Bungalow extension built over a public sewer - no permission from water company?

skipfeeney

Hi All,
My dad is in the process of purchasing a bungalow with a large rear extension built fairly recently (2014).    His solicitor has found that there is a public sewer running to the rear of the property and believes the extension has been built over it.  The extension looks to be all completed correctly with Planning Permission and Building Control Sign off.  However the local sewer undertaker has not been informed that its been built over.  The seller (a house builder who must have had it in part exchange) has offered an indemnity policy.  My dad is keen to continue with the purchase on that basis.  However I think this is a real cause for concern?  What happens if there is a problem with the sewer and they need access to it, what happens when dad comes to re-sell and this issue could be picked up again. 
Whats everyone else's thoughts on this? Is this common or a big issue?
Thanks

Doozergirl

CCTV the drains.  That's essentially all the water company would have asked for.  

People were able to do it without issue before 2011, which is when shared drains were adopted by water company.

The build over agreement is part of building control.  IF there was a shared sewer underneath, even if the building control inspector didn't realise a drain was shared, they'd still have asked the builder to bridge the drain correctly.   

It's not going to be some major sewer or they'd have spotted it.  

Should have been done with the correct paperwork, it is possible that there wasn't a drain there (paperwork can be wrong, particularly for previously unadopted sewers), it's not the end of the world if it isn't there, what is important is the condition of the drains.

The plus side is that the importance of checking condition of the drains has been highlighted.  It's something that isn't too expensive to check but that most people don't do. 

davidmcn

As above, the lack of any physical problem is the main issue. The indemnity policy covers the chance-in-a-million risk of something adverse occurring (and can be passed on future buyers/lenders). Your dad can rely on his solicitor's advice.

skipfeeney

Thanks all - so what you are saying I guess is to ask a company to go and do a CCTV survey of the drains prior to exchange of contracts?  To make sure all is ok, and not overly worry.