Building over agreement and extension

Davesnave

ric1982 wrote: »

Update: I have just seen google earth map. Everyone on the street who has build an extension have left space on the side for the manhole except this house!

But not everyone else has another sewer from some distance away meeting at a right angle to their own/immediate neighbours, so the lack of access is doubly concerning.

ric1982

ric1982 wrote: »

Given that there is no manhole access now for the T junction and it was covered while building extension
- Would you buy this property? Or is this a deal breaker?
If its not a deal breaker then which documents would you like check from the vendors (Personally I would not be happy with just Indemnity cover.)?
- Building Over agreement (already been asked to produce)
- Building Control Sign-off
- Building Control Permission or Approval.
- Any other relevant docs.

Anyone?

My fear about buying this property is that it has the drainage pipe which flows all other houses sewage into the main public drainage, we have to end up forking money every-time its blocked because someone in the neighbour decide to flush sanitary towel!

Is this fear well founded?

Davesnave

It's a shared sewer, so blockages would be the responsibility of the water company.

There's a lot we don't know here though, like how old the sewer is and at what depth it runs. I'd be less concerned about blockages and more interested in it's physical state, which might, of course, give rise to blockages..



I'd not care about planning permission much because it is too late for any enforcement to be applied. Building regs are a different matter,however, and in your shoes I'd want to see the sign-off. I have a feeling that if the inspection chamber was removed, you won't be seeing any building regs paperwork.


You could always speak to the neighbours to find out if there have been problems with these drains; someone will talk if there have!

ric1982

Thanks, I have contacted council's Building Control department and they said following:

Approval – Available
Completion Certificate – Available

What do you mean by "sign-off" document?

Davesnave

ric1982 wrote: »

Thanks, I have contacted council's Building Control department and they said following:

Approval – Available
Completion Certificate – Available

What do you mean by "sign-off" document?

Sign-off = Completion Certificate.


This means the paperwork's in order and the work was inspected during the build, probably several times.

ric1982

This sounds reassuring.

davemorton

Hmm, I am on the other side of the fence with this one. I am selling and the buyers solicitor is asking for my build over agreement. I had not heard about one of these until I was asked, as I guess these were not about when I bought my home (2004).
What is more worrying is I cant find any details of the extension on the councils website although I know it was built more than 30 years ago, but presume it must be legal as my solicitor never mentioned it when I was buying and I have every confidence in their ability's (they have since retired, so cant use that person this time round).
The manhole is still accessable in the extension (concrete floor raised with wood and an access panel in place, is just a garage that has been made larger and turned into a utility room.)
So, im hoping my buyers will be happy with an indemnity policy as I cant see what else I can do. I have had no issues with the drains in the time I have lived here.

ric1982

I have rangup the water company annyomously and asked for a generic advise and its as follows:

- If the extension was build before 2011 and at the time it was part of the shared private sewage then provided that the water company has not already adopted this sweage at the time (some of the sewages were adopted by water company pre 2011), it would not require build over agreement.

Now how do I find out that the property's shared private sewage was adopted or not by the water company at the time of extension without giving up property details to the water company!!?

Fustrating!

Doozergirl

How old is the actual house? Built pre-1936 any shared drains would have been adopted by the water co. and a build over agreement required.

Post 1936, you and your neighbours' own responsibility, no build over agreement requirement.

Any drain that isn't shared at all is and has always been yours to build over.

ric1982

Thanks @doozergirl.

No one seems to know how old the house is. I have asked the vendor who is living there for about 20 years and dont know. Would council know about it?