Problem with neighbours new guttering

[Daisybaby1]

Hello!

My neighbours guttering downpipe broke almost a year ago meaning that a lot of the rain we had over the winter that landed on their roof, ran all down the side of our house. Annoying, but we didn't say anything because we were sure that they would get it fixed soon. . . !

The builders have been round yesterday (and are due back Monday to finish up) and they are having all of their guttering renewed. The downpipe was done today. It's a bit hard to explain exactly, but basically, it does not go into the ground, it kind of curves off at the bottom a few inches away from our fence and points at our fence. This wouldn't be a problem per se, but our house is only a metre away from that fence, a metre away from where all their rain water is now being directed!

My husband popped round there when he got home from work yesterday afternoon to ask about it. Apparently there is a soak away under the ground. . . but they admitted that they have got damp in the corner of their house right at that point! He asked why it was pointing towards our house and not theirs, or out away from both houses, they basically didn't know and said they'd have a word with the builders when they come back Monday.

I wonder if anybody knows what the rules are regarding drainage of rain water? Especially as this is not a repair - they are having all of the guttering on their house renewed. I can't seem to find what I am looking for online. Is it unreasonable of us to at least ask that they point it another way? (Not that it will make much difference though I suppose if there isn't adequate drainage, also I don't think they pointed it the other way because they had a new driveway a few weeks ago and wouldn't want all the rain running down that!)

The last thing we want is to fall out, hence why we never said anything about it being broken for nearly a year, but obviously we don't want our house to be damaged either! ? ?

Thank you

 

[JohnD]

the soak away story sounds like a builders' work-avoiding fib.

When you really do have a soakaway, the drains run into it underground. So there would be a drain or gulley that you can see, and the downpipe would empty into it. The water would not gush onto your fence or run into your garden.

Where did the old gutter empty into?

 

[Daisybaby1]

Thank you for replying

The old gutter just disappeared into the ground. There was no indication of where it went, no drain or gulley, it literally just went into the ground. About a month ago they had a new brick paved driveway and I'm suspicious that the reason the new pipe has not been put in the ground is because it would mean digging up a section of the new drive! But, now we are wondering if there even is a soak away at all?! And even if there is, surely they aren't designed to drain away a load of water from the surface, are they?!?

 

[JohnD]

it may well have been connected to the underground pipe that went into the soakaway.

Round here soakaways are usually in the back garden, maybe 20 feet away from the house so that water will not make the house damp.

 

[Daisybaby1]

Yes you're right it may well have been connected to an underground pipe, and I, like you, also thought that soak aways needed to be a certain distance from buildings.

Do you know if what the builders have done is 'illegal', by positioning the downpipe in the way they have? If they are unwilling to sort it out, do you know who I would 'report' it to?

 

[JohnD]

I don't know, try on the Plumbing or the Planning Permission sections.

 

[Daisybaby1]

Will do, thank you