The Drain Inspector
Who Is Responsible for My Drains?
You, your neighbour, your landlord or Wessex Water? How drain responsibility works in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, Bristol and Somerset, in plain English.
When a drain blocks or breaks, the first question is usually who has to sort it out. The answer depends on where the pipe is and how many properties use it. Here’s how it works in England, including Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, Bristol and Somerset, where the sewerage company is Wessex Water.
The short version: a pipe that only carries your property’s waste and is inside your boundary is yours. Once it’s shared with another property, or leaves your boundary, it’s normally the water company’s.
Drains: usually yours
A drain is a pipe that carries waste water from one property only. If it’s inside your property boundary, it’s your responsibility to keep it clear and repair it. That includes the pipes under your house, garden and drive, and the inspection chambers (manholes) on them.
Lateral drains: usually the water company’s
The length of your own drain that runs outside your boundary to the sewer, usually under the pavement or road, is called a lateral drain. Since October 2011, lateral drains in England that connect to the public sewer have been the water company’s responsibility, even though they only serve your property.
Sewers: the water company’s
A sewer is a pipe that carries waste from more than one property. Since 2011, shared pipes that connect to the public sewer belong to the water company, even when they run through your garden or under your house. In our area, that’s Wessex Water. It clears blockages and repairs faults in public sewers without charging you.
How to tell which you’ve got
- Lift your inspection chamber covers (carefully) and run water from your house. Note which chambers it flows through.
- If a chamber is blocked and only your waste goes through it, the problem is most likely in your drain.
- If your chambers are clear but the blockage is further on, or a neighbour’s waste flows through the same chamber, it’s likely a shared sewer. Report it to Wessex Water.
- Your property’s sewer map, from the water company or a drainage search, shows where public sewers run.
Renting? Usually your landlord’s job
If you rent, your landlord is normally responsible for keeping the drains and the pipes leading to them in repair. If a blockage was caused by what went down the sink or toilet, such as fat, wipes or nappies, a landlord may ask the tenant to pay to clear it. Check your tenancy agreement and tell your landlord or agent as soon as there’s a problem.
Flats and shared properties
Where several flats share drains, responsibility is usually set out in the lease, and the freeholder or management company arranges repairs. Shared pipes that connect to the public sewer may still be the water company’s.
Septic tanks and cesspits
If your property isn’t connected to the main sewer, the drains, septic tank or cesspit and anything leading from them are your responsibility, even if they’re shared.
Will my insurance pay?
Many buildings insurance policies cover accidental damage to underground drains you’re responsible for, but cover varies a lot. Some exclude wear and tear or gradual deterioration. Check your policy before booking repairs, and ask your insurer what evidence they’ll need.
Where we come in
A CCTV drain inspection shows where a fault is and which length of pipe it’s in, and we mark its position on the ground. That often answers the “whose problem is it?” question there and then. If the fault is in a shared sewer, you’ve got what you need to report it to Wessex Water. If it’s in your own drain, you know exactly what needs fixing before you get quotes.
Check price & book Blocked drain? What to do
Questions
Is the drain under my garden my responsibility?
If it only carries waste from your property, yes. If it also carries waste from a neighbour and connects to the public sewer, it’s a shared sewer and normally the water company’s responsibility, even though it’s in your garden.
Who is responsible for drains in Weston-super-Mare?
You’re responsible for drains that serve only your property and are inside your boundary. Shared sewers and lateral drains that connect to the public sewer are Wessex Water’s responsibility.
Does the water company charge to clear a sewer blockage?
No. Wessex Water clears blockages in public sewers, including shared sewers and lateral drains, without charging the homeowner.
Is my landlord responsible for blocked drains?
Usually the landlord is responsible for keeping drains in repair. If the blockage was caused by what tenants put down the drains, the landlord may ask them to pay to clear it. Check your tenancy agreement.