drains & sewerage

[waimarie]

I have heard that the council/water company are responsible for outside drains on properties over a certain age whereas it is the responsibility of the house owner on more modern properties. Does anybody know if this is true. If so, what is the magic number.

[buildersmate]

Not sure where you got that from. Its certainly nothing to do with the local authority (council). It is to do with the water company that cover the area - who will provide both water in and waste out. In very rare cases, a different company supplies waste removal than supplies the water in. The general rule is that the company owns the pipework from the boundary where public land (highway) and private land meet. This point may or may not be on your personal land - there are many private sewers that remove waste from a group of houses and run across private land before meeting the point where the highway starts and the responsibility for the pipe shifts to the Company. I've never of it being dependent on the age of the property. Maybe someone else knows different.

[birdie1971]

I used to work for a local authority who maintained the sewer network for a water company under an agency agreement. The law states that if a drain (or sewer) was in the ground before 1 October 1936 and it "serves" a drainage function to more than one property, it is the water companies reponsibility for maintenace (technically it's called a "Section 24 Sewer"). All drains within the boundary of a property that were built after this date are the responsibility of the home owner until they connect the Main Drainage network - the larger diameter sewers typically found under the adjacent highway. See the following link for a bit more info...

http://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/wfdc_html/envhealth/block eddrains.htm

[birdie1971]

Sorry - delete the </p> off the link to get it to work.

[waimarie]

Many thanks for those replies. I checked the web site birdie1971 and the 'section 24 sewer' is exactly right as the property was built in 1934. I have a manhole in my driveway which is central to sewage outlets from a couple of properties on the left, right and rear to my own. It is comforting to know if there are any problems I would not necessarily carry the costs. Many thanks to you both. Were you aware of this one buildersmate ??