The post Who Is Responsible For Blocked Drains Outside Your Property? appeared first on UK Construction Blog.

Blocked drains outside your property can be a source of significant inconvenience and potentially expensive damage. Knowing exactly who is responsible to deal with the blockage is key. Blocked drains are generally seen as the responsibility of the property owner but the local authority or water company may occasionally be held responsible in certain cases. On the other hand shared responsibility between a number of adjacent property owners can sometimes be the position and the division of responsibility depends on certain variables like the location of the blockage, the type of drainage involved, and local stipulations.

Property Owner’s Responsibility

In general, maintenance of drains within the property premises lies with the owners up to the point wher a connection is made to the public / local water company’s sewer system or a shared drain. Such drains are often referred to as private, and in the case of a blockage, the homeowner should address and remedy the problem. This includes ensuring regular maintenance, clearing blockages, and repairing any damage.

Common Causes of Blockages on Private Property:

• Accumulation of debris: any deposits, either of leaves, dirt, or litter, over time.
• Inappropriate disposal of items that are not degradable, such as sanitary products, wipes, and grease, could lead to clogs.
• Tree roots: Roots from adjacent trees can sneak through into the drains and block flow.
• Structural issues: Cracks, collapses, or misalignment of pipes due to ground movement or wear and tear.

Steps for Property Owners:

• Routine maintenance: Regularly inspecting and cleaning out drains from time to time can avoid blockages altogether.
• Waste management: Do not flush toilet clogging items (hygiene products, wipes etc.).
• Addressing tree roots: Inspect the roots frequently for incursions and fit root barriers as needed.
• Repairing the broken pipes: Repair the structural problems of the drainage system immediately.

Local Council or Water Company Responsibility

Outside the property boundaries, the responsibility typically falls to the local council or water company, especially for public sewers and lateral drains. Public sewers are under the care of the local water company, which means that normally, they are large pipes taking the waste from multiple properties possessing it to the treatment plants. Lateral drains are parts of the drain that go from the property line to the public sewer and sometimes fall under the water company’s responsibility.

Public Sewers and Lateral Drains:

• Public Sewers: Public sewers fall under the responsibility of local water companies, and it is these that maintain and repair the sewers. In case a blockage occurs in a public sewer, the water company should get in touch and clear the blockage.
• Lateral Drains: These can be a little bit confusing. The blockage is in the area of the lateral drain that’s outside the boundary of your property but inside the boundary of your private land, the water company may still have to locate and clean the blockage.

Steps for Homeowners:

• Identify the problem location: Determine if the problem lies within your own private drain, lateral drain, or public sewer.
• Contact the relevant authority: If you know that the problem lies outside the boundary of your property, then contact your local authority or water company.
• Work with neighbours and local council / water company if the blockage is in a shared drain.

Shared Responsibility with Neighbours and Adjacent Property Owners

Sometimes the drains serving more than one property are shared, and in that situation ownership might be shared too. Shared drains often occur in terraced and semi-detached houses, where two or more properties share part of a drain before it meets the public sewer.

Shared Drains:

• Identification: Identify whether your property is connected to a shared drain through a look at drainage maps or talking to neighbours and local authorities.
• Collective maintenance: The drains that are shared by neighbours require them to co-operate to keep them free from blockage. The costs and responsibilities involving their repair and maintenance can be shared between all those who are connected to the drains.
• Adjudication: In cases where disputes relate to responsibilities or the costs, it might be recommended that advice is sought through legal advice or mediation to reach fair settlements.

Homeowners:

• Communicate with neighbours. Work with your neighbours to maintain and clean shared drains.
• Document agreements. Maintain records of agreements and contributions to costs of maintenance and repair.
• Mediate disputes if needed. If disputes arise, consider legal advice or mediation to reach an agreement.

Legal and Regulatory Framework

Responsibilities for drains are, to a larger extent, based on the legal purview provided in many countries and local jurisdictions. For instance, in the UK, the Water Industry Act 1991 is a law that provides a statutory framework for the distributio of responsibilities for public and private sewers and drains in the United Kingdom. For many local authorities and water companies, a clear guideline is available through customer charters prescribing their responsibilities and services provision to the public.

UK Water Industry Acts:

• Water Industry Act 1991, which provides the responsibilities for water companies in England and Wales. Among other things, these companies are responsible for maintaining public sewers and dealing with any blockages in the lateral drains that connect to public sewers
• Customer charters. The water companies will, in most cases, have a customer charter spelling out the obligation, response times, and processes for handling the blockages.

Responsibility of the Homeowner:

• Get acquainted with local laws: Understand the legal framework and regulations on drainage responsibilities in your area.
• Guide from water company: Go through the customer charters and guidelines as provided by your local water company.
• In case of complex scenarios or cases of dispute, clarity and a fair resolution may require legal advice.

Preventive Measures and Best Practices

Blocked drains can be kept at a minimum with the following preventive measures and practices, even in the event that blockages occur, the following measures help in easier identification and quicker resolution.

Preventive Measures:

• Regular inspection and cleaning: Scheduling professional inspections and cleaning of the drains is a great step in preventing blockages.
• Proper waste disposal: It is important to educate members of the household on what should and should not go down the toilets and sink drains (ie. no baby wipes!!).
• Tree management: Observe the rooting patterns of trees nearby the drainage systems and take measures to prevent any roots from intruding into it.
• Drainage maps: Always maintain updated maps of your drainage system. This will help in easier identification of potential problem areas.

Best Practices:

• Community collaboration: Work with your neighbours in maintaining shared drains and deal with problems all together.
• Proactive communication: Be in continuous communication with a local water agency and get information on their procedures and policies.
• Emergency preparedness: Keep the contact details of a local expert drain cleaning company to hand in case of an emergency.

Conclusion

In some cases, it can be complicated when it comes to who is responsible for a blocked drain outside of your own property, such as the property owner, the local authorities, water companies, or sometimes there is shared responsibility among neighbours. Information on the position of the blockage, the type of drainage, and local regulations are important in determining where responsibility lies. Adherence to preventive measures and best practices can reduce incidents of blockages by the property owner, as well as fast-tracking the resolution process after an incidence has occurred; proper waste disposal, regular maintenance, and open communication with neighbours and the local authorities are essential tol help manage and prevent blocked drains.