There are two main types of waste pipe – drains and sewers.
Generally speaking the home owner – or landlord – is responsible for private drains, and the water / sewerage company takes responsibility for the public sewers.
The private drainage network in and around your home includes the drains from your property up to your boundary, unless it is a shared sewer where several drains from neighbouring properties join before connecting to the public sewer. In that case the sewerage company is responsible, as they are for most drains and sewers outside your boundaries. Public sewers are usually in roads or public open spaces, but may run through private gardens. The sewerage company does have a right of access to these sewers for maintenance. But if they need to carry out work on sewers on your land there are rules and procedures they must follow. Water companies are regulated by Ofwat.
Responsibility for the highway drains and gullies that take rainwater run off from the roads and pavements would lie with your Local Authority or the Highways Agency.
So if your private drain pipes become blocked, contact us for help! We can identify and solve any drainage problems. Call Happy Drains on 0800 849 8099 today.
