#MidWeekTopTip – If you have a blocked drain at your property do not pay for a tradesman until you have read this

IF YOU HAVE A BLOCKED DRAIN AT YOUR PROPERTY DO NOT PAY FOR A TRADESMAN UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THIS

Private Drains and Sewers Transfer

On the 1st October 2011, a major change in the way drainage in England is managed took place. Most private sewers and also lateral drains (the part of a drain which goes from the property boundary to the public sewer) which have previously been the property of private individuals, landlords or commercial property owners were adopted by the water and sewage companies, who then became responsible for all maintenance, including clearing blockages. Private drains within property boundaries were not adopted.

The object of the transfer is to ensure that no-one is responsible for drains or sewers which are shared or go beyond their property boundary.

There are some exceptions to the transfer:

• Private sewage treatment works, septic tanks and cess pools did not transfer.
• Shared drains serving flats, including pairs of flats or a block within a single boundary remain the shared responsibility of the owners.
• Surface water sewers which drain directly into a natural water course or soak away into the ground did not transfer.
• Plumbing fixtures such as soil stacks, rainwater pipes and gullies are not covered by the transfer.