Neighbours Drainage.

[DecisionYesOrNo]

Hello All,

Can you please suggest if it is ok and common for the neighbours drainage (marked in blue) to connect into our property. We are planning on buying a property and see their drainage connects to our drainage. Also there is a water leaking into our property from this drainage. For reference we are buying the ground floor maisonette and the neighbour is on the first floor maisonette.

Also I have noticed they keep their dustbins in our front porch.

Should I ask the seller to sort this out before the exchange?

We are in link detached and share down pipes from the garages with the neighbours. Is there somewhere else that these pipes could go instead?

This is just a continuation of your other thread ‘Advise’ where the advice was don’t do it. If you look at the final outside picture of the rear of the
Property
the neighbors have the same set up.
So the drainage is most likely as it’s always been. However if there is a damp problem then yes you want it resolved before you ignore all the advice from the other thread and buy it. It’s most likely an easy one to fix.
I didn’t notice previously, but the neighbors terrace also overlooks your garden, so another no from me.

Why start a new thread on the same subject?
It is quite common to share drainage/downpipes and the rights and access to it will be stated in the Deeds.
The same with bin storage and access and rights of way over the properties. So the upstairs neighbours will be storing their bins right outside your kitchen window. Now imagine that on a 40C summer day and there might be nothing you can do about it.
The upper property looks to be in a worse state of repair than the ground floor. They don't seem keen on maintenance. Is it tenanted?

That shower room window looks well dodgy.
Caveat emptor OP, caveat emptor.

What are you expecting the seller to sort out?

The leak? Fair enough. To build another drain under the house for upstairs? Not really. Pretty standard for flats to be like this.

There was a drain exit for their property earlier which has been routed to this property. Attaching the old pic for the same. Not sure what changed over the years to route to this side of the property.

Fair enough it looks a bit janky now! Maybe they added a bathroom in the loft or something

You’d have to ask the neighbor what the new pipe is draining. It’s a very narrow pipe that has insulation material over it, from what I can see.
Regardless, I took a look at street view. It’s on a very busy junction, opposite a builders yard and self storage unit. You’ll have standing traffic outside most likely 18 hours a day, plus lorries doing deliveries.
Go and sit outside one day and see what it is like. I think you are buying a lemon.

I completely agree there are issues with the property. The only pros are it as a good price, good space, fits our family needs, walking distance to our children's schools, close to Wimbledon but on a very busy road, no parking and other issues. I am just trying to weigh the pros and cons with expert advise on this forum before we decide.

That looks like an overflow pipe (from a cistern) and condensate pipe (boiler) at a guess, neither of which should really leak much.

If we are talking flats in one building then I don't really think theres much of a strict 'mine space vs your space' in regards to the building structure, the building is built as it is and drainage is where it is.

Flats and structure like that are bizarre because while you buy them but in most cases you don't really 'own' them you are leasing their use for a set time and they are part of a much larger building/property you do not own.

Its highly like to be condensation run off from a boiler, if the pipe freezes in winter it will likely destroy your boiler so they are recommended to be protected.

You are very likely correct. The pipe is too narrow for anything else. As such, it’s nothing to worry about for the OP.