Urgent help please

[Rivkah2018]

So my neighbours have been bullying me for over a year. Things are now getting serious as they've applied to court to ask me to move my waste pipe. My solicitor originally said there was no trespass but is now saying I don't have reasonable prospects for success unless I provide evidence on when the pipe was installed. I have done a survey, looked through all the deeds and can find nothing. The single deed I need I no longer stored by the land registry. I spoke to a contractor who said my solicitor is wrong and that since both houses are grade 2 listed I do enjoy the right to use the pipe since it was likely installed a long time ago.

I would really appreciate any advice on where I can find a private contractor to let me know how much it would cost to move the pipe, as I don't want to go to court.
And also any advice on where I might find out when this drain was put in.
I'm a single mum desperately trying to keep my home. Please help. Thank you

Would you have to speak to the planning department to see if you need permission to move a pipe in a listed building. What is it they are asking you to move. Does it involve any alterations to the outside or drains.

Our waste pipe goes under their house and joins their waste pipe before exiting onto the street to the sewer. The council said I need to ask for planning to move the pipe, or even see if it can be moved. It'll essentially be like planning a new house as my home doesn't connect to the sewer in any other way.

I would need to reroute the pipe to go onto the street from my house, instead of going under their house, to reach the sewage.

Can your seweage company help you find out how long the pipe has been there and how you can re route it.

There is a long process to reroute through the water company. And they may not do it as they have new rules in place and have suggested I find a private contractor.
And they are unable to tell me when the pipe was installed, no records apparently.

Why do they want you to move the waste pipe?
I would have thought lots of waste pipes criss cross other peoples properties?

How old is their house op? Presumably it was built over your sewage pipe?

To be honest, I'd be arguing that as a listed building it's been the case for a long time, point out that listed building consent would be required and there are no guarantees that it would be granted and ask exactly what the harm is to the neighbours. Id also place the burden of finding proof to your neighbours.

Hopefully common sense will prevail.

I don't know if they can help but might be worth posting on this forum

www.lemonfool.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=2

Could maybe your local councillor help ??

good luck ,sounds a horrible situation .

Contact your mp if you haven't already.

Thanks everyone, I will contact my local counsellor. The pipe is doing nothing to my neighbours. They are just harassing me and this seems to be making them happy. It's taken such a toll and I'm frantically trying to find a way to date this pipe!

Another vote for speaking to your MP about the situation. If nothing else, the MP's involvement will speed some action from the other bodies involved.

A drains company could probably put a camera down there and give you a rough date for the drain.