Combi sewer

[Pugwash]

Who is responsible for maintaining a combination sewer? Myself and 2 neighbours share a sewer which runs from the first house across the garden of next door and myself, runs down to the street via my front garden and the manhole is in my garden.

Was told years ago that it was Southwark 's not Thames Water's responsibility to maintain this. Currently the cement around the manhole is broken and the metal cover has also broken. Have had to put a sheet of wood over hole to prevent cats etc from falling down it.

If it is Southwark - which department?

[sjsl]

We have a shared sewer with neighbour and in the past when there has been a problem, such as a blockage, the council has come to sort it. So unless the rules have changed (this was a while ago) you're right, and the council is responsible for this. No idea which dept, environmental health?

[lizbells6]

Thames Water are responsible for shared drains from the junctions where they join up out to the road. This should include the manhole cover in your garden.

[Sue]

I have a manhole cover over a drain in my front garden, and it is definitely Thames Water's responsibility up to the road.

In fact they fairly recently repaired the drain and installed the manhole cover.

Whether you can actually get to the right Thames Water department and then actually get them to do the repair is another matter entirely.

I had been trying to get them to repair the drain for some time. The broken drain had been identified during resin injection work beneath my front bay

It took a sewage overflow in my case. They said they only did repairs if something like that happened 🙄

I imagine in your case it's a safety issue, so maybe they will respond more quickly.

Good luck!