Neighbours waste pipes - is it legal? Drainage and wastage systems and plumbing help, advice and answers

[carys]

We bought a property with a flying freehold belonging to next door. They have a window over our dining room. On moving in we discovered they have a bathroom in this room and their toilet downpipe and the bath, sink and shower waste pipe (which is an open drain) are outside our door to the yard and is on our side of a high boundary wall. They are used entirely to service their ablutions! Can this be legal? They have another bathroom on their ground floor with their own drains. We only have the small back yard to sit in and it's not very nice to hear and see all their waste! Can we make them remove these pipes?

[htg engineer]

Open drain ? if any open drain is being used for toilet waste then it is illegal. All foul water drains must be sealed and flow to the main sewer.

[carys]

The Toilet waste downpipe is sealed but the basin, bath and shower isn't.

[htg engineer]

Those pipes don't have to be sealed, if it's on their property or it's shared drain there's nothing you can do.

Are they approachable ? you could ask if there's an alternative. Explain your problems. Offer to pay to have the pipes re-routed.

[carys]

Thank you for your comments and I will bear your suggestion in mind. The drains aren't shared though. It's only their bathroom that uses them. That's what I have found so strange.