Shared soakaway

[harry 55]

We have a soakaway for roof and surface drainage in our front garden and the roof downpipe between two semidetatched properties is on our side of the boundary line. We have had no problems for the last 18 years until next door neighbour had a block paved driveway installed and all his surface water now drains through his drainage channel which he has led into the drain from the downpipe and therefore into the soakaway. He assured us that he has installed drainage however what he meant that the drainage would be channelled into our soakaway! With no grass etc to soak this up our soakaway cannot cope with the volume of water, any ideas of a solution

[Tony McC]

The only solution is a bigger soakaway, and as the need for a bigger soakaway is a direct consequence of your neighbour's driveway works, they should be the ones to have it installed.

[TheRobster]

Usually in cases like this if someone makes a change to their property which adversely affects the drainage on your property then it is up to them to correct the problem.

If he refuses to do this then I would suggest contacting your local authority planning department and asking them what your legal rights are.

[Tony McC]

Rob - send me a copy of your company logo and fill in this page - Id like to put in a link to your site