Case study
John Sowton, Faygate, West Sussex

John Sowton of Faygate, West Sussex knew he had a serious drainage problem when the shared cesspit in his neighbour’s garden began to overflow.

The cesspit, which was several years old, had started to fail and was becoming insanitary and increasingly malodorous.  Recognising that the cesspit either needed to be fixed or replaced, John remembered a recommendation he received about drainage expert Happy Drains.

A busy full time accountant, John (48) contacted Happy Drains and explained the problem he faced.  John wasn’t just looking for a company to handle his insurance claim but also one that could help him find an alternative solution to having a cesspit in someone else’s garden.

As John had accidental damage cover he hoped his insurer would agree to settle his claim but was concerned the company might try to get out of liability as his was not a straightforward problem. Happy to help, the Happy Drains team immediately contacted John’s insurance company and began to manage his claim. 

Happy Drains swiftly put forward an innovative solution to the problem, suggesting to John that rather than replacing his cesspit a septic tank would be installed on his property instead.   Providing a soakaway outlet that the cesspit lacked, this solution would mean John no longer had to have his cesspit emptied every few weeks.  Plus, the tank would also eradicate the smell of the cesspit from the garden.   A septic tank was the ideal solution – but could Happy Drains convince John’s insurer to cover the work required to remove the cesspit and install the tank under his accidental damage policy?

Yes.  After many detailed conversations with the insurer and numerous visits from the insurer’s contractor, it was agreed that John’s policy would allow for him to have a brand new septic tank installed.  John’s trust in Happy Drains had paid off and he was naturally delighted:

“Happy Drains did exactly what I had hoped it would,” commented John.  “Not only did it take over all of the hassle of negotiating with my insurer but the team also came up with the perfect solution to my problem.  Without Happy Drains’s support I think I would have had a much bigger battle on my hands convincing my insurer to fully resolve the issue.  Happy Drains dedicated two months to seeing through a successful resolution for me and I am delighted with the outcome, which has saved me paying £15,000 for the septic tank. 

“The service I received from Happy Drains was efficient and professional.  As a company I could not recommend it more highly.”