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Legal matters

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Neighbour and drainage issue.

5 replies

Theendoftheday · 15/11/2023 09:53

My friend is asking for advice with her neighbour. The neighbour has been having issues with the drainage from their property they are on a septic tank. Due to the space they drain their septic tank into becoming water logged their drains have been backing up. To combat this they have decided in their infinite wisdom to dig a trench and place a pipe to drain this away from their property. This pipe then drains into my friend's field that she keeps her horses in.

Surely they can't do this! They didn't have any discussions with my friend prior to doing this and she only found out when they started digging. She has spoken to them and following a lot of abuse has basically been told the neighbours can do what they like and there is nothing wrong with this course of action.

Unfortunately this is not the first issue she has had with them and she is reluctant to spend money on legal fees if this won't change the outcome. She has spent money and time previously trying to get issues sorted but has always lost out. The cost of legal fees is not an issue for her neighbours.

OP posts:
Santaiswashinghissleigh · 15/11/2023 09:54

Environmental health I reckon would be interested..

DRS1970 · 15/11/2023 09:58

I think you are saying they have fitted an overflow on their septic tank which drains into your friends field? If that is the case I would report it to the environment agency and local water authority as I am pretty sure that it is illegal to discharge untreated waste to the environment.

Theendoftheday · 15/11/2023 10:03

I believe they have a soakaway through their field it is this soakaway that is becoming water logged. I am not sure if it has gone through the soak away whether this means it is untreated waste or not?

OP posts:
Gardeningtime · 15/11/2023 10:09

This is likely legal. But The issue seems to be their soak away is not meeting the needed criteria, and that would be the issue. However has the tank been emptied correctly and are you sure it’s not rain water causing an issue?

AnOldCynic · 15/11/2023 10:13

They cannot allow surface water to drain from their property into someone else's. (Rylands v Fletcher)

A strongly worded letter asking them to stop and threatening legal action if they don't should help. Does your friend have legal assistance through her home insurance policy?

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