Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Rob C
Hmm, the title deeds need to be checked. Is this a shared drain system on a private estate or development, or it is a local authority adopted drain. If the former then there may be a contribution to pay towards maintenance, but there should be a mechanism for this to be demanded and paid into some collective fund. If the latter it's the local sewer authority's problem.
|
They are all private houses. Just a bog standard semi-detached town housing estate, built about 35 years ago, and the road they live on has many more houses on it too.
He said that there is a manhole cover on the front drives but only on every alternate house (i.e. one manhole cover per pair of semis). It looks to me like a pair of semis share one junction and that possibly goes to the main road sewer perhaps (?). I just can't see why 6 houses or more would be sharing a drain before it goes to a sewer but we just don't really know how it all works since only the resident complainant has been doing the running around with no direct input from the company they called out.
Thanks to everyone for their input so far.
I'll tell him check title deeds, insurance and the council environmental services dept. Also I'll ask why it has been left to the complainant to approach other residents (confusing them in the process) and not the drain repair company's representitive to explain it to everyone.
One cause for concern is that, if after receiving advice that a contribution may have to be made, then what happens if one or more of the residents decides not to pay? i.e. whether the complainant will then demand a bigger share from those that are willing to pay?
Also just how exactly can they determine how many people should contribute (and hance the share) when, after the initial assement, they don't even know how far away the blockage actually is yet. Also, please do note that nobody else appears to be complaining of blocked drains or bad smells etc. so you'd think that if there was a blockage or a broken drain a few houses down then more people would notice. Another strange point is that the complainant is apparently muttering something about it having to be sorted within 48 hours. Ho Hum.
__________________
Interesting info:-
Diagram of typical layouts and responibilites:-
http://www.stockton.gov.uk/resources...drain_lay_resp
Resonsibility and the law:-
http://www.stockton.gov.uk/citizense...t/33215/33243/