Blocked drainage channels in public pavement ...

lucypilates

Hi all

I've only just bought this house and already i've had so many issues to tackle ... here's another one:

The downpipes are totally blocked and SHOULD drain down the front garden, under the garden wall and into a couple of drainage channels across the pavement into the kerb/storm drains. The drainage channels are completely blocked and on one of them, it looks like it used to have a tree there but the base is now completely concreted in so the drainage channel is blocked by that.

As a result, there is a quagmire around my bay window when it rains and this has caused internal wall plate to rot and so requires replacement, plus a couple of joists replacing and all treating for rot. This can be directly attributed to this blocked drainage channel as the water has had nowhere to go other than be sucked up by my lovely foundations! 

I believe that it's the councils responsibility to re-open those drainage channels as there is no room for me to have  soakaway. Before I actually contact them (as it's never ended well when I have had to speak to a council) does anyone have any insight to this situation and/or guidance as to how I should word my request?!? Would they be liable for the costs I am incurring to replace the wall plate and remedy the rot?

Thanks

lucypilates

Update: I've rung the highways people and have been told that they will send someone out within 10 working days of my call to inspect the pavement drainage channels. The man on the phone was very nice and didn't try to fob me off in any way. In fact, he pretty much concurred with me that the drainage channels should be reopened if I am unable to fit a soakaway (which I'm unable to as it needs to be 5m away from foundations and also 2.5m away from property boundary ...)

I also suggested that the rotten wall plate and subfloor issues were directly attributable to the blocked downpipe and they have said they will also inspect that and let me know if they accept any liability ....