The takeover of private sewers in England and Wales will take place on the 1st of October 2011, with many homeowners finding that some of the drains previously owned by them are now owned and thus taken care of by the local sewerage company. If you live in a terraced property, a semi-detached property or a detached property, the changes may affect you in different ways.
Drain changes for detached homes
If you live in a detached home, you will currently be responsible for the drainage pipes from your home until they connect into the public sewer system. This may mean that even those pipes that are not within your property boundary are still your responsibility.
After the 1st of October, only those drainage pipes which are within your property boundary will be your responsibility. The section of drainage pipe which is outside your boundary, before it connects to the public sewer, will now be the responsibility of the sewerage company.
It’s worth noting that those detached properties which are connected to a septic tank or a cess pit will not be affected by the drain ownership changes, and the drainage will still be the responsibility of the current homeowner.