Ownership of sewer in front of property

tvc15

When buying my home I was a little disappointed to see the property boundaries end about 3 feet from my front door despite there being a small lawn and adjacent parking area between the property line and the street.

This week, probably exacerbated by the rain, the drain cover in the front lawn is overflowing slightly with a slight smell of sewage. Logically it looks to be part of my property and my problem to deal with and it has the same brand cover as there is in my back garden.

I have two questions: is the drain my responsibility and if not will I have to prove this as it looks like it is my property

Paulw

Personally, I would call the council and report it to them.

Markcheese

+1 on calling the council or management company... If that doesn't work I'd think about getting a drain clearing company in yourself .... It might be on public land but it's you putting up with the smell ... Could still be your drain and not a public mains as well ...

tvc15

Markcheese wrote: »

Could still be your drain and not a public mains as well ...

Is that a possibility when its not technically on my land?

Markcheese

You seem a bit hung up on the " your property " thing...
The pipe serving your house could be your responsibility with out being on your property... (more than likely a council fix though) ... Equally possible for a public sewer or mains to cross your or anyone else's property...
There can be a right of way without ownership ..

tvc15

Markcheese wrote: »

You seem a bit hung up on the " your property " thing...
The pipe serving your house could be your responsibility with out being on your property... (more than likely a council fix though) ... Equally possible for a public sewer or mains to cross your or anyone else's property...
There can be a right of way without ownership ..

What do you mean 'hung up'? It's the question I logged in to ask, what did you expect me to start talking about after the first post??

Anyway, I'll call the council but as they are probably flat out after the floods I can see its probably going to be me getting the drain cleared this time.

As regards ownership, the drain looks like it only services me house, would this decrease the likelihood of the council taking responsibility?

Paulw

Talk to the council. See what they say. They can clarify if it is something they need to do, or something that you must do.

It could still be their responsibility, even if it is a service pipe to only your house.

They will know.

deandean

I checked this out a few years back and was told that the strip of grass between the front of your house and the road is not the property of the homeowner, it is the property of the county council.

You will see that the CoCo usually cuts the grass once or twice a year, I think it is a legal thing to avoid adverse possession or whatever.