Down pipe on rear gutter - help please

oldladyjo

Hi 

I live in a detached bungalow with an attached garage built in 1962.   The garage has guttering and a down pipe going into the ground and a block paving patio which encloses the pipe.  The patio is sloped slightly towards the back grassed area.  My neighbours garage is next to mine but not adjoining.  My neighbour has said he is getting water pooling on his patio and says it’s because my down pipe could be blocked.  I have never had any problem with water coming up / leaking out of this pipe on my patio.  He has suggested I dig a strip of my patio out and put a bend in the pipe and extend it out to the grassed area.   At the moment he has extended his garage into the rear garden area (builders still there) and is repositioning his kitchen into it.  He is the only bungalow in a run of 8 that does not have a down pipe off the garage guttering.  

I am very recently widowed and although the neighbour seems nice (he’s not lived there very long) I feel I’m being taken advantage of as he doesn’t want to spoil his patio and I’m just an elderly female.

What are my rights as I don’t want to dig my patio up when I don’t have a problem and there’s no proof his water pooling is due to my down pipe.   I did question him as to the possibility that his builders could be at fault in some way and got a definitive no.

Thank you for any help anyone can give.  I’m not a confrontational lady and don’t really want to say I’m not digging my patio up without giving him a justifiable reason.

MikeJXE

Difficult to say without photos or sketch 

If water is pooling on his patio it doesn’t have an even fall to drain when it rains

You could ask him to prove its your water 

What direction does your downspout go underground at the moment  ?

Where does his garage roof water go if there is no down spout ?

You could try a drain trace dye but make sure it won’t stain the paving 

fluffymuffy

You could get a water butt on your downpipe and keep it less than full by watering your own garden. Then you'll know for certain if your rainwater is causing a problem.

FreeBear

MikeJXE said: If water is pooling on his patio it doesn’t have an even fall to drain when it rains

Would agree. Water pooling on his patio is not your problem. The neighbour needs to correct the fall on his patio and ensures the water drains away properly.

oldladyjo

Thank you all for your answers.  I have now had a water butt fitted and informed my neighbour if he is still getting pooling water from now on then it is absolutely nothing to do with my guttering or down pipe.  😊😊

MikeJXE

Well do Jo