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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To complain to the Council about sewage?

13 replies

morbidd · 05/03/2023 15:29

Hello,

I own a former council house and live next door to one. For the past few months there has been an issue with my neighbours manhole in their garden which deals with the properties waste.

Basically there has been a blockage and it's progressively getting worse. My neighbour has contacted the repair team many times and they keep repeating the same actions over and over where they pass onto the drain team, who then pass it onto the plumber.

Basically a few people have been and said it needs a two man team and a jetty to properly clear it out. However, the council won't do this.

It's got so bad now that the concrete area around the man hole is like a swamp!!!! And the smell omg. It's slowly climbing up the concrete pole to our fence and coming over our boundary.

My neighbour is beside herself as they aren't taking her seriously, she's scared it's gonna come into her house as it's slowly rising. She can't even go into her back garden through back door because of it.

I called the council repair team and got the out of hours for emergency. They were so useless and explained that they would have to get the drain team involved and go through the whole process! Just what the hell!? They said I could raise a complaint which I have done on council website.

I guess I'm asking if I should be getting involved!? My neighbours first language isn't English and I'm just disturbed about the health and safety risk here.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can kick up a fuss and get this addressed? I'm concerned they haven't done anything about it all this time!

OP posts:
chipsandpeas · 05/03/2023 15:30

id contact enviromental health

morbidd · 05/03/2023 15:32

Thank you, I will do that right now.

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morbidd · 05/03/2023 15:34

Doesn't seem to be an option for sewage under environmental health and of course is directed to the council anyway.

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MyOwnVolt · 05/03/2023 15:36

discharge of sewage has got to be environmental health hasn’t it? Has your neighbour started the complaints process with the council yet? Although tbf I’d probably go straight to the local councillor.

Gizlotsmum · 05/03/2023 15:39

Has she tried her water company ( or wastewater company) if she has any shared mains ( so if a row of house once more than one has connected into the pipe) it becomes the sewerage company’s responsibility.

morbidd · 05/03/2023 15:39

I have found local councillor so I will send them the details of complaint.

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morbidd · 05/03/2023 15:41

Gizlotsmum · 05/03/2023 15:39

Has she tried her water company ( or wastewater company) if she has any shared mains ( so if a row of house once more than one has connected into the pipe) it becomes the sewerage company’s responsibility.

No I don't believe so. I think this is because it is maintained by the council. Their repair team should be dealing with it. It's in their boundary and their responsibility.

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LibrariansGiveUsPower · 05/03/2023 15:41

Environmental health and call your water company, they are ultimately responsible for all drains since a change in law over a decade ago

Dippydinosaurus · 05/03/2023 15:43

Contact your MP they're usually good with this sort of thing as they have contacts at local councils

morbidd · 05/03/2023 15:46

So I had contacted the water company once I started smelling sewage. They checked our manhole and said all clear. Just writing an email to councillor now.

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morbidd · 05/03/2023 16:06

Have contacted two local councils and found a form to report this to environmental health. Thanks for all your help!

OP posts:
Spinninggyro · 05/03/2023 16:22

Water board dealt with a problem in the road near me, caused a problem with toilets flushing properly. speak to the company you pay your water bills to.

morbidd · 05/03/2023 16:59

Two men and a jet wash have arrived! Woooo!

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