Soakaway agreement

Oliveau · Jun 27, 2021

Clearly the current discharge into a ditch is non-compliant. I‘m not up to date with the current UK regulations (after 16 years of living in France) but I suspect that the proposed soak away would also be non-cpmpliant. I had a new ‘fosse septique’ installed when we moved in and the tank has 2 chambers and the liquid thereafter has to go through a big sand filter set up before it can be discharged to a ditch.
I would advise that you suggest that your neighbours reconsider their plans. If a sand filter on your land is an option then a formal agreement will be needed. Another option would be a Reed bed.

bobk · Jun 27, 2021

Oliveau said:
Clearly the current discharge into a ditch is non-compliant. I‘m not up to date with the current UK regulations (after 16 years of living in France) but I suspect that the proposed soak away would also be non-cpmpliant. I had a new ‘fosse septique’ installed when we moved in and the tank has 2 chambers and the liquid thereafter has to go through a big sand filter set up before it can be discharged to a ditch.
I would advise that you suggest that your neighbours reconsider their plans. If a sand filter on your land is an option then a formal agreement will be needed. Another option would be a Reed bed.

Yes , we had an epandage installed 3 years ago , the french systems are far superior to the UK ones , namely because they work .

Even so they are emptied every 4 years or whatever .

flowerpot · Jun 27, 2021

I don't think you can refuse, but certainly have an agreement in writing to cover all eventualities.

br jones · Jun 27, 2021

flowerpot said:
I don't think you can refuse, but certainly have an agreement in writing to cover all eventualities.

he can ,if there is no right to repair on the deeds he can tell then to go do one,having someone elses problem on your ground is a pita,proper treatment plant ,2 inch pipe to ditch ,

flowerpot · Jun 27, 2021

I know someone who pulled out of buying a house as the next door farmer had planted a row of trees and one was right on top of the septic tank. The buyers asked very nicely if they could have access to the tank and the farmer replied that they didn't want their tree disturbed. But I would guess that most deeds would include a right to repair and the new systems are discharging clean water.

Bongodog · Jun 27, 2021

A soakaway on someone else's land, that's a great idea for the person asking, crap idea for the landowner who ends up with someone else's waste. Unless the house has a postage stamp garden tell them to dig a hole in their land. if it were my own soakaway I would be asking myself if the ground was suitable to start with, if its not free draining with a low water table its a non starter anyway. Then there's the question of having infrastructure under your land that's for someone elses benefit, what if you have future use that this would prevent ? If they are discharging clean water (which of course these days they must, it should go into the ditch, with the pipe route chosen by you so it doesn't hamper any future land use, and with a legal agreement and payment to you.

Kidds · Jun 27, 2021

Solicitors have become very keen on making sure septic tank paperwork is all in order when acting for someone buying a house. I would expect lack of paperwork for an easement regarding soakaway to make selling a house very difficult.

Bongodog · Jun 27, 2021

Kidds said:
Solicitors have become very keen on making sure septic tank paperwork is all in order when acting for someone buying a house. I would expect lack of paperwork for an easement regarding soakaway to make selling a house very difficult.

Some solicitors are very keen when it comes to making sure access agreements etc are in place, others are completely blase about it. In our village we have about 10 properties that have a vehicle access across the village green, nothing however was ever in writing. At least 5 have changed hands in recent years, two contacted the council as they had advised their clients not to purchase unless access could be guaranteed, the others never contacted the council, I assume as they either failed to pick up the issue, or didn't care.

Ffermer Bach · Jun 27, 2021

Kidds said:
Solicitors have become very keen on making sure septic tank paperwork is all in order when acting for someone buying a house. I would expect lack of paperwork for an easement regarding soakaway to make selling a house very difficult.

which then brings us on to the, what is the increase in value to your property if I agree? So I would like a payment of 30% of the uplift.

I know someone who was buying a bungalow to retire to next to daughter and son in laws farm. It had a discharge onto the son in laws field, and the buyer would not buy it without an easement, even with it being the son in laws field! He said, you never know how families can fall out and he didn't want the son in law to have him over a barrel!

I suppose you only have to look at our ex health minister to see the way families can split up, suddenly!

Gong Farmer · Jun 28, 2021

Bongodog said:
A soakaway on someone else's land, that's a great idea for the person asking, crap idea for the landowner who ends up with someone else's waste. Unless the house has a postage stamp garden tell them to dig a hole in their land.

I think I'm right in saying that new soakaways can no longer be a hole full of rocks, they have to be the herringbone pipework arrangement in a drainage field. Need much more than a postage stamp garden to fit that in.

Bongodog · Jun 28, 2021

Fromebridge said:
I think I'm right in saying that new soakaways can no longer be a hole full of rocks, they have to be the herringbone pipework arrangement in a drainage field. Need much more than a postage stamp garden to fit that in.

To the best of my knowledge all soakaways are now constructed from interlocking plastic crates in order to maximise internal volume, another good reason to say no.

br jones · Jun 28, 2021

Bongodog said:
To the best of my knowledge all soakaways are now constructed from interlocking plastic crates in order to maximise internal volume, another good reason to say no.

Incorrect,you now do tests to see what your ground will soak up ,for how long and how much,here on a orangey subsoil on to gritty clay ,average 4 bed house is around 60sqm soakaway area ,with perf pipes ,crates can be used in the soakways for surface water

Exfarmer · Jul 8, 2021

Kidds said:
Next door to me fitted a treatment plant and their discharge pipe is just 32mm blue water pipe into the ditch.

That is definitely illegal, blue is only for potable water. Sewage waste is black, I think

Kidds · Jul 8, 2021

Exfarmer said:
That is definitely illegal, blue is only for potable water. Sewage waste is black, I think

I'm sure it will be black in time.
Anyway, everyone tells me the outlet water is clean enough to drink so blue may be appropriate. I won't be trying it.

linga · Jul 12, 2021

I thought sewage treatment plants can only discharge into a wet ditch. Ie. One that is carrying running water. If that is not possible then it has to discharge into a conventional drainage field.

Lazy Sod · Jul 12, 2021

Correct, I think.

Soakaway agreement

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