Ripped off to unblock a drain?

[Nick]

Hi,

Our house is positioned behind our neighbour's and we share a common sewage drain. This drain runs down the middle of a shared private drive. We have four inspection chambers on our property. Due to the lie of the land the bottom of our lowest chamber is higher than the top of an inspection chamber at the bottom of the shared drive.

On Sunday our neighbour called to say that the common drain was blocked and that he had arranged for someone to come over on Monday to unblock it. We had no idea because all our inspection chambers were clear, but I went to look at the one in the drive and sure enough it was full to the top of foul water. The drive is gravel and due to rain on the preceding days the drain could have been blocked for 4 or 5 days prior to this without anyone noticing (nobody walks up this drive).

I was tempted to pop down to the local DIY shed and get some drain rods, but since our neighbour had already fixed something up I just left it.

The firm didn't actually turn up until today (Wednesday). We were out at work all day so we didn't actually see what they did. Our neighbour called tonight to say that the workmen couldn't clear the blockage with rods and had to go and bring a pressure jet to clear the drain properly. I could sort of believe this since there may have been a week's worth of sewage backed up (4 adults + 2 children).

Anyhow, our neighbour is claiming that the bill was initially £475, but after much hagling he got it down to £250 cash in hand. As such there is no bill or receipt, and of course we're being asked to pay £125 towards the cost. The firm is a local man-in-a-van rather than one of the nationals.

It seems to me that £475 is extortionate and £250 is still on the high side. I suspect the true cost may be £125 and our neighbour is trying to pull a fast one. Do these figures seem reasonable for this sort of job? I'll certainly be phoning around tomorrow.

Thanks in advance, Nick.

[Ian Stirling]

Ok - so we have 2 visits of a man in a van. Let's say it takes a couple of hours each visit, and travel/scheduling is another hour per. So, we're up to 6 hours. This is 50 quid an hour, which does not, on the face of it seem unreasonable. Especially when you consider that that 50 quid does not go into the pocket directly, it's got to buy the van, the equipment, fuel, wear and tear, insurance, assorted taxes, and the endless showers to stop the operator smelling of shit.

125 quid sounds moderately unlikely IMO. If you're that concerned, ask if you can have a photocopy of the invoice, so you can try to claim on your insurance.

[Malcolm Race]

We have a tree root problem (roots growing into old salt glazed drains making a rats nest which causes a blockage on a regular basis) at the school where I work part time. This is a problem known to our regular company and costs £50 (+VAT) to jet clear in about 15 mins.

Malcolm

[<me9]

We had a problem on a shared drain (eventually permanently (touch wood) cured over 10 years ago by council clearers - a brick in the pipe) which regularly was 'cured' by expensive national co. on callout rates - a nice little earner for them until nextdoor rang the council.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Anyone with a claim to be a drain clearer turns up with a van with a pressure washer built in. It has its own water tank and a hose long enough to reach most situations. There really is no point in messing about with rods since this does that job and more.

If it cleared with a pressure jet it would do so quickly. So unless he had to cut into a down pipe, the whole job should have taken half an hour at most. So say 100 quid.

[djc]

Quite simple, receipt with a VAT number or no payment. He can't exactly take legal action can he? He will be asked to prove who he called, they will need to supply details of the job and copies of the receipts showing VAT and company number.

Tell him to get stuffed. I bet he claims every benefit going too.

[Dave Baker]

When were the houses built? If before October 1937 then it's the water board's responsibility to maintain the sewers. Just phone them and they sort everything free of charge. If after that date then the local council usually do a fixed price drain clearing for about fifty quid. Using plumbers or god forbid 'drain specialists' is just begging to get ripped off.

-- Dave Baker Puma Race Engines

Camp USA engineer minces about for high performance specialist (4,4,7)

[TheScullster]

"Nick" wrote

The nature of the deal as relayed to you sounds dodgy! Starting price £475 - obvious attempt at rip-off, down to £250 still high by the testament of others.

What is your relationship with your neighbour like? Is he the type you want nothing to do with and you expect to try to rip you off? If so then it may be worth contesting the bill and quoting other sources as has been suggested by others. If this is likely to sour an otherwise decent relationship (and you think the neighbour himself has been ripped off), then it may be worth paying up but stating that you think this is high and that, in future, you won't pay for joint works without prior consultation and the opportunity to obtain competitive quotes. Progress says that no-one will do anything these days for less than £50 so £125 is certainly not worth the hassle and stress of any serious dispute.

HTH

Phil

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Best one I heard was the 'specialist' arriving with an empty water tank on his van and taking near half an hour - charged of course - to fill it off a domestic supply...

[Weatherlawyer]

How much is the rancour this spat going to be worth in the time you too will be living so close to each other? I think I'd be tempted to pay up

-less half the cost of a set of drain rods, then go and get a set of drain rods.

The next time this affair happens and he gets the same crew in or someone else without asking, that will be his fault as he should have consulted you first.

[Jonathan Pearson]

Indeed its just not worth it for the sake of £100 or so quid - just pay and smile! Jon

[Cicero]

=============================== Since your inspection chambers were clear it would be worth finding the reason for the blockage which might be caused by your neighbour's improper use of the drain. I'm not suggesting body parts but disposable nappies and similar items can be a serious problem. If a blockage is caused by one party to a shared drain it seems fair that they alone should be responsible for the cost of clearing.

Cic.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Err, Dave Baker doesn't live close to me. ;-) Best to quote the bits of the post you're actually replying to...

The OP was asked to pay 125 quid. You can get a decent set from Screwfix for 17 quid.

Should be the case in any shared expense.

[Clint Sharp]

In message , Dave Baker writes

Can you cite a reference for this as my property just squeaks into this category and I suspect we may have a drain problem.

[Nick]

Thanks to everyone who offered advice. I called the bloke who did the job today and had a word. I asked how much he charged and he told me £250 so at least I don't think our neighbour is trying to rip us off - unless he knows the bloke, which is unlikely (I got his phone number from the yellow pages). Apparently the cost is so high because there is a 5 year guarantee against further blockages - yeah right. In the unlikely event that the drain does block again (this is the first time in the 11 years we've lived here) I doubt we'll be able to track him down. Ho hum. Anyway, I've paid up to keep the peace but next time I'm doing it myself. Our neighbour did look suitably embarrassed when I went round to see him.

Cheers, Nick

[Jason]

I wonder how much it would have been without the guarantee? I would have been tempted to ask.

-- JJ

[Weatherlawyer]

But he got a result and if I know enough about people; a closer relationship, which IS worth money as opposed to a difficult relationship which costs more. And which could so easily have been arrived at going by some of the stupid advice given here.

If you want to resort to confrontation at the drop of an hat, that may be fine by you but consider all the innocents that get caught in the violence and how much suffering the actual fools themselves have to go through.

Consider the monkey in charge of the disastrous relationship called Iraq. The moral of that story is as with the two people involved in this one: Clean up your own back-yard.

[Owain]

What guarantee? This was a cash-in-hand job, no invoice.

Owain

[Stephen Dawson]

The firm may not be a limited company and they may not be vat registered, so you argument falls down really.

[Dave Baker]

Try google. It only applies to shared sewers though i.e. two properties draining into a single sewer as was the case with the OP. A single sewer is called a drain and is the responsibility of the property unless the drain has been adopted by the water board.

-- Dave Baker Puma Race Engines

Camp USA engineer minces about for high performance specialist (4,4,7)