Not allowed to flush loo roll

[userc]

Looking for advice please.

Live in a rented apartment, there are ongoing issues with drainage which management have largely ignored for the last couple of years (i.e., dealing with emergencies and then not taking advice that proper maintenance was needed). Big flood yesterday. Pipe is "compromised" and apparently is a big job to replace due to various structural issues.

Have now been instructed that toilet paper must not be flushed down and instead must be taken to general waste, which is down 6 flights of stairs and across the road for people on the top floors. Email breezily states other countries do this as a matter of course, and that we need to adjust our habits. They do not give a date as to when this is fixed, but it is likely to be months (I heard six).

AIBU to think this is crackers? You have a guest round, you insist they must put toilet roll in a bin and if it's a poo you'll just nip out across the road?!

If I was in a big family home that I owned I'd move to something like reuseable cloths or installing a bidet, but this is something I can't afford nor feel like I should be forced to. E.g., I run my washing machine twice a week (& don't have a tumble dryer) and it's already incredibly expensive.

Any advice?

6 days fair enough but not months. That's not on. I would report to environmental health

The thing is this isn't going to fix the broken sewer and EH need to know you a) have a broken sewer and b) building management are happy to leave it to get worse by issuing unreasonable guidance that most people won't follow when no one's looking.

Whether it's reasonable or not to not flush loo roll is a red herring here, stay focused on the main issue. You have a broken sewer and management are leaving it like that which is unsanitary. Don't sugar coat it by calling it drainage, Environmental Health need to know this is a serious sanitation issue especially if it's flooding.

This page from CAB, about halfway down says EH can in some circs potentially order the building owner to fix the sewer or get the LA to do it then bill them:
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/water/water-supply/sewerage/who-is-responsible-for-repairing-drains-and-sewers/

Thanks, those all sound like a good ideas.

I'm frustrated because it's all added expenses and the management company don't see to care or have any sense of urgency. I'm facing job insecurity & already desperately trying to budget as the costs of everything rises.

If I had endless money and a nice big apartment, I would definitely go down the reuseable cloth route. But can't afford to wash them everyday, and would have to sit looking at them on a dryer in my tiny living room.

Are they reducing your rent until it's fixed? Providing bin bags? A collection service?

I'm always sceptical about suggestions of bum jugs and the like. Surely a wet hand doesn't give the requisite friction to clean anything. Or is there a bar of soap involved too?

Yes of course, but I don't have to take my general rubbish out 3+ times a day!

You don't need to take the bathroom rubbish out 3 times a day either? You put it in nappy sacks and take it out 3-4 times a week or something.

*Sorry I meant "sewage pipe" not "sewer". Stupid autocorrect and a bouncy toddler jostling me.

Surely a wet hand

I don't think they use wet hands. They just spray water on it and then dry with tissue.

It makes sense. When your child has a dirty mouth, is it not easier to wipe it off with a wet wipe or damp tissue Vs dry tissue?

I'm pretty sure those are the terms the WHO uses?

And yes - I understand this but I'm not living in one of those countries. I'm paying a huge amount to live in the UK where they have plumbing and sewage systems, and they are not setup to deal with people not flushing toilet roll.

Of course if I was somewhere where it is the norm, I wouldn't be complaining.

Nothing, they have just instructed us to do this, and no timeline given apart from they're working on it.

I’d just keep flushing it and let them sort every blockage out. Might galvanise them to replace the pipes sooner rather than later if there are frequent blockages.

install a handheld bidet, it just goes in between the cold inlet. We have saved a fortune in bog roll, last time we bought some was 3+ years ago. Leaves you feeling really clean down there

Urgh this is repulsive.

People without IBS and such like problems may well have 'clean' toilet paper from a wipe. Those of us with more complicated and difficult issues (without too much information) can use half a roll or more before the wipe is clean. Its horrendous.

"See my post above. Basic hygeine to wash your hands with soap and water and disposing of human waste."

Just take some hand sanitiser with you.

If this is a temporary measure while they get it sorted, YABU. If they are suggesting this instead of getting it fixed, YANBU and they are bang out of order

My attitude exactly, though OP mentioning "ongoing issues with drainage which management have largely ignored for the last couple of years" could well suggest the second option

It further suggests they may minimise if she asks about this directly, so I'd also recommend a call to environmental health, who should be all over this like a rash

And on a slight tangent, OP ... never go to any undeveloped area of Mexico!!

It’s far from ideal but for now I’d equip the loo with biodegradable wipes and nappy or dog poo bags with handles and simply dispose of the bag into a bin which shouldn’t smell but can be emptied when going out anyway.

Fair dos. Hope it gets sorted soon!

I'd check OP isn't legally liable in that case if there's another blockage. I don't see how this helps anyone really.

That don’t have adequate sewerage. We do. The landlord just doesn’t want to pay to fix an issue.

And then have to deal with a broken toilet?! No thank you from me 😒

The management company don't see to care or have any sense of urgency

I'd missed this when before posting, and that's your real problem right there

Ennvironmental Health without a doubt ...

Perfectly happily to deal with when travelling or if I moved a country where it was standard.

Unhappy to deal with this in my home in the UK, at my expense, while management sees no rush in sorting it out.

Reminds me of Greece 30 years ago when the pipes were the size of polo mints.

We live on our boat for months at a time, and we don't put toilet paper in the toilet. Bag it. We use nappy sacks for each time, tie it up, put it in the rubbish bin, then take the rubbish to the bin when we come across one, which is sometimes 3 or 4 days. It really is not a big deal. However, a discussion regarding a rent reduction might well be in order, because although it isn't your landlords fault it isn't yours either. Or you could ask them to release you from your contract early.

Great until it all backs up and some poor sods flat (or OPs flat) is ankle deep in sewage. Genius that is.

OP, it's an inconvenience but not an insurmountable one. You don't need to empty the bin three times a day. Ask the management company to provide biodegradable nappy bags, sanitary bins, or temporary loos like portaloos as another poster suggested. They should be taking steps to help you out.