The property owner is responsible for maintaining most of the pipes that run within their property’s boundaries. There are three types of water pipes. They are water mains, supply pipes and stop-taps. Water mains are large company pipes which play the role of distributing water around a particular network. Most of the time, they exist under highways. Supply pipes are smaller pipes in which water moves from company pipework into the property. A house’s water supply runs from the boundary to the first water fitting. Stop-taps and any water fittings along the length of the main supply pipe belong to the property owner and are their responsibility to maintain. This blog will provide you with an idea of who is responsible for shared drains the UK?
Homeowners need to look after their home’s drains, water pipes and plumbing fixtures. Property owners are legally required to have the plumbing in their homes checked every few years. This is to ensure that the local department sets the required standards. According to the law, each water company should develop and implement a code of practice that addresses leakage from household plumbing. You must maintain leak detection repairs and replacements, which is your responsibility. It is up to you to contact your water company to check whether they help with free maintenance. You can also get advice from reputed plumbing service providers like Slough Plumber.
What is a Shared Drain?
There are various reasons for you to have shared drains. We can see them in built-up urban areas such as housing schemes connected to local sewer systems. Sometimes private drains are in connection to public shared drains, resulting in a heavy network of pipes and drains in a small area. Do keep in mind that if you seek blocked drain services, then contact us at Slough Plumber.
For instance, shared drains usually run along the whole length of a street. Every house has a drain and pipe connected to the central shared drain. The waste that comes from your homes goes to the shared drain. At this point, it flows out to public sewers before making its way to a public sewage treatment plant. Shared drains are significantly expanding in towns and cities. The main objective of having shared drains is that they allow for higher drainage capacity.
How do I Know if my Drain is Shared?
Normally, there is a connection to the sewers on your property. That is through a certain network of pipes and drains that allows waste to be sent from your washroom, shower etc. before making its way to the local sewer system. The homeowner is entirely responsible for any private drains in an instance in which the property is connected to a private sewer. Moreover, if you are in a rented-out house, it is the responsibility of the landlord to maintain and repair it if necessary. It could be either private drains that are in connection to public sewers or self-contained off-mains drainage systems.
Who Pays for Blocked Shared Drain?
The local water authority is responsible when it comes to public shared drains. So, if somebody questions you, “shared drain blocked who pays,” then the local authority is the one who owns these shared drains. They would have to look into it. The water authority fixes issues such as breaks and blockages that tend to arise. Apart from that, people own drains privately. For example, everyone in a block of apartments is equally responsible for a blocked drain.
However, if the blockage occurs in a public area of a shared drain, then the water authorities are responsible and should come and remove it. In addition, if you feel that something is blocking your drains, then our drainage experts will enable a CCTV drain survey to find out what’s wrong. So, if you can detect a backup in a private drain before they connect the drain to a public one, it becomes the home owner’s responsibility.
Who is Responsible for Repairing Drains and Sewers?
Generally, a homeowner is responsible for the drains that go under their property boundaries. If something goes wrong, they will have to pay for the repairs. At the same time, they have the right to decide on a suitable company to execute the necessary work. This is where our team of experts from Slough Plumber come in. If you are looking for professionals to deliver jobs in sewer service, then get in touch with us. Furthermore, if you live in a flat block, there is a different set of rules. If the sewer serves several properties, all the owners living in the flat or block are equally responsible for the cost. Thus, you now have some idea as to who is responsible for shared drains UK?