Help> Illegal Drain problems

snez79

Hi.....I just recently moved house and have found out that the drain from our bathroom is actually illegal. The waste water is going down to the riverwater system which means we could get into trouble if it isn't sorted ASAP. We only found out coz it's causing waste water to get clogged up and then back up into our garage!!

I wanted to know if anyone had come across this problem before....we know how to fiz the actual problem....but is there any way we can claim some of the cost back from the vendor as it's clearly been illegal since before we owned the property. Our buildings insurance won't cover it as it's an illegal drain.

I would really appreciate any advice

Thanks in advance.

takoo

Hi Snez79

Have a read of your surveyor's report and any drainage report for any factual data on the drains.

You could ask to your solicitor for advice on any next steps.

All the best for 2008

Takoo

david29dpo

I came across a house where the soak away did not work from a septic tank. The then owner redirected it to a nearby stream! The new owner has no idea and most likely never will. I would say you will need proof what was done and by who.

clutton_2

unless you had a structural and/or drain survey then its "Caveat Emptor" - Buyer beware - in our system of conveyancing and i think you just have to bite the bullet and fix it yourself.

Debt_Free_Chick

snez79 wrote: »

Hi.....I just recently moved house and have found out that the drain from our bathroom is actually illegal.

Just curious - why is it illegal and who told you so?

silvercar

How old is the property?

Chances are it was not illegal when the property was built and it is only in the last 20 years that rules have come in making it illegal.

There is generally no rules which say that older work has to be brought to newer standards. Anyone building now would not be able to lay drains the way yours are laid, but that doesn't mean you have to change yours.

Though I acknowledge that it is not environmentally friendly to pour waste water onto our rivers and streams.

Debt_Free_Chick

silvercar wrote: »

Chances are it was not illegal when the property was built and it is only in the last 20 years that rules have come in making it illegal.

Hence my question

The residue from our cess pit discharges into the local river. Nothing we can do about it as the land slopes down to the river and it will go there anyway! Unless someone finds a way of defeating gravity (or whatever it is that makes water run downhill!).

And the Environment Agency can't force us to change it either. Even if we did, there would still be residue water from a modern septic tank.

silvercar

Googled around a bit, and it is illegal!

Home owners are responsible for putting it right.

The environment agencies acknowledge that finding the problem with existing properties is difficult but that new properties will comply with building regs.

So the answer is that if you are spotted you will have to sort it.

DFC, you need a pipe from the cess pit to the foul drainage system or an expensive unit on the end of your cess pit to clean the water before it is released.

Alias_Omega

post a picture of where you think it runs, and from the outside of the house..

maybe draw a plan on here..

then we can give some suggestions

linda.b_4

About 6 months after moving into our 45 year old property, the water board came round to "check" drains in our area as it had come to their attention that foul water from some houses was being drained into the rain water system. Luckily ours was ok, but they obviously know when there is a problem and do checks every so often. Glad I dont live near a river or stream. I would hate to think my child was paddling in cesspit residue!

Debt_Free_Chick

silvercar wrote: »

DFC, you need a pipe from the cess pit to the foul drainage system or an expensive unit on the end of your cess pit to clean the water before it is released.

There is no foul drainage system. There is no drainage system for the entire village.

But the good news is that it's not our cess pit. We link in to a neighbour's cess pit (with all the relevant rights, via an easement in the title), so it's actually not our problem.

But ... there is no foul drainage system