Shared septic tanks.

breffni666

Are two houses allowed to share a single septic tank i.e. a tank built for one dwelling but two houses using it. Is this legal or would planning permission cover it? If it was there for a considerable period of time would it be exempt from planning? Two houses on separate sites with the septic tank on one site. Is this a council or EPA issue. How does one report non compliance of above?

mickdw

These arrangements are usually in place for many years and as such they will most likely remain that way until one of the properties needs to be sold or something of that nature.

The planners wouldnt grant permission for an arrangement like this nowadays but it is possible that there was some form of planning granted years ago as little interest was taken in relation to disposal of effluent in the 70s for example.

Why does this concern you at this time?

sydthebeat

breffni666 wrote: »

1. Are two houses allowed to share a single septic tank i.e. a tank built for one dwelling but two houses using it.

2. Is this legal or would planning permission cover it?

3. If it was there for a considerable period of time would it be exempt from planning? Two houses on separate sites with the septic tank on one site.

4 Is this a council or EPA issue.

5 How does one report non compliance of above?

1. It is not unheard of, but it is uncommon. It tends to be in situations which have existed for a long period of time. Newly built houses would only have this arrangement in the most extreme of situations

2 It may be both. We cannot discuss legal issues here so be careful.

3 Pre oct 1964 would not require permission, otherwise it would be subject of the planning act, and subsidiary SI's of the time.

4 You dont know if there is any issue yet, you havent given enough information.

5 Non-compliance with what? as above, why is this an issue for you?

breffni666

Potential leaking of same onto my property. If there was not two houses using one tank then I might not have this problem.

sydthebeat

'Potential' means it hasnt happen yet????

trampontheroad

I am interested in the maintenance and power supply issue of two properties sharing a bio treatment plant!
I am New to this forum!
Recently I bought two unfinished houses, which share the treatment plant!
The electrics have yet to be installed for the treatment plant!
Do I install a separate supply and meter to the plant, which may turn out expensive, or is it possible to spur off the property which has the plant in its grounds and somehow add a meter to divide the cost!
My intention is to divide the maintenance costs.
This is my first project!
Thanks

BryanF

trampontheroad wrote: »

I am interested in the maintenance and power supply issue of two properties sharing a bio treatment plant!
I am New to this forum!
Recently I bought two unfinished houses, which share the treatment plant!
The electrics have yet to be installed for the treatment plant!
Do I install a separate supply and meter to the plant, which may turn out expensive, or is it possible to spur off the property which has the plant in its grounds and somehow add a meter to divide the cost!
My intention is to divide the maintenance costs.
This is my first project!
Thanks

before we go any further. can you clarify what is stipulated in the planning permissions for the 2 dwellings.

trampontheroad

I have no idea what is stipulated!
I am in totally uncharted territory as to all this!
Obviously I need to look at more paperwork regarding the planning!
I bought the properties at auction thinking things were further along than they actually were! Thinking just paint and fit carpets etc!
I am not a developer obviously, i have just watched too many homes under the hammer programmes
I have found out running costs per day are minimal 15 to 20 cents
I just want future buyers not to be off by potential issues regarding the running costs!

BryanF

thats very admirable, but generally

1 treatment unit = 1 house

so until we ascertain the planning conditions I'll assume: 2 houses = 2 treatment units

Slig

Your planning permission application will have a proposal for the treatment system and the subsiquent grant will have the conditions that it was grnted under.I find it very difficult to believe that any coco would grant a development in recent times, where two houses were sharing the one treatment sy,stem.

Check this out ASAP, we all know that septic tanks are in the limelight at the minuite so this could be a major issue for you

trampontheroad

I have had the officer around who signs off the completion certificate, and he has said everything up to date, done on the properties is correct and he is happy with the installation of the treatment plant,
It is the electrical supply I am concerned about
How to make it fair to both properties at the least cost
To run a separate supply from the road 150 metres away, then supplying a meter would be costly
There must be a cheaper alternative

Poor Uncle Tom

trampontheroad wrote: »

I have had the officer around who signs off the completion certificate, and he has said everything up to date, done on the properties is correct and he is happy with the installation of the treatment plant,
It is the electrical supply I am concerned about
How to make it fair to both properties at the least cost
To run a separate supply from the road 150 metres away, then supplying a meter would be costly
There must be a cheaper alternative

Any potential buyer will buy on the premise that 'the day they buy is the day they sell'. To make that work it is always best to set up a maintenance company to run all areas that are common to both properties and set up all common accounts in the company name. This includes the electricity account to run the treatment plant. Both house owners would be equal partners in the maintenance company. That way if they fall out or sell it will not make any difference.

No6

trampontheroad wrote: »

I have had the officer around who signs off the completion certificate, and he has said everything up to date, done on the properties is correct and he is happy with the installation of the treatment plant,

And he is who exactly? A private consultant or an officer from the Council? I am struggling to come to terms with a Co Council allowing a shared unit unless it is bigger than a standard single house system, Mayo Co Co did have something in their developemnt plan about shared treatment units until you actually went to try and get planning for one when you were very quickly told to forget aboput it!!

If everything is correct and above board as you say a management company is the usual way to handle it but is a total pain and might be far more expensive in the long run.

sydthebeat

<SNIP>

these situations are not unusual, if not ideal. In a proper procedure a wayleave is given to the property on which the tank is not, over the land where the tank is... for servicing / upgrading etc.

even if a sale goes through without this, its legally possible to gain a right of way by showing frequent use.

BTW, when you say neutral ground what do you mean... in the countryside there is practically no neutral ground.

kylith

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread.

I have recently been looking into buying a house which is on a shared septic tank. It has been mentioned that due to an issue with a former occupant the person on whose land the tank is no longer wishes to share the tank and will deny access. Is it legal for them to do that? It is currently not possible to hook the house into the mains or to built a new tank on site.

Yes, I'm aware that a row over a septic tank is not a great way to start a relationship with a neighbour, but I am really just curious about whether one party can just refuse like that. I don't have any idea what date it was built.

Metric Tensor

It depends on the legal agreements that have been made. The correct practice at the time of installation would be for the non-owner to be given a right of way and usage to the tank. If this was done correctly then the owner can't extinguish it.

However if nothing was written down then the "agreement" is much more tenuous and you'd be left in some sort of adverse possession situation which would be something you should not get involved in under any circumstances!

Why is it not possible to put a new treatment system on the site of the house? It's the obvious solution.

BryanF

What does the legal and planning documents state?

kylith

Metric Tensor wrote: »

It depends on the legal agreements that have been made. The correct practice at the time of installation would be for the non-owner to be given a right of way and usage to the tank. If this was done correctly then the owner can't extinguish it.

However if nothing was written down then the "agreement" is much more tenuous and you'd be left in some sort of adverse possession situation which would be something you should not get involved in under any circumstances!

Why is it not possible to put a new treatment system on the site of the house? It's the obvious solution.

Thanks for the advice.

The site isn't big enough to comply with current regulations on situating the tank, according to the agent.

BryanF wrote: »

What does the legal and planning documents state?

I haven't seen those. Obviously if I decide to pursue further I will be looking into those.