Have I been stupid?

[Greengrass29]

Bought a house last year. Horrible garden with a manhole cover near the house. A family friend has slabbed over it and part of the garden with nice patio slabs.

Will this cause me issues when I come to sell? Have I been an idiot?

Well you are not wise to slab over the manhole cover. It’s usually access to your drains. It’s a problem in future when people don’t know where it is.

patio slabs in general are not going to devalue your house though

You aren’t allowed to cover a manhole cover are you? Unless the slabs can be easily lifted up for access. We have one in our front garden & my parents had one in their back garden - I’ve always thought you are legally obliged to keep them accessible.

It's illegal.

You need a matching drain cover slab for access

Great Im fucked

Just get the slab taken up that’s on it?

As per PP, take up surrounding slabs and replace manhole cover with one that accepts slabs, cut remainder to fit. We had one on our drive and it overflowed once as someone in the road did illicit works on theirs causing a blockage. The Thames Water guys rodded the drain whenever they came to do the one in the middle of the road (usually the middle of the night!) so always best kept ready for access!

That will cost a lot though i bet

Do you know where it is. Can you cut out a square where the manhole cover is and just have a liftable slab on that bit?

It's easy. Take up the slabs on the manhole cover, put down some weed membrane and fill the area with gravel or stone chips so it is flush with the remaining slabs. If anyone needs access, all they need to do is sweep the gravel aside, lift the membrane and hey presto, there it is.

I had my yard repaved and they put a matching liftable section where the access to the drain is. You need access. When our street’s drain got blocked they accessed the main drain via my access. It would have caused problems if I didn’t have this. It’s also the way the neighbour accesses the main drain so you do need to make sure there is access.
I’m surprised that whoever did your paving didn’t know to match the paving to a liftable cover. The company I used just did this automatically once they saw the drain access.

We have 2 recessed covers outside our kitchen door. The patio is brick paving and the bricks fit inside the cover. Fooking heavy to lift though when our drains block ! (Takes 2 adults to lift and even then it's a strain).

You can get special slab recesses to go over draincovers which can then be lifted as required.

You could take up the slab and put moveable plant pots on the manhole cover to hide it but you can't cover it up, whoever laid it should have known.

depends if the drain serves your house only (private drain) or also has connections to other properties (shared drain)

if the latter, and there is a blockage etc, then it is the responsibility of the water company to react and if they need to do work to access the drain then you will be charged for that work. Unlikely they would then reinstate as was so you may be left with a further bill to put it right. Your gamble.

if it is just a private drain then it is unwise, but not "illegal", to have covered it (assuming it is not inside a building). Your gamble.

Dramatic much? Hardly the end of the world.

Yes totally.

I'd lift the slab and replace with an outdoor square rubber mat like this.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rubber-Cal-Eco-Safety-Playground-Surfacing-Interlocking/dp/B007ILGFWG/ref=sr_1_55?sr=8-55&xpid=n2DggizW5FS4_

Not yet. But you will be if your drains block.

If you can't access it to clear the blockage then the sewage will find a way out - usually via your toilet onto your floor. Then you'll be fucked.

Speaking from experience it is likely to cause some issues when you come to sell the house. Searches are likely to show up that there should be access there. However you can probably buy an indemnity policy that will cover it, but it's an extra few hundred pounds for you to bear in mind. My previous house had a conservatory built over a manhole cover. Unfortunately the solicitor I used didn't pick up on it but my buyers one did! Just hope you don't need to access it before you move out.

Yeah, you’ve been a massive idiot. It’s not too late, Get a professional to tie the manhole cover into the patio so it can be accessed if need be.

Take it your friend isn’t experienced in laying patios if they’ve slabbed over the drain cover. Why on earth didn’t either of you check it out first? It could well have your mains stopcock under the manhole as well as access to the main drain. You may need to access your mains stopcock quickly in an emergency and could well invalidate your house insurance if you’ve made it inaccessible never mind the trouble you’ll be in if the water company needs access.

Don't panic. It can't be under more than a couple of slabs. The key is do you know which ones?

They can probably be lifted and then you put in something like this.

The trays aren't particularly expensive. £60 ISH.

Better to rectify it now though.

Slightly over the top. Get the helpful family friend back round to lift the offending slabs and do it properly with an insert, or if they’re not that good just leave the gap and gravel it as previously suggested.

What's your plan if your drains or your neighbours drains block???? 😂