanted to buy the house anyway and this was just a way of perhaps trying to knock something off the price. Had he done so I would have put it back on the market anyway.