A drain is a pipe that takes either domestic foul water, for example from a sink, bath or toilet and surface or rainwater from one house only.
The owner or occupier of a property is solely responsible for maintaining a drain. This includes clearing blockages and repairing any faults. If the drain extends beyond the property, for example under the road or into a neighbours garden, the property served by the drain is still responsible until the drain reaches the main public sewer.
A sewer is a pipe that takes either foul water or surface water away from more than one house.
A sewer can be Public or Private.
A Public Sewer usually serves properties, which were built before October 1937. A Water Utility Company maintains them. The water utility company responsible in this borough is Thames Water.
A Private Sewer serves more than one property, which were built after October 1937. All the owners or occupiers of all property upstream of a blockage or fault are responsible for clearance or repair and will share the costs.
You should contact your landlord to make sure you are clear of your responsibilities about sewers serving the property you are renting.
If your drain is blocked you will usually know because your waste will stop going away when you flush the toilet, or gullies outside will overflow. There will also probably be a smell.
If you do not repair or unblock the drain we can service a notice requiring the work to be carried out within a specified time. If the work is not completed, we can carry out the work in default and can prosecute for the work not being carried out.
If we carry out the work the costs will be charged to you. Work carried out by us can be more expensive because we charge administrative costs for arranging the work to be done.
Contact the Business Support Team at the address shown.
Business Support Team
Environmental and Enforcement Services
Roycraft House
15 Linton Road
Barking
IG11 8HE
Supported by Barking and Dagenham Direct:
Tel: 020 8215 3010
Fax: 020 8227 5184
Minicom: 020 8227 5755
Email: 3000direct@lbbd.gov.uk|
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am - 6pm.
Home|
Environmental and Enforcement Services|
Help|
© 2010 London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
Civic Centre
Rainham Road North
Dagenham
RM10 7BN
Telephone: 020 8215 3000
Fax: 020 8227 5184
Minicom: 020 8227 5755
Email: 3000direct@lbbd.gov.uk|
Telephone: 020 8594 8356
Fax: 020 8227 3470