Drainage issue with neighbour

garbo speaks

Hi,
I visited my mother's house last weekend. Behind her house is an embankment, and there is a neighboring house up behind this embankment. I noticed over the weekend, that there is a pipe extending out from this bank, and is flowing water with suds down into my mothers back garden. I am guessing this guy has put down a new pipe and the stuff from the washing machines is running into my mothers back lawn from the bank? What can we do about this?

Gumbo

Agree between yourselves or go legal.
It may be a civil matter depending on if the works were a specific breach of a planning condition or building regulation.

garbo speaks

I approached this guy on Sunday and he told me where to go. All I know is that a pipe with sudsy water flowing into my mothers garden from this guys house is not right.

cruizer101

Personally I'd be thinking of blocking it up straight away, but not sure of the legality of it, is the pipe exit actually on your mothers land. Definitely go up and question them about it.
Do you know them well, would they have done the work themselves or might it have been a contractor and they are unaware.

Edit: just saw your reply, yeah if it was me I'd be putting a cap on the or something like that

goz83

Birds fill those things with twigs, grass and mud all the time causing backflow of said washing machine and dishwasher

tradesman

When you say he told you where to go, I presume he didnt tell you of the person in the councils complaints depaertment! Lol. Try once more to get him to sort it out. If no joy then fit a pipe stopper and that will force him to do something about it. You can' discharge waste water onto someone elses property

fred funk }{

The arrogance of some people. Who actually thinks it's acceptable to drain your washing machine into your neighbours garden.

garbo speaks

Hi folks, I rang this individual last night, and once again explained the situation. I told him how right now in my mothers back lawn there is a pool of white, sudsy water being discharged from a pipe from his garden, and that my mother is very upset over this. He became very frustrated with me and said I was only stirring up trouble and he could do what he wanted on his own land. I told him I was going to the enforcement section of the council, but he said they could not do anything as it was not a planning item. Is he right?

wexie

garbo speaks wrote: »

I told him I was going to the enforcement section of the council, but he said they could not do anything as it was not a planning item. Is he right?

I'd say he's probably right insofar that it may not be a planning issue. Doesn't mean the council won't be able to do anything though does it?

Could be (likely I'd say) considered an environment/waste issue?

Ring them anyways and check

Penn

Is this a recent thing or when was this pipe installed?
Check the Council's website for the planning permission for his property. If it's recent enough it should show where his waste/stormwater is supposed to be discharging to as per his granted planning permission.
Engage a Building Surveyor to review the land registry maps for your property and they can inform you of what you can and can't do. They'll also be able to determine if the Council can or can't do anything about it.

At this stage, you've spoken with the neighbour twice. If you want something done about it, you're going to have to start getting official about it. Just be aware that the neighbour won't be happy about it, and some neighbours can turn purposefully nasty in cases like this, particularly if it's going to cost him money to correct the issue. That's why you need to start getting official about it. You need proper legal guidance on what you can and can't do before you start anything, and to be able to prove to him that it is a legal enforceable issue.

Also, "I can do what I want on my own land" is completely incorrect, particularly if the pipe or waste from same discharges into another's property without their consent.

Calahonda52

0
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2009/act/27/enacted/en/print#part8-chap3

cruizer101

I'd go official, he sounds like an idiot who there is no point in even trying to deal with anymore, by any chance did you record the calls, there are plenty of apps that let you do this.

Local council would be first port of call, maybe EPA.

Do you have access to the end of pipe, is it on you land or on his but draining into yours. You could block it up or at least maybe attach a hose to divert so its not making a mess of the garden.

padraig.od

cruizer101 wrote: »

I'd go official, he sounds like an idiot who there is no point in even trying to deal with anymore, by any chance did you record the calls, there are plenty of apps that let you do this.

Local council would be first port of call, maybe EPA.

Do you have access to the end of pipe, is it on you land or on his but draining into yours. You could block it up or at least maybe attach a hose to divert so its not making a mess of the garden.

I wouldn't block it. Maybe short-term you can fit a hose and feed it back to his garden. Petty I know. If he confronts you tell him that it is his waste water and up to him to deal with it.

Don't know if the council would be interested. You may have to go legal.

Rubberchikken

Go to.the council ibstead of attempting to deal with this guy. A person who would do that isnt going to be any kind of pleasure to deal with.
He cant just allow water to drain onto someone elses property.

garbo speaks

Ok, so I was onto the council, and they gave me the number of the engineer in charge of drainage. I spoke to this lady and she said she will do an inspection of my mother's back lawn next week. She said she would have to see the alleged problem before she could give me advice or issue any correspondence to the idiot next door, so fair play to her.

endacl

In the meantime you could simply attach a flexible hose directing the flow back to your neighbour’s property.

goldenhoarde

garbo speaks wrote: »

Ok, so I was onto the council, and they gave me the number of the engineer in charge of drainage. I spoke to this lady and she said she will do an inspection of my mother's back lawn next week. She said she would have to see the alleged problem before she could give me advice or issue any correspondence to the idiot next door, so fair play to her.

Get pics and video footage if possible as on the day there may be nothing to see if there is no water being discharged or the neighbor gets wind and stops the offending action for a few days