Sewage Manhole Cover Callapsing

[OldChestNuts]

A question for a friend.

Does anyone know if the water company is responsible for maintaining the manhole when it is on the private car drive.
The cover has been removed several times due to blockage in the neighbors. I believe the frequent removal of the cover has caused the covers sink and wobble.

Is it the driveway owner need to fix it or the water company?
Any advise is appreciated.

[The Builder]

You mention neighbours, so I assume this manhole is shared.
If so, then shared drains are the responsibility of the Water Company.

What I don't know is if this responsibility extends to the cover as well.
Although, common sense makes me think it must do. After all, it's a part of the drainage system.

[gingejbee]

I can confirm that the shared drains, chamber and the cover are all the responsibility of your water company....I've had mine replaced and repairs to the chamber done, at no cost.

[gingejbee]

....assuming England or Wales!

[OldChestNuts]

My friend is not too sure who responsible for the drainage as her neighbor called private company to unblock. Bovis provided a 10years indemnity insurance due to their poor design of the sewage and this meant it keeps on blocking. The blockage only affects the neighbor though.
So my friend is not sure it's the water company need fixing.

[gingejbee]

If the drains are shared ie more than one property has the use of that length of drain....the water company is responsible for unblocking, relining, relaying ....everything.

[The Builder]

Wow... Bovis had to provide Indemnity for a duff sewage system?
That's a new one on me. That's terrible.
Still, as Ginge has said, it is still the Water Company's responsibility.

[OldChestNuts]

Gingejbee, it is in England.

But please read the above situation. I am not sure why the neighbor called in private drainage unblock company.
Maybe the neighbor should have called the water company.

I will ask my friend to call the water company and see what they say.
My friend asked me if I could fix it, i.e. put some foundation of concrete and the cover the cover surrounding with concrete. But I told her I do t want to touch it if it's not owned by her.

[piggynose]

Neighbor ? Are you american?

[The Builder]

I guess she called in a private company to get it done right away, rather than wait an age for Bovis to do something under the Insurance.

I think you're right to leave it alone until the Water Company have been told.

[gingejbee]

I suspect that the neighbour called a private company because (like a lot of people) just didn't know that water companies have been responsible for shresd drainage problems for the last 7, 8 or 9 years....can't quite remember when things changed!

[OldChestNuts]

Piggnose, apologize for being lazy that I should have used an English, UK spelling checker.