Storm Drain Problem

[nickball]

Hi All, I recently moved home (4 days before christmas) on the weekend i was talking to my new neighbour and he was asking if i had been informed about the issue with the drain in the rear garden.

From what i understand there is a storm drain at the bottom of the rear garden, a while back the previos owner built a summer house over it and managed to totaly block the drain!! Now when it rains all the water builds up in the garden, i have since noticed a very large pond like puddle forming down there.

Unfortunalty i have been unable to investigate the problem as the drain is located under a large overgrowth of brambles etc...

On the plus side the build up of water can not get near the house or the neighbouring homes as the garden is 10foot lower than the houses.

My question is this: Whos responsible for the drain, would i have to pay to rectify this or would the local council do this at no cost to me?

Thanks All,
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[spraggo]

My question is this: Whos responsible for the drain, would i have to pay to rectify this or would the local council do this at no cost to me?

Thanks All,
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Have a look at your house deeds to find the answer, if you are liable then get back to the people that prepared the conveyance as it would seem that a proper survey was not carried out.
spraggo

 

[nickball]

Would this have been covered in the servey? I regretably had the cheaper servey carried out so im unsure if this would have been checked.

Thanks

 

[spraggo]

Would this have been covered in the servey? I regretably had the cheaper servey carried out so im unsure if this would have been checked.

Thanks

As stated, check your house conveyance and deeds, if there is no mention of the drain then you are not liable.

spraggo

 

[Agile]

I dont agree. Most property deeds do NOT contain any reference to drainage or wayleaves.

Almost certainly if the drain has been disturbed by an owner of your property then you will now be responsible although there is a possibility that you could take legal action against the previous owner if he caused damage and failed to make you aware during the purchase procedures.

If the drain serves your and adjoining properties then your neighbours might have a claim against you if it causes problems in their gardens. Many people are very proud of their gardens anc cultivate flowers and vegetables and not just brambles and weeds!

Tony

 

[HERTS P&D]

So the most expensive thing that you will ever buy and you have a drive buy survey?

At least you will be on here asking lots of questions

Andy

 

[joe-90]

Surveyors are useless.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Surveyors are useless.

At least the OP would have a come back for anything that was missed.


Andy

 

[joe-90]

You've got to be kidding.

 

[nickyb]

Well after clearing the whole garden and trying to dig channels by hand I am getting nowhere at all.
With the great welsh weather and no access at all for a digger or any equipment I realize my task is impossible!
I am about to add a photo of the back garden taken last weekend.

Can anyone please suggest some ideas or let me know what they would do with it.....oh other than the obvious fence it off, fill it with water etc...

Starting to get me down now and such a shame we can’t use it....the dog would love to be able to stretch his legs down there but he has no arm bands.

If I could afford to I would fit a load of elevated decking down there with a bit of a lawn in the centre, however cash is very very tight right now so I am just plodding along slower than nature unfortunately!

 

[nickyb]

Untitled

• nickyb
• 20 Jun 2011
• 1

 

[HERTS P&D]

From the picture it looks like the bottom of your rear fence is 1metre higher than your garden. How high is the ground level in the garden over the rear fence?

Andy

 

[nickyb]

The bottom of the rear wooden fence is roughly half a meter higher than the surface of the garden; this is however secured on to an old Concrete slat style fence that starts at the surface of the garden.

As you can see next doors garden is also around half a meter higher than mine as is the opposite neighbor, in other words the whole streets rain water ends up in my garden!

At the rear of the fence there is a banking sloping away to a road, this banking is the same height as the bottom of my fence.

 

[HERTS P&D]

So basically your garden is a well!

Could you raise your ground level up?

Try and post more pictures from the rear fence looking back towards the house.

Andy

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Wasn't this issue discussed before???? //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=268125&start=0