quick poll - would this put you off a house?

[Bookaboo]

the kitchen has been extended over the inspection chamber for the private drain. the drain has a special cover that is sealed to stop smells or anything else escaping. there is a concealed hatch in the kitchen to access it if ever needed.
that's all - answers please! (i was going to put this in 'chat' to access more traffic but couldn't find it!)

I would want to take the advice of a good surveyor & a good plumber.

I don't think I'd be happy with that. And it possibly contravenes building regs, which could be a problem when you want to sell.

I wouldn't like it but I'm not sure it would put me off an otherwise good house. nb: I did rent a house once that had a inspection chamber in the main living room - it wasn't sealed (at least not very well) and was very pongy.

I'd be worried about rats.

I'd get someone professional to really check the condition of the whole thing otherwise it will cost you thousands to have it remedied.

I think I know the sort of drain you refer as we have one in our garden. Why didnt you get the drain redirected around the extension when you were building? That is what our builder suggested when we looked into it.

Wouldnt put me off if all the correct paperwork was in place.

No. Not if all was as you say :)

No if the survey was OK & the price was right.

Sorry to ask a silly question but what is an inspection chamber?? We've not come across any mention of it in our house hunts (mainly looking at period homes). Is this something we should be asking wen we view a house? Sorry to hijack!

No, not uncommon especially in older houses. If its sealed properly and you can get access it shouldnt be a problem.

It would worry me, but only because my MIL has one of these drains in her patio. Periodically (once ever few years) there is a problem with one on the drains from the houses in her street and because of the way they all link together, she ends up with a backlog of raw sewage bubbling up into her garden.

You can cope when it's outside - but I wouldn't want it happening in my kitchen, so it would be a no from me (unless the surveyor said it was ok, and even then it would have to be the only house available in the area).

I have open drain pipe going underground in my conservatory, not even a smell stopping cover there (which was pointed out during survey) - it is ok, we have no problem with it. So no, it is a minor thing and would not put me off at all.

Yes it would - sorry. Only because we have one on our concrete ex council house patio and when the drains back up (we're pretty much the last in a long row with a too gentle drainage slope), the water board have to come into our garden and spend ages sorting it out. It stinks and I often take pity on them and keep them supplied with hot tea.

If we ever have our mythical extension, we'll have to get the cover moved so it will still be external.

Would not bother me and almost all houses which have had their side return done are like this. Rats could not got in any more than they could before as the iron hatch is below the kitchen hatch so said Rat would have to open two hatches! That said if the interceptor thingimajig is broken they can creep up the drain and take a peek out of your loo instead, inspection chamber inside or outside. Yikes!

Yes, absolutely. I don't think it's allowed any more.

just to give some additional info. there isn't currently a hatch in the kitchen to access the chamber, instead there are two access points outside for rodding. the owners originally planned on moving the drain but couldn't/didn't for reasons unknown. the extension has building regs.

then I dont think its an issue.