Water search returned public sewage in the boundaries of property we are buying

sw19er

Seeking advice as our lawyers sent us this message from our water searches.

Sewage pipes within the property boundary

The maps provided with the search indicate that there is a public sewer or drain or water main within the boundaries of the property, as shown on the plan attached to the search.

The presence of these supply pipes within the property boundary can restrict further development due to the statutory right of access for maintenance and repair by the water company. If an owner did wish to build over the route of the pipes then they should seek the consent of the water company before commencing development, as well as obtaining any relevant planning and building regulations consents. This is known as a ‘build-over’ agreement.

If you believe the existing building, or any parts of it, have been built over the public sewer from your inspection, please let us know so that we may check the seller obtained all relevant consents.

The plan does not show you the route of the pipes from the mains. Pipes between the mains and the property are private pipes, where they serve only your property and run under your property, and for which you will be responsible for the maintenance of. Please check the plan carefully.

Looking at the thames water map, it does show a line of sewage going behind the house but also shows many neighbours have built over it. Does anyone know whether this could a be headache in disguise if we want to build a side return extension? There is currently a square man hole next to it.

Chandler85

The headache is that you have to get a build over agreement from Thames Water (in your case) and they might say no.

But since the sewers were adopted if they were shared, I reckon almost very terrace property will have a public sewer in it.

Ref44

Your issue is likely to be that your intended property has an access point in it (the manhole). It is probably why the extension isn't full width as the access had to be maintained. Even if you did get permission, imangine the disruption if the water board needed to clear a blockage.

sw19er

Interesting, as you see the property (marked with a star) already has built over it. I'd like us to do the side return extension (the same as other neighbours have done). Is there an issue with having to keep the square manhole?

Section62

sw19er said:

Interesting, as you see the property (marked with a star) already has built over it. I'd like us to do the side return extension (the same as other neighbours have done). Is there an issue with having to keep the square manhole?

People might have got away with building over in the past, but there is no guarantee you will now.  Personally I doubt you would be given build over consent due to the number of properties served by that (shared) public sewer.

In the meantime, if the sewer does collapse under one of the properties then the sewerage company will need to find a way of repairing/replacing the pipe.  Don't discount the potential for inconvenience and disruption to you if that happens.

If you need a bigger property you'd be better looking for one which will be less difficult to extend.  The sewer isn't the only difficulty involved in adding what would be a relatively small amount of extra floor area.

Ramouth

The house we bought has an internal manhole because an extension has been built over a sewer in a similar way.  It serves two properties and we have a right to maintain it from the neighbours garden written into the deeds.  It would be a good idea to check to see if there is anything similar in the deeds of your prospective purchase that give access to the neighbours. 

OJ32

I have just been through the build over process with Thameswater. They don’t allow new detached developments over their pipes but you can do attached extensions with a build over agreement. 

They won’t however allow you to build over a manhole so unless there is somewhere else on the run of sewer that you can pay for the manhole to be moved to (which it doesn’t look like on the photo and plan) then I think you are out of luck.

sw19er

OJ32 said:

I have just been through the build over process with Thameswater. They don’t allow new detached developments over their pipes but you can do attached extensions with a build over agreement. 

They won’t however allow you to build over a manhole so unless there is somewhere else on the run of sewer that you can pay for the manhole to be moved to (which it doesn’t look like on the photo and plan) then I think you are out of luck.

Thanks everyone, I have seen in the Thames water guide https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6296773/water-search-returned-public-sewage-in-the-boundaries-of-property-we-are-buying (pag 9) that there is an option "Existing manhole removed and replaced by new external manhole or inspection chamber, connected by a Y junction" 

This is something we could do to move the manhole into our garden but I wonder if it is fairly common for them to accept this option?

sw19er

sorry I'm not allowed to post links but you can find the thames water guide by searching this in google www.thameswater.co.uk/ media-library/home/help/home-improvements/building-near-our-pipes/building-over-or-near-a-sewer.pdf

sw19er

www.thameswater.co.uk/media-library/home/help/home-improvements/building-near-our-pipes/building-over-or-near-a-sewer.pdf

sw19er

copy and paste the above