Cast iron rainwater downpipe - Responsibility...

[at123]

Hi , this is my first post - I hope I get the terminology correct.
I live in a terraced house ( part of a row ) which has a cast iron rainwater downpipe attached to my house but which drains the rain water for all 6 houses in the terrace,
I have noticed that the downpipe ends in a smallish hole in the pavement ( My house opens directly on to it...). It was full of soil and leaves which I cleared out. I then found another pipe underneath the pavement running at a right angle to the house ( presumably takes the rainwater to the main drain in the road ...). I 've noticed two problems;
1) The downpipe is not actually attached to the other pipe
2) That pipe is full of soil/leaves and therefore is blocked.

My questions are : is it the councils responsibility to clear the pipe leading away from the house and who's responsibile for connecting the downpipe to the other pipe ?
Thanks !

[Tony McC]

The fact that the downpipe isn't "plumbed in" to the hopper isn't a problem. Most downpipes end in a "shoe" and relay on gravity to direct the water into the hopper.

And no: it's nowt to do with the council. Any drain (other than a public sewer) on your property is your responsibility.

[at123]

Thanks for the reply.
Just to clarify - the blocked pipe is not on my property - it's underneath the pavement outside the front of my house ( my front door opens directly on to the pavement ).

[flowjoe]

If the properties pre-date 1937 then technically the drain is a Section 24 sewer.

It really depends on which area of the country you are in because due to cash restraints some local authorities are quietly moving the goal posts, but it is worth a try so give them a call.

[Dave_L]

I'd be interested in the outcome of this......

[at123]

Thanks very much for the replies.

I've got someone from Cheshire County council coming too see it this week - I'll post the outcome.

[lutonlagerlout]

if its the same type we have down here with like a cast plate in the pavement ,i think i might be inclined just to clean it out myself==> 5 minute job,i am a bit surprised that 1 downpipe takes 6 houses,normally its about 2 tops ,maybe the upvc fascia brigade have been round and just connected them all up rather than use downpipes
cheers LLL

[at123]

Thanks very much for the replies.

I've got someone from Cheshire County council coming too see it this week - I'll post the outcome.

Update - I was informed by the council that its not their responsibility as it is a 'section 24' drain and is the responsibilty of United Utilities - I phoned them yesterday and when I got home from work there was a card through the door basically stating they had responsibilty for it and it would be fixed within 4 weeks.
Just as well because all the water seems to be going into the hole in the ground at the moment ......

[lutonlagerlout]

leaking gutters have caused more structural damage than the blitz in this country (IMHO) pennies to fix but grands worth of damage
i repaired some guttering and downpipes at home the other week it cost £40 for all the bits (8m gutter ,2 running outlets,8 gutter clips,4 swan sections ,6m downpipe and 4 stop ends)
if it was left leaking its soaking all of the 9" walls causing major problems
cheers LLL

[Tony McC]

United Untilities?? In 4 weeks?? This is the same company that told me I could pay the 440 quid I owed them for me water rates in 10 installments of 63 quid! :p

[lutonlagerlout]

or a fiver a week for life!
:laugh:
LLL

[flowjoe]

In the trade they are known as Useless Utilities

The four week turn around made me chuckle, i know several of their engineers and they are your typical headless chickens or as they say it is organised chaos