I have one of those neighbors. Couple of weeks ago I posted here about an old abandoned sepic tank caving in. I filled it with bolders, stones and sand. It is solid so no one will fall in. My neighbor told me that I should have called clean harbor an have it removed at a huge cost. The truth is that there is nothing to remove. The steel tank has disintegrated. There has been no sewage in this tank for over 60 years. Why is this considered a health hazzard? If I try to sell my house my neighbor will probably mention it to any prospective buyer (or the person who eventually buys it). I'm not sure how he found out about it. By the way, I live in New Hampsire. Not sure what the laws are regarding this.
If you are lucky, you'll out live him and it won't matter. Since it is filled, I doubt you'd have any problems if he did try to make a stink about it. No reason to call Clean Harbors and pay a lot of money for nothing.
Part of this thread was one fellow stating he was not about to fill in his tank, it did not matter, etc. On the news yesterday, a horse fell into an abandoned tank here in CT. Killingsworth, IIRC. It was quite a project to get the horse lifted out with a tow truck.
You might call a septic company, tell them what you have and have someone come out and give you some options. Otherwise, there is not much you can do.
Since I am a contractor, I have to do things correctly or I will be in a lot of trouble. Homeowners don't worry so much about this, so they tend to get into expensive situations when they could have done the right thing far less expensively.
A client had an old well. It had to be plugged because it was within 500 feet of a new gas station. He didn't want to pay the 1200 bucks to have it plugged, so he cut the pump line loose and let it all fall into the well. When the inspector found the well, due to excavation on the site, he called the TNRCC and reported it. Well company came out and spent 2 days fishing out the old pump, plugging the well and charged $5,000 for the privilege.
I don't know what will happen in your case. It may be that the septic company will come out and do an inspection and suggest filling with sand. OTOH, they may require the tank to be excavated, pumped out and filled. Just call someone and ask what they think should be done. They will not report you to the authorities, regardless. At least you will know what you are up against. Might be nothing.
Really good advice. If there is an issue - fix it. Not everyone subscribes to the "I'll look the other way while you pull your shit and you'll look the other way while I pull mine" ethic. On the other hand, you don't have to do it to the nth degree and necessarily do what the neighbor says - you only need to meet codes and regulations.
I'd check with the town or munincipality also to see what the requirements and get a hardcopy of them. Keep records of any work you have done along with that copy of the codes. Then you'll be protected against any ill intention on the part of any neighbor, and you can inform this particular neighbor of the legality of the (fixed) condition of your old septic.
But there's really no way around doing things right. So educate yourself, fix it if necessary, then educate your neighbor.
There is no jurisdiction that recognizes reporting a violation as 'harassment'. The neighbor seems informed, so I really doubt this would work as an intimidation tactic. Indeed, our poster might find out what *else* the neighbor
*had* been quietly putting up with for the sake of neighborly relations, if he were to follow your advice!
First, the obvious -- call the local health authority, whether it be county or city and ask. If you're that concerned about disclosing it, look it up on the state web site. I strongly expect that having filled it conscientiously you'll be fine but if it's bugging you to not know, then find out from local authority what the local regulations say.
As for disclosure, as in most places I'd be pretty sure there's a "full disclosure" law in NH as in most (if not all) states that requires all known situations be made known to a potential buyer. You're far worse off in not disclosing something and having it come out opening yourself for liability as well as violation of the disclosure laws than possibly could be for be upfront.
As for the nosy neighbor, if you're up front an honest, what can he/ she do to harm? You can't prevent them from talking to anybody so you may as well do the right thing (tm) and get on w/ it...
I agree with Robert. The most important thing to find out is what the local requirements are. And I would do that discreetly. As suggested, calling a company that deals with septic tanks is one way. You could also call town hall and say you're looking at buying a property that has an old septic tank, etc and ask what the deal is.
I'd also get a copy of any state disclosure sheet that is used for real estate sales and see what questions are on it.
And I agree with the OP, that if he filled it in with sound material, I don't see it as a real issue of any kind. It wouldn't bother me as a purchaser. However, what the local law says may be another matter.
So, you basically filled an old empty, dry, hole with rock. There's no problem that I see. Let it lawn over and the neighbor won't have a leg to stand on. Anyone wanting to snoop will need a search warrant.
So, you're familiar with the laws specific to abandoned septic tanks in his town in NH?
Let it lawn over and the neighbor won't have a leg to
He has a leg to stand on if the law wasn't followed and he reports it. Not saying this is true, but it sure is possible, unless you know the law and whether what he did met the reqts of the law.
I seriously doubt a municipal code or health official needs a search warrant to enter a yard to look at a reported health/safety problem. They aren't entering the domicile and it's a public health issue.
New buyers won't need a search warrant, their home inspector won't need a search warrant. Town authorities won't need a search warrant. There's no search warranted needed for new buyers and said neighbor to converse, and take action if this problem isn't disclosed.
The search warrant thing addresses none of the concern he should have if this isn't done to code.
In my area you only need to pump it out and then collapse the concrete tank in on itself when running the sewer line through it then filled with fill. I imagine steel tanks would get the same treatment because they are mostly rust and could never stand being removed.
Another sign of the jailhouse "no snitch" ethic of the "I'll look away from your transgressions if you look away from mine" kind of neighbor.
You may not believe it, but there stands a real good chance that this neighbor fixes what needs to be fixed, to code, on his own property, and follows ordinances (no loose dogs, no crazy Sat. 1am noises), and therefore has no particular "dirt" for folks like the poster (or you) to "dig up on him".
*Most* people have no or few, minor code stuff going on that's not grandfathered or something like that (no violation).
So there's no sitting pretty digging dirt on someone to intimidate them into silence.
60+ years, huh? I'd start a rumor that previous owners put their family jewels in a glass jar, tied a string around it, lowered it into the septic tank as a hiding place, and the string broke. Any jewels they find is theirs. You should be able to get it dug up for free.
Your neighbor is confused. Fuel oil tanks have to be decommissioned, which includes removal and testing for leaks under the tank. Septic tanks face no such regulations. You did fine. Tell him to STFU, then forget it.
I had a neighbor like that once, he became the neighborhood problem, dogs barking kids playing basketball every little thing made him mad and generated a call to the police and their unhappy faces at the doors.
I had a reputation at the town of being a trouble maker after I INSISTED on speaking my thoughts at the monthly meeting after they installed a speed limit sign at my other home smack dap in the worst possible place, the one I happened to use to pull vehicles on the lawn for a variety of repair projects under way at the time. my point they should of asked BEFORE placing it, rater than it being a surprise.... a few feet made all the difference
So I went and saw the twp manager and very nicely requested all the rules on half way houses and welfare relocatees:) the look on his face was priceless.......
I had found my neighbor idiot had started a home based investment business, thats why he demanded silence....
I asked has he got his business privelage license? one cop must of been a friend of the neighbor was taking all the calls, cop suggested we get rid of our dogs, my wife was crushed she cant have kids.
cop got head kicked in for not following procedure, neighbor had new tax to pay:) its on gross business must of been costly:) chatted with chief of police, idiot neighbor had complainded of people walking dogs in mid day making other dogs bark i wasnt the only one being harased. parents of kids playing ball were upset too. at least kids were home not running the street selling drugs.
within a few weeks the for sale sign deorated his lawn and we all smiled the day he moved:)
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