London Drainage Facilities (LDF) details exactly who is responsible for repairing our drains and sewers.
Who is responsible for repairing drains?
Generally, as a rule of thumb a homeowner is responsible for the drains that fall within the boundaries of their property and in the event of something going wrong, they will be required to pay for the repairs needed. They are also in charge of deciding on a suitable and professional company to carry out the work that is required.
Who is responsible for repairing sewers?
Sewers and lateral drains connected to the public network used to be the responsibility of the property owner; however, due to new Government legislation (effective as of 2011) sewers are now maintained by local water companies.
Private and unadopted sewers
If you live in a block of flats the rules are a bit different – you are more likely to have what is known as a private or unadopted sewer. If this is the case, should repair work need doing and you own a property, you are responsible for the cost of maintaining it. If the sewer serves a number of properties, all owners are jointly responsible for the cost.
“Understanding who is responsible for the maintenance, and, should anything go wrong, the repair of our drains and sewers can be tricky,” says Fraser Ruthven, Head of Marketing and Growth at LDF.
“If there is any uncertainty as to who should deal with the problem, I would recommend contacting the water company directly for further information – just to be sure.”
For more information on the drainage planning and drain maintenance services offered by London Drainage, please contact the company directly.
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