Flooding In A Cellar

[Ric.ror]

Please bare with me on this
My sons house used to back on to a large body of water that in the past two years has been drained and filled in so building can take place in it. In that time his ‘cellar’ has flooded and now has a good six inch of water in it
Now the cellar really isn’t a cellar it’s stone steps down to approx 1 meter with bricked up walls where the gas and electric meters are.
He initially pumped the water out but it came straight back.
I bought the house in 1983 (before I sold it to him nine years ago) and I never had any experience of any damp whatsoever.
Can anyone advise me/him what to do
He was hoping to sell the house as he was made redundant last week

Thanks in anticipation

[dannyk13]

Install a pump.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Approach the council who gave planning permission for the new build on the previous flooded area. Ask for an inspection but you will need some sort of evidence the flooding started after the water outside was drained for building purposes. You will find it extremely hard, if not impossible to sell the property with water in the basement.

[Ric.ror]

Thanks Polly
Danny - where would the water be pumped to?

[dannyk13]

Ric , I had the same problem of flooding from a nearby stream.I contacted a builder who installed a pump just below floor level which operated when water was present and was pumped outside, I think into a nearby sewer.

[Ric.ror]

Danny - like you, this is in Bradford. The way that Bradford is built (and gravity) should mean that only the city centre should flood. I’m particularly mad because this problem has been caused by the development yet it appears it is the existing homeowners have to resolve it

[maggiebee]

Sorry Ric.ror, it's much too cold to bare with you today! Hope you get your problems sorted out.

[dannyk13]

Ric at the time I was living at the bottom of Hollingwood Lane.

[Ric.ror]

Maggie - I wondered if it was Bare or Bear but I thought (mistakenly) that as one is more definable as an object - bear as in the animal - I’d go with the other
My bad as the Americans might say

[maggiebee]

Apologies Ric.ror, occasionally the teacher in me comes out. I must learn that I don't need to comment on everything. Still hope your son gets his problem with flooding sorted out.

[Ric.ror]

You’re getting BA for a couple of hours Maggie

[maggiebee]

WOW, thank you Ric.ror - think that's a first.

[dannyk13]

ric, what part of Bradford do you live in?

[The Builder]

I think it's safe to assume that the previous body of water was continually "topped up" from natural spring(s) underground.
These springs now have nowhere to go. Water will take the easy route, in this case, into his property.

Embedded in property law is the principle that no property should ever cause "nuisance" to anything adjoining. This includes discharge of surface water/rainwater etc. Or, in this case, diversion of watercourses to the detriment of neighbours.

This is very difficult for lawyers to prove. There would have to be evidence that the offending water is "new".
Usually, Building Inspectors should take this into account when inspecting the adjacent works.
Also, Environmental Health should be made aware of this. They will need stirring, and that might prove sluggish. It still remains though, that damp or standing water is properly regarded as a potential health hazard.
I think I would start there.
Although pumps etc are a pragmatic remedy, they only tackle the symptoms... not the causes.

If you've explored everything with the local authorities and they prove ineffective, then I would take the pragmatic approach and deal with the water/damp myself.

[dannyk13]

Builder, the cause of water flooding my cellar was the widening of the road outside my property.I contacted the council who sent an inspector to view the problem.He took a sample of the water and tested it after which he told me it was clear water and therefore not the council's reponsibility.

[The Builder]

Danny, I'm no lawyer, but in my opinion, that is a case of the Council abnegating their responsibility.
"Clear water" is nothing to do with it. Rainwater and surface water are essentially "clear". One can never cause those to be discharged onto neighbouring property.

But as they say, "good luck with that".
Lawyers could go round in circles with cases like these. Which is why I like to go for practical solutions when legal processes get nowhere.

[dannyk13]

Builder, the water was coming from an underground spring. At the time I did consider going down the path of a solicitor but it was far cheaper to have the pump installed.It didn't prove a detriment when I sold the house which was the one thing I was a bit worried about.

[Ric.ror]

Danny - it’s pileys dam at Eccleshill