Sharing Costs for Neighbours blocked Drain

Mittens2000

We live in a row of houses with a shared drain system. Recently our neighbours had to call out an emergency plumber as their drains were blocked with what turned out to be baby wipes.

We are the last in the row before the drains hit the street so we know it wasn't caused by us (plus we don't use baby wipes!). The neighbours are relatively new, have had various works done to the property and have a baby & which I appreciate could be correlation rather than causation! 

The neighbours are now asking each of the houses in the row to share the cost for unblocking the drain and suggesting that 'we' may need to commission a future survey of the drains. Prior to this there have been no blockages for at least 10 years. 

My question is - should we contribute to the costs both now and for any future survey? Thanks in advance! 

RAS

Any other babies in the row? No that people only use baby wipes of little bums.

Andy_L

as it is a shared drain then the water company is responsible for fixing it. There is no need to pay a plumber to do it.

ETA: assuming it isn't a private drain leading to a (communal) septic tank

"We're also responsible for any sewers which you share with your neighbours, even if they are under your garden or driveway."
https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/water-and-waste-help/sewer-flooding/sewer-pipe-responsibility

RAS

True, and if it's a septic tank no-one should be putting baby wipes into it.

So the next question for the OP may be ask the neighbour why they didn't contact the waterboard?

outtatune

We had exactly the same scenario last month and my answer on that thread applies here.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81301060#Comment_81301060

MeteredOut

Do the house leases say anything with regards to upkeep of the shared drains?

Okell

As per previous comments, if it's a shared drain then the water company is responsible for it and your neighbours should have contacted them to sort it out.

If I were you I wouldn't be contributing anything to the cost - and neither should the other neighbours

(You could suggest to the neighbours who are asking you to contribute that they should contact the emergency plumber and ask them why they didn't advise it was the water company's problem... )

Beeblebr0x

Aside from the water company being responsible for clearing the sewer, why should you pay for someone else's negligence?

Grumpy_chap

Mittens2000 said:

We live in a row of houses with a shared drain system. Recently our neighbours had to call out an emergency plumber as their drains were blocked with what turned out to be baby wipes.

We are the last in the row before the drains hit the street so we know it wasn't caused by us (plus we don't use baby wipes!). The neighbours are relatively new, have had various works done to the property and have a baby & which I appreciate could be correlation rather than causation! 

The neighbours are now asking each of the houses in the row to share the cost for unblocking the drain and suggesting that 'we' may need to commission a future survey of the drains. Prior to this there have been no blockages for at least 10 years. 

My question is - should we contribute to the costs both now and for any future survey? Thanks in advance! 

If this is a shared drain that connects to the public sewer network, then the local statutory sewerage undertaker is responsible for the drain, unblocking it and any necessary drainage surveys or maintenance.

No need to pay anything.

Besides, if you are the last in the row before the drain goes to the street (public sewer network), then you would be downstream of the part your neighbour unblocked and not liable to any contribution in that section.  In a very blunt way, if that section upstream from you blocks, it cannot be your media that caused the blockage, nor would you actually be inconvenienced if the blockage is not removed (assuming any flooding would not drain to your garden).