Drains

[Phian]

Yesterday evening I noticed our toilet was taking a while to clear. I lifted the cover outside and found the pipes were blocked with the usual sewerage stuff and lots of what appeared to be nappy liners. I cleared the blockage but on lifting the cover next in line found the same. This cover is on the boundary between our house and next door both on the house side of the boundary line. I cannot prove who caused the problem but obviously it is someone in the line ahead of us. No-one in our road has a baby so it could be cleaning cloths or something else of that nature. Before I start ringing the water authority tomorrow, I would appreciate some advice. Whose responsibility are the drains before they get to the main one under the road ? Is a record held anywhere of how they run ? I have proved the problem is not caused by us but we live at the end of the run so the muck stops here.

Phian

[BigGirlsBlouse]

I am afraid it is only the responsibility of the water authority when it hits the road. This is often the problem where a group of houses shares a drain, especially for older houses. You can get a plan of the drains from the local water authority (i did for my daughter in killingholme) via Anglian Water and it was done online....cost was about 30 quid, however this only shows the dains in the road and manhole covers. You deeds will probably show where the drains go for your house, and how many other houses feed it.

[Ash]

Try

[Farmer Giles]

I believe that in your situation - with shared drains - the local authority has a statutory responsibility to clear such blockages. Many years ago I had a house with a similar arrangement - and we had the same problem as you now have - and the LA came out and cleared the drains free of charge.

[ARWadsworth]

If your house was built after 1930 (?) then you are responsible for the sewers if you own your house.

Oddly you are not just responsible for the sewer on your poperty.

If the shared sewer is blocked 6 houses away from you then you a 1/6th responsible along with the rest of the house owners.

Unless you fancy a go with some drain rods then just call a drain clearing service and split the bill the appropriate number of ways. It might be better to use the council first for advice. They should be able to send the bill x ways and not to you.

Adam

[Timmy]

They block about twice a year. They are cleared by the utilities at no cost to us, because they are shared.

[GreG]

Not much Help, I'm sure, but it could be sanitary towels flushed down the loo causing the blockage.

Greg

[ARWadsworth]

Probably fat

Adam

[ARWadsworth]

They are cleared by the utilities as they are probably pre 1930.

Adam

[Farmer Giles]

You are correct. The property I referred to was pre-1930 - and, now I think about it, that was the reason they were cleared free of charge. Not by the utilities, though, by the local authority.

[ARWadsworth]

My drain blocks from time to time.

The manhole cover is where my toilet meets next doors toilet and the output from the next semis toilets. This drains flow to the next semos man hole cover.

My next door neighbour is in a council owned house.

I failed to clear the drains last time they blocked (5th Nov) with my drain rods. I asked the next door neighbour to call the council in the morning. The council came and cleared the blockage the next morning. I was sent a bill to cover half of the charge. I replied to the council that the bill should be split 4 ways not 2 ways and that I had rodded the drains 4 times on my own. I sent the council a bill for me rodding the drains on previous occasions. I got a letter back from the council saying they were not going to ask anyone for any charges.

Adam

[Stewart]

It may not be nappies, both men and women can use pads after urological surgery or even before it. Pads of any sort should never be disposed of via the drains.

[Timmy]

[Phian]

Thanks everyone. To my great relief, when I lifted the cover yesterday morning all was clear. I suspect this was due to the drain acid I had put down which hadn't produced an immediate effect but probably worked at the matter and got washed away by a good flow from an emptied bath or two later in the evening. The same thing happened a few months ago which makes me suspect it is something flushed by next door as it never occurred before the current occupiers moved in but this would not be easy to prove unless they are the only others using this drain.

I appreciate the advice and feel better informed to take it further. Next step is to try and find a map of the drains and see which houses are on the same line.

Phian