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Backed up sewer-neighbour to blame

  • 23-02-2010 09:20PM
    #1
    theparish
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 252 ✭✭


    Hi,I live in an end of terrace house with a sewer that backs up once a year like clockwork.My sewer,my next door neighbours sewer,and the next houses sewer are relatively new(houses rebuilt in last 15 years).It is the house 3 doors down from me is causing the problem as from local knowledge their old clay inspection chamber has been overflowing forever and that house never has a problem with their toilet flushing.As a result when it comes to chipping in and paying to have it cleared from another neighbours sewer they refuse to coff up.The problem neighbour in question have now completely concreted over their chamber to hide the problem.Basically is there anything both me and my other two next door neighbours can do to force the problematic neighbour to rectify the problem.We would prefer not to go down the legal route and as it is a private sewer the council will probably not want to know.P.S. we cleared it last October and now it is acting up again,twice in 5 or so months.Sorry for the long post,Thankyou for your help.


Comments

  • #2
    JohnnieK
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭JohnnieK


    theparish wrote: »
    Basically is there anything both me and my other two next door neighbours can do to force the problematic neighbour to rectify the problem.We would prefer not to go down the legal route and as it is a private sewer the council will probably not want to know.P.S. we cleared it last October and now it is acting up again,twice in 5 or so months.Sorry for the long post,Thankyou for your help.

    There certenly is something you can do. Under the environmental protection act each home owner is responsible for there own sewage system. Because the 3 or 4 houses are on one sub-main before it enters the main all 3 or 4 houses are responsible for that main. Unfortunately the legal route is probably the only way you are going to get some results. It might just take a solicitors letter to get the ball rolling, If not well then it's to the courts. Keep all the receipts and if you can get pics of the covered inspection chamber, It could even be this that's causing the problem.


  • #3
    cormac_byrne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 487 ✭✭cormac_byrne


    As you say the corporation / council drainage department will be of no help to you. They will only check that everything is ok from the point the waste enters their system. If your waste has to cross someone elses property and the blockage is occurring there then obviously you need their cooperation to resolve the issue. If they won't help then you need to report the blockage to your Environmental Health Officer. Report it as a public health hazzard.

    Environmental Health have the authority to force the drain owner to fix the problem.

    If they don't fix the problem Environmental Health can go in and fix the problem themselves (if they deem it a health risk) , then send the bill to the owner.

    As for who pays the bill I don't know if each neighbour is responsible for his own bit of pipe, or if downstream owners can demand payment from those upstream as they're sharing the pipes.


    Here's a link if you're in Dublin City
    http://www.dublincity.ie/WaterWasteEnvironment/PublicHealthRisk/Pages/PublicHealthRisk.aspx


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