Claims on house insurance for septic tank systems

Donury236

So, the septic tank/cess pit feeder pipes from our house have at a some point been damaged. No idea when exactly as its a long way from house to tank.
We have a right of access to the field the tank is in and a right to keep using the system (in the deeds). It's been in place since earliest we know of 1970s. 
In 1998 or there abouts the steading beside house were built.  A boundary fence was constructed shortly after. 
It now appears that our pipe runs over the boundary and into their garden before into the field and to our tank as it used to also serve the farm before the farm shut down.  We (my late father) bought the farmhouse in 1994 before the farm shut down. 

It caused a wet area last Yr but because of covid no one was doing repair works to systems.  We had it opened at a point they identified  and they looked with a camera and saw a collapse. They couldn't get a signal with the sensor so had no idea where exactly they were. 

Last week neighbour has a poop River in their garden and digging unearthed our systems pipe.
Company came out again and they cleared any backup. And it's flowing... Albeit uncovered.  They still are not doing work.  
Obviously Neighbours need their garden sorted, but I'm now worried that our insurance is going to say that they will.l sort it but only. If they block Off the pipe that goes through their garden and so we will. Be left without a connected up System.  Or that they will refuse as the pit/tank is on someone else's land. As far as my dad knew - from. What the farmer told him.. the pipes were inside our boundary.  Even the developer of the steading didn't bring up any issue with the pipes. And I'll hazard a guess that the neighbours were not told. Of anything being undertheir garden  (albeit along the fence area). 

I have looked at our buildings Insurance and under buildings it states this includes cesspit ans septic tanks... But then the only Other 2 mentions are exclusions saying they need to have caused damage to the home (I. e backed up into the house).  

So that basically. Means that other than 3rd party liability there is noting we can claim for?  

theonlywayisup

Do you have a septic tank or a cess pit?  They are different. 

If your deeds allow the drainage via their garden, they cannot block up the pipe.

WaywardDriver

Similar several years ago with pipe on neighbour's land between tank and inspection chamber, dislodged by tree roots. Claimed on property insurance. Neighbour objected to workers coming onto his land but our deeds said we had right of access for repairs - suspect case anyway regardless of deeds. Fortunately neighbor wasn't at home when workers did the repair.

Donury236

theonlywayisup  I'm going to say cesspit as its pre 1970 and was not replaced before 1994 that's for sure.  Ive had to give the neighbour our details so he can claim on our house insurance 3rd party via his house insurance.  So now going to start looking so that we can use someone else other than Nationwide when we have to renew.   TBH should have read the policy wording better - they dont cover ANY drains at all. !!!!!!.   

Davesnave

Donury236 said:

theonlywayisup  I'm going to say cesspit as its pre 1970

You don't ID a cess pit by its age, you know it's one if you don't empty it and it overflows!

Are you emptying the tank fairly regularly? If so, it might be a cess pit, but most of those would need doing at least once a year as the liquid has nowhere to go.

Septic tanks have a drain field, so might go many years without emptying, but it's good to part empty once every few years depending on size/usage.

Donury236

Davesnave said:

Donury236 said:

theonlywayisup  I'm going to say cesspit as its pre 1970

You don't ID a cess pit by its age, you know it's one if you don't empty it and it overflows!

Are you emptying the tank fairly regularly? If so, it might be a cess pit, but most of those would need doing at least once a year as the liquid has nowhere to go.

Septic tanks have a drain field, so might go many years without emptying, but it's good to part empty once every few years depending on size/usage.

Will be septic tank then as it drains into the surrounding land and has a pipe going to the closest burn. 

It's all a cf. The drain that's bust is right where the system that was a 1998 barn conversion used to link into the same tank when it was a farm.  So we don't even know if it's our main pipe or a spur that was closed off by the developers. And even then, it's not been damaged by us, likely not even by our neighbours as its not a bit where any vehicles could go, but I'd say initially by the developers.

Might actually have to get the solicitor for my dad's estate on the case. Not what I need right now.