drains in the back garden - not public?

aoleks

Alright, I got the CCTV survey report. Everything looks good, the main drain is at the back, so the second manhole makes sense, I’m just confused about one single pipe that seems to come from the neighbours, but it looks private.

DB1904

aoleks said:

Alright, I got the CCTV survey report. Everything looks good, the main drain is at the back, so the second manhole makes sense, I’m just confused about one single pipe that seems to come from the neighbours, but it looks private.

If your neighbours drain links into yours then its a public sewer.

Section62

aoleks said:

...I’m just confused about one single pipe that seems to come from the neighbours, but it looks private.

If that pipe is in use (i.e. not abandoned) then all pipes downstream of the point the pipe crosses the boundary will be public* (assuming they continue on to discharge into another public sewer).

If the pipe on the neighbour's side of the boundary only serves their property, the part from the boundary upstream will be private.

(*and if so, the advice the water company gave you originally was completely wrong)

twopenny

Ask us neighbour to run their water from the most likely point ie kitchen or bathroom, both while they're at it and with tcover removed see if anything comes through.
I have 7manhole covers in my garden. 
I know 2 are shared because I hear water flushing from theirs. Though they are mostly on the boundary.
The water company were pleasant but useless. Better safe than sorry - and might save you money, time and worry.

aoleks

I’ll send everything to the water company, ask for permission to build over (pipes are in extremely good condition, I’ve been told by the survey company) and that’s that.

I’ll then wait a few years and get insurance, but I believe it will be fine if I move the drains. The neighbour has a private manhole feeding the mains, ao maybe I can pay to redirect that one pipe to join the others.

theonlywayisup

DB1904 said:

aoleks said:

Alright, I got the CCTV survey report. Everything looks good, the main drain is at the back, so the second manhole makes sense, I’m just confused about one single pipe that seems to come from the neighbours, but it looks private.

If your neighbours drain links into yours then its a public sewer.

That is a rather sweeping statement and certainly isn't black and white.

Our neighbour is joined to our foul drainage and both properties discharge to our water treatment plant.  The fact the neighbour links into our network of pipes does not make it a public sewer.