Manhole in garden

DullGreyGuy

EssexHebridean said:

Ahh if this is in Scotland then that could well make all sorts of things different - not least the search protocol. In England, part of the standard search pack done on conveyancing includes a drainage and water search - usually along with a Local Authority Search and Environmental Search.  That Drainage and Water search includes detailed plans showing where drainage and sewers run.

I know in Scotland you have to have a certificate to confirm if the property is on mains water and sewers. When I worked for the water authority we had to send someone out to check before issuing the certificate, some not native to Scotland found it odd that we couldn't just produce it given we'd been charging them for years for mains water etc. And yes, sometimes the guys found out that they were on private water and we had to give a big refund. 

I worked on the defects line so didnt normally touch this kind of thing but we could log the request out of hours if someone asked nicely as we were 24/7/365 whereas the customer service team that normally dealt with it was more social hours. 

AlexMac

Don't know about the legalities or history, but if you're more interested in a fix than in apportioning responsibility, then as MikeJXE implies, an airtight inspection hatch cover is only a few hundred quid to supply and fit.

We converted an integrated garage into an inhabitable room, and discovered that all the toilets, sinks and basins in the house decanted their foul water into an inspection chamber in the middle of the garage (now spare room) floor.  This was rectangular , about  600x600 mm (similar to the Selco cover, above), and about 600-800 mm deep.  When we flush or empty sinks etc, the sewage flows into this, then on out through a 4 inch wide pipe to a similar inspection hatch in the rear garden, before running on to the shared public sewers which we share with other houses nearby. 

Our builder fitted an "airtight inspection hatch", covered it with suspended timber flooring (a bit like your outside decking), with a removable hatch in this sub-flooring.  This has never stunk nor given us trouble in five years, even though it's indoors.  The Council Building Control Inspector was also happy with it, so it must be OK.  We  can theoretically lift it but probably never will, since even on the couple of rare occasions when the domestic toilets and soil pipes back up (cos the kids chuck too much paper (or worse) down the khazi), we have had it rodded from the outside hatch by our Home Emergency insurer's excellent plumber.

So I'm sure a decent builder could tidy up your problem and fit something similar?

blackstar

DullGreyGuy said:

EssexHebridean said:

Ahh if this is in Scotland then that could well make all sorts of things different - not least the search protocol. In England, part of the standard search pack done on conveyancing includes a drainage and water search - usually along with a Local Authority Search and Environmental Search.  That Drainage and Water search includes detailed plans showing where drainage and sewers run.

I know in Scotland you have to have a certificate to confirm if the property is on mains water and sewers. When I worked for the water authority we had to send someone out to check before issuing the certificate, some not native to Scotland found it odd that we couldn't just produce it given we'd been charging them for years for mains water etc. And yes, sometimes the guys found out that they were on private water and we had to give a big refund. 

I worked on the defects line so didnt normally touch this kind of thing but we could log the request out of hours if someone asked nicely as we were 24/7/365 whereas the customer service team that normally dealt with it was more social hours. 

Thanks so should I have been given a plan of the sewer like and of the manhole in my background before I bought the house or informed of this? As feels like it was kept hidden from us. If so then who's responsible for not informing us and compensation?

I can only say that I am a bit upset at the thought that this manhole seems to have been deliberately disguised, and I am worried about the consequences of having this on my property i.e. house value decrease, access of workmen, being unable to add anything on top of this area in the garden, potential safety issues, disruptions, the constant sewer waste smells when in garden, the flies, sewerage flooding and general appearance etc. 

blackstar

Heres the latest picture ofnit

Albermarle

We had a side garage knocked down and a side extension built. This has an internal sewage inspection hatch ( that was in the garage previously). It was allowed to do this 20 odd years ago ( but not now). The hatch cover was just set into the new concrete floor.
At first  we could detect a very faint smell, so I just lifted the carpet and underlay and put a plastic sheet over it. Never smelt anything since. 

blackstar

FreeBear said:

blackstar said:

Sorry no they cleaned it out after that photo. Now it is just a tunnel where you see the water going and you can see the pipe edges either side.
So what is that actually called?

Inspection Chamber.

Fortunately, sealed manhole covers are not particularly expensive and can be fitted by a builder quite easily. It would probably be wise to put another course of brick down before cementing the manhole frame in place. Unless this is a shared drain, maintenance and repair is your responsibility.

I have been told that as it's a shared drain between myself and the neighbours it's the responsibility of the water company. Is this correct? The pipes leading from my home into it are my responsibility but not the actual manhole itself as that is shared with the neighbours and the responsibility of the Water company. 

blackstar

Albermarle said:

We had a side garage knocked down and a side extension built. This has an internal sewage inspection hatch ( that was in the garage previously). It was allowed to do this 20 odd years ago ( but not now). The hatch cover was just set into the new concrete floor.
At first  we could detect a very faint smell, so I just lifted the carpet and underlay and put a plastic sheet over it. Never smelt anything since. 

Did it look like this one?

FreeBear

blackstar said:

FreeBear said:

blackstar said:

Sorry no they cleaned it out after that photo. Now it is just a tunnel where you see the water going and you can see the pipe edges either side.
So what is that actually called?

Inspection Chamber.

Fortunately, sealed manhole covers are not particularly expensive and can be fitted by a builder quite easily. It would probably be wise to put another course of brick down before cementing the manhole frame in place. Unless this is a shared drain, maintenance and repair is your responsibility.

I have been told that as it's a shared drain between myself and the neighbours it's the responsibility of the water company. Is this correct? The pipes leading from my home into it are my responsibility but not the actual manhole itself as that is shared with the neighbours and the responsibility of the Water company. 

As it is a hared drain, yes, the water company is responsible (although there are some exceptions). Not sure what the position would be in reinstating a cover that had been deliberately removed by a previous occupier.

As for affecting the value of the property, a shared drain isn't going to make the slightest difference. And as for compensation - Unless you asked specific questions of the vendor and can prove that they lied, you are unlikely to get anything. House buying in England is very much caveat emptor and down to you to ask the right questions.

Get a sealed manhole cover fitted, and you won't get any smells coming up.