Lost out on lovely house I wanted in bidding war - now back on market...

[LadyThompson]

Me again

I started the thread about block viewings and then ended up in a bidding war for the house I so wanted and we were outbid.

Well...it's fallen through and the estate agents have come to us. It had a bad survey (no surprise to me, it's an old and knackered house) and the two major issues were that the drainage was a cesspit (working) rather than mains, and that work is needed on the roof which will require scaffolding and, as the side of the house is on a main road, a licence for traffic control would have to be obtained whilst it was fixed....

We have re-offered but with a lower offer than before, but what I want to know is, anyone had any experience of

a) cess pits
b) successfully getting a licence for traffic control?

You will all tell me I am mad still to be interested but it's such a nice house, with tons of potential.

I remember your thread, have no answers to your questions but wanted to wish you luck and hope you get it! .

What's meant to be and all that.....

I don't know about them, but I do know Civil Engineers do drainage and roads. Why don't you go on Yell.com and find one locally? They'll give you advice on costs over the phone and for free.

A couple of friends have cess pits and as long as you don't let over flow they are no problem. Maybe check the level before any big parties! They are still getting some villages around me on mains sewerage so there are lots round here.

Can't help with the traffic control, maybe a local builder could help?

Good luck

Thank you. Apparently the cess pit is in usable working order...

We will have to get a survey ourselves anyway so I am sure the surveyor will have something to say.

Stop press! They have just accepted our offer!

Crumbs. Here we go....

I usually manage to chip in with some advice but..cess pits and traffic control?! Totally out of my league

So pleased it is possibly coming your way and no, I don't think you're mad - you clearly know what you're letting yourself in for! Good luck.

Yay on them accepting the offer. Lots of luck with the cess pit and traffic control.

Well, we have a great solicitor (not often one gets the chance to praise the legal profession but he is a gem) so hopefully he will guide us.

I can't believe it!

I think a lot of work is ahead of us but it is a long term home with it has got stacks of potential and a very large garden (I am 37 and never had a garden before), four bedrooms and two bathrooms - all knackered! In fact I have never owned a house before - only flats!

My parents have a cess pit, works fine but you do have to get it emptied fairly regularly. You don't want it overflowing. And don't use antibacterial loo cleaners, you need things that are suitable for cess pits because the bacteria actually helps to break down the solids and keep the cess pit much healthier.

Don't know about traffic control. Have you had a chat with the council?

A bonus of cess pits though, you do get a portion of your council tax refunded as you're not using mains sewerage... of course you'll probably spend that on emptying the tank though

Is it a cess pit (fills up and needs regular emptying) or a septic tank (biologically breaks down waste and has a outflow pipe, only needs emptying every now and then)? We have a septic tank and have had no problems..had it emptied and inspected soon after we moved in to check it was structurally sound.

Oh fab - they've accepted

A house will make such a difference to your lives...and a garden too....my absolute favourite part of a house! Buckle up...enjoy the ride

My parents have a septic tank going by Millarkie's description. That's why they can't use antibac cleaners...

We don't get any council tax refunded but we don't have to pay for waste water on our water bill so that is much cheaper

Maybe that's it Millarkie, my dad did say that whatever discount it was they got off their council tax offset any extra expense for the maintenance of the tank...

I think it's a cess pit but I wait to hear.

If it needs regular emptying I guess we will just live with it.

It's in the country so I guess these things happen.

My parents have a cess pit that needs regular emptying. The council come round and do it, they send them a letter when it needs done. They charge for the service, I think it's a couple of hundred pounds. I'm not sure how often it needs to be emptied though.

they haven't had any problems with at AFAIK.

My neighbours built a house in their garden and had to get a licence for traffic control and some traffic lights wile it was connected to the mains electricity. Don't think it was a big deal in terms of organising, but think it was quite expensive.