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Original poster

Neighbour wants to run drain through my garden

58 replies

ADVICENEEDED987 · 19/09/2023 13:12

My neighbour has asked if they can run a drain underground through my garden to meet the main combined drain for the row of houses.

They currently have a soakaway for water from their roof but this has failed. Instead of replacing it they want to run a pipe underground to take the water to the main drain but joining it in my garden rather than theirs (I think their inspection cover has been concreted over).

It would mean digging up part of my patio, flowerbeds etc. What would you do? My instinct is to say no. Whose responsibly would it become if it gets blocked? It's disruptive to my garden, plants/hedge will have to come out) would my insurance provider be happy with it? Any risks if it goes wrong (I think it would be done as a diy job rather than by a contractor). I don't really know anything about drainage and plumbing so any advice would be very gratefully received!

thread title edited by MNHQ at OP's request.

OP posts:
Original poster
ADVICENEEDED987 · 19/09/2023 13:15

Sorry title should say "Neighbour wants to run drain through my garden" but I don't know how to edit it!

OP posts:
GarlicGrace · 19/09/2023 13:15

No! They can get a new access point installed when they dig the new drain through THEIR garden.

Your title's full of typos, doesn't make sense. Can MNHQ fix it for you? (Report your own post)

jazzyfips · 19/09/2023 13:15

Absolutely don't do this as you woud be liable for it as it would be on your property. It will be as much disruption digging up your patio as uncovering their inspection cover.

PragmaticWench · 19/09/2023 13:15

I think they'd need permission from the water company to connect to the shared drain? You'd need to speak with your solicitor (and the neighbour pays) and probably your household insurance provider as well.

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 19/09/2023 13:16

It would be a very hard and firm no no no no no no from me.

Original poster
ADVICENEEDED987 · 19/09/2023 13:16

GarlicGrace · 19/09/2023 13:15

No! They can get a new access point installed when they dig the new drain through THEIR garden.

Your title's full of typos, doesn't make sense. Can MNHQ fix it for you? (Report your own post)

Thanks, I spotted the typos as soon as I posted the post. I have reoorted it and asked for it to be edited!

OP posts:
Original poster
ADVICENEEDED987 · 19/09/2023 13:18

Thanks all, I did wonder if permission would be needed from the water company. I'm also looking to sell my house shortly and don't want to agree to anything that will cause problems selling, issues a buyers survey would flag up, insurance issues etc.

OP posts:
OhComeOnFFS · 19/09/2023 13:20

No way.

WDIAROM · 19/09/2023 13:22

They could cause a lot of damage and then be unable to pay to put it right and also it might effect selling your house in the future. It would be a no for me also.

GPTec1 · 19/09/2023 13:28

Rain and foul water should be treated separately, your neighbour needs to reinstate bigger, more efficient soakaways, its not difficult.

He'd also need deeds of easement so he can access your land for any repairs, which nay new buyer of your house might not like....

Huge no no from me.

Justlovedogs · 19/09/2023 13:39

What @GPTec1 says. You can't just connect a storm water drain to the main drain system. Your neighbour will need permission from your local water authority and they will need to be absolutely convinced that there is no other feasible option before granting it. They need dig a new soakaway in their garden, a minimum of 5m away from any property (unless the regs have changed since I last did one).

MNHQ
LivMumsnet · 19/09/2023 13:40

@ADVICENEEDED987 , we've edited your thread title now, as requested. Hope that helps! Flowers

EL8888 · 19/09/2023 13:46

Another no. Way too much hassle for you and lots of risks

KievLoverTwo · 19/09/2023 13:49

For re-sale liability alone, nope.

PickledPurplePickle · 19/09/2023 13:57

Nope

loislovesstewie · 19/09/2023 14:02

Definitely not. Too many problems would be caused by it.

SlippinJanie · 19/09/2023 14:05

Not in a million years.

Waspie · 19/09/2023 14:06

Wouldn't they also gain an easement over your land if you agreed to this? I'm, quite obviously, not a lawyer but it shouldn't be something you agree to without a specialist legal opinion (at the neighbour's expense).

Berthatydfil · 19/09/2023 14:06

You can run rain water run off into the foul water drain- but not the other way round. Or at least you could - we have this on our house. The rainwater down pipe feeds into our bathroom waste.

We didn't do this - the previous owners did when they built an extension 30 years ago.

Your neighbour should try to locate his drain cover and dig it up to get access to it rather than you having your garden dug up or alternatively run the rainwater into the kitchen or bathroom drains.

Flossflower · 19/09/2023 14:10

No don’t do this. My small drain runs into my neighbours drain. All the houses on our road are like this. My neighbour is wonderful, but on the occasions that my drain was blocked and they had to get at it from her drive she wasn’t very pleased.
The law was changed about 10 to 15 years ago. Now if you have other people drains or shared drains on your property the water company have rights over it.

JustWhatWeDontNeed · 19/09/2023 14:11

Nope. They can fuck about in their own garden.

Canisaysomething · 19/09/2023 14:19

It won't meet building regulations to divert water that has previously gone to a soakaway into a public drain. They are wasting everyone's time even asking this, building control won't grant permission for it.

Canisaysomething · 19/09/2023 14:19

They need to excavate and improve their soakaway. Just ignore their stupid request.

ACynicalDad · 19/09/2023 14:22

Our neighbours had done this before we moved in. It caused minor issues when we had an extension done, but could have been worse if it was somewhere else. If it is possible to do it on their land then I wouldn't begin to entertain the idea. Even if it is allowed to connect to the main drain then I'd need one hell of a reason for them to do it on my land not their own and your patio will look odd forever.

SphincterSaysWhat · 19/09/2023 14:40

The legals would require a grant of easement not just by you, but also the other parties they want to tap into (if that makes sense?). And you can't just do this merrily off your own back, your lender needs to consent too...then registration. Urgh.

Cluster fuck. Say no, your solicitor advises against it.