Neighbours Sink/dishwasher/Washer Waste pipe into our garden.

Beanbag1

Hi, 

I wondered if anyone knows if this is allowed or whether I can refuse my neighbour.

I live in a semi detached house, and at the back there is a drain that is on my side of the property which is attached to the guttering to drain water for both houses. 

The neighbours house also has a conservatory with a drain pipe that comes over our wall and into the same drain pipe ( this was done well before either us or.our neighbours bought the houses) the conservatory is less than 20 year old. 

My neighbour now.plans to remove the conservatory, are  knocking though kitchen to the dining room into one room. They are remodeling the kitchen, andare be moving the sink elsewhere. They no want to run piping across their wall into our drain, this will not be connected and will over hanging in our garden and dirty water will drop into our drain. 

The issue I have is that, it  will encroach into our land or airspace. But It will also like cause smells and will need to be cleaned regularly..specially if they put fat, food remnants and another produce, which could causes blockages and this will potentially flood my garden with dirty water.

Have I the right to refuse access to it via this way. I am sure he will have other underground waste pipes that will joing mine, which would not be issue. 

I have attached a picture, is house is on the left. I would imagine my neighbour would want the drain pipe from the conservatory will be replaced with the kitchen drain pipe one similar fashion. 

I should also note was is conservatory is taken down there is basically a gap with no fence. And I would therefore want to put a fence up for privacy. Which would make things difficult, if there is a pipe in the way.

Any advise will be appreciated. 

Thanks

dannim12345

Odd arrangement but as you said it’s been like they for a long time but rainwater is one thing but no I wouldn’t want others waste water in my drain. What if they put food or oil down the a drain and it’s blocks.  If they are remodelling the kitchen they should get the existing pipes rerouted.  

secla

Do they have any open drains on there property ? Its not unusual for older semis or terraces to share drains/downpipes etc. Check your deeds and see if theres any mention of it on there.

Saying that it seems like they must have a drain on there side where there current sink drains so why are they not diverting it to there ?

FreeBear

Beanbag1 said: I live in a semi detached house, and at the back there is a drain that is on my side of the property which is attached to the guttering to drain water for both houses.

Do you know if this drain is connected to the main sewer or does it discharge in to a soakaway ?

If the latter, you can not put grey water from a kitchen in to a soakaway.

Beanbag1

They do at the other side. I don't know the ins and outs of what they are doing, but I assume they are moving the sink to the other side and the back door would be in the way. 

Surely this can't be legal to hang a pipe over someone's gardens. Specially one that isn't a shared waste pipe. 

If the connected underground, I probably wouldnt be bothered or realise they done it. 

housebuyer143

I wouldn't allow it because if they put food and oil down the drain they will be blocking up your drain, not theirs and the cost will no doubt fall on you. 
I understand conservatory run off as it's just water, but no to kitchen waste.

400ixl

FreeBear said:

Beanbag1 said: I live in a semi detached house, and at the back there is a drain that is on my side of the property which is attached to the guttering to drain water for both houses.

Do you know if this drain is connected to the main sewer or does it discharge in to a soakaway ?

If the latter, you can not put grey water from a kitchen in to a soakaway.

This is the key question. If it is to a soakaway then the answer is no for grey waste. If it is to mains sewer then I would tell then they must connect underground and make good anything they have to do on your side on doing so.

markin

Gray water and rain need to be separate, They may even be separate on the street if they have been upgraded.

subjecttocontract

I'm under the impression that mains waste water eg kitchen sink, must not be discharged into rain water drains.
It's against regulations so they won't be permitted to do it.

ThisIsWeird

That's your answer, Beanbag. 'No' to grey - 'waste' - water.
The existing arrangement with the rainwater is 'ok', provided both parties agree. I'm guessing there's a very good chance that 'your' downpipe in that picture is actually fed by a continuous gutter on both properties? Can you confirm? And that this is likely covered in your respective deeds - it's a common arrangement for semis and terraces
Adding that conservatory downpipe was possibly in a slightly grey area - do the deeds allow for additional rainwater to be included? It probably doesn't make this clear.
But, have a read of your deeds, and note the references to 'rainwater' 'downpipes' 'drainage' 'sewers' and suchlike, and the covenants that cover 'shared' aspects. And note that it almost certainly won't have any reference at all to 'grey' water or 'waste' or 'soil'.
In which case, that's an absolute 'no'; "My deeds/insurance/mortgage/commonbleedin'sense/everything else won't permit it".
We don't know whether your DP goes into a dedicated 'surface water' drain (like a soakaway) or a 'foul water' waste drain, but that doesn't matter - you do not handle someone else's waste water above ground, only via an underground soil pipe, and if it's already shared - Ie the sewer runs past and collects from both houses Do you know where your soil pipes run to connect with the main sewer?
Anyhoo, it's 'no'. They need to connect to the sewer system fully on their own side.

km1500

can't believe anyone would want to hang a grey water pipe over a fence

do you have any problem tell them it is against a building regulations