Sewage Pipe Issue

[BigRooster]

My sewage pipe keeps blocking but not on my property seems to be some where in next door garden which seems to have the manhole cover as well .
I've only been in the property about 6 months but what I have found out seems to been a problem for many years which has effected property's either side of the manhole .
So my question is as the blockage is never on my land who would be responsible to have it fixed .
I don't my spending £30 to have it unblocked but when it's every couple of months when it's not me blocking it it's becoming a pain .

[New Judge]

If your property uses a shared waste system with other houses it is the responsibility of the local authority or your water/sewerage company to clear blockages. Whose responsibility it is depends on the age of the house. Pre (I think) 1935 it is down to the water company. After that it is down to the local authority.

[gingejbee]

Private shared sewers and lateral drains passed into ownership of your water supply company a few years ago. If they need unblocking (and subsequent repair) it is the responsibility of the water company....you do not need to worry about the cost.

[BigRooster]

Thank you judge will need to ask them see what answere I get .. Thanks

[BigRooster]

Thanks gingebee

[gingejbee]

You could Google "Water Industry (Schemes for Adoption of Private Sewers) Regulations 2011 for fuller details.

[ELVIS68]

gingebee, my sewage pipe starts under my front doorstep and runs across the driveway under next doors doorstep and gets blocked halfway across, every 6 months it gets blocked and needs rodding to clear the blockage.
The water company told me that because the pipes are on our property it is down to us to pay for any problems.

Is that correct?, our houses were built in the mid 60's

[boxtops]

Our 1860s houses have shared sewage outlets on T-junctions under our lawns - the access manholes are at the top and bottom of the 10-house run. It's up to the water company ehich disposes of your foul water to see to it - give them a ring.

[Peter Pedant]

Hi boxie why dont we try and see if we can get kicked off this Law topic as well !

Foul pipes this far from the house are the water company's

[gingejbee]

ELVIS: the water company is responsible if the pipework affected is "shared" ie has more than one property's effluent passing through it. So, if you are the first house in a run and the blockage is before next door's effluent enters, then YOU are responsible. Sorry!

[ELVIS68]

gingejbee, Just my luck eh?

Thankfully I've got a set of rods and manage to clear it each time, not the most pleasant of tasks but at least it's free.

[Mamyalynne]

ELVIS, Laura is looking for you in Music, sorry for interruption.

[New Judge]

http://www.unitedutilities.com/sewers-and-drains-explained.aspx

United Utilities - “Sewers and Drains explained”

What United Utilities is responsible for – the big public sewers that take sewage and rainwater run-off to wastewater treatment works, the pipes from your property’s boundary that lead into the public sewer. Many of the shared drains where several property’s drains meet together before they join the public sewer – if you suspect that this is blocked, please contact us.

Severn Trent’s article on the same topic provides a useful diagram showing the extent of responsibilities:

http://www.stwater.co.uk/businesses/waste-water-services/sewers-and-drains/

You will see that the common drain joining the terraced houses is the water company’s responsibility (after the drain leaves the first house) . I think this covers your situation. This also supports gingejbee’s remarks.

[BigRooster]

Well done all nice contributions

[gingejbee]

One final comment on this, which may be useful...it's not only the pipework that is the water-supply company's responsibility (in the above "shared" circumstances), but also the chambers and their (usually metal) covers. Repairs/replacements are not chargeable to the property owner.