Who is responsible for drainage repair?
Posted: August 16th, 2024, 12:09 am
I have a partially blocked sewage drain and probable break in pipe. Just 1m of the pipe is on my own property and then it runs about 5m through my neighbours garden to a manhole in a shared carpark for 5 houses. In the manhole I can see my pipe and also my neighbours that joins it at that point. A camera (my own set up) reveals my pipe is 90% blocked about 1m into the pipe from that manhole underneath my neighbours garden. Water is not flowing so I assume it's escaping in a leak and leaving the solid stuff behind. This section of pipe only runs to my house. My plan is to unblock the pipe if possible but who is responsible for any repairs?
My water company "Anglia Water" seems to contradict itself with these two statements-
"Public sewers and drains. In most cases we’re responsible for the large sewers running under roads and pavements and the drains above them. Due to a law change in 2011, the sections of sewers and pipes you share with your neighbours, plus pipes outside your property boundary connecting to our existing network, are now our responsibility."
"Private sewers and drains. These are pipes within your property boundary (ie beneath your house, garden and driveway), and ones that take away flows from your property only to where they connect to pipework serving your neighbours. "
The latter suggests that since the section of pipe blocked only serves my house I am responsible but the former contradicts.
My water company "Anglia Water" seems to contradict itself with these two statements-
"Public sewers and drains. In most cases we’re responsible for the large sewers running under roads and pavements and the drains above them. Due to a law change in 2011, the sections of sewers and pipes you share with your neighbours, plus pipes outside your property boundary connecting to our existing network, are now our responsibility."
"Private sewers and drains. These are pipes within your property boundary (ie beneath your house, garden and driveway), and ones that take away flows from your property only to where they connect to pipework serving your neighbours. "
The latter suggests that since the section of pipe blocked only serves my house I am responsible but the former contradicts.