Drains - who is responsible

From 1 October 2011, the government transferred responsibility for all sewage pipes outside property boundaries and all sewage pipes which are shared with another property to the sewerage/water company, which in our area is Severn Trent Water.

Why transfer responsibility?

Previously, property owners were usually responsible for the sewage pipes that drain into public sewers, up to the point that they connect to those sewers. This included pipes that go beyond their property boundary. People were often unaware that they were responsible for repairs and on-going maintenance of these drains or pipes until a problem occurs and they were hit by a potentially large bill. The transfer is intended to give more effective maintenance of assets, reduce neighbour disputes over repair costs and allow for a better approach to managing the sewerage network.

Who is responsible since 1 October 2011?

Severn Trent Water is responsible for all sewerage systems outside property boundaries and sewerage systems within property boundaries which are shared with another property. If you have a query about such systems, please contact Severn Trent Water on 0800 783 4444.

If you are not getting a suitable response from Severn Trent, their website provides details about their complaints procedure Severn Trent (stwater.co.uk) 

We cannot refer complaints/cases to Severn Trent. Property owners remain responsible for the sewerage systems within their boundary, that is the pipes that serve only their properties and are within their boundary. It is the responsibility of the house owner to resolve any problems.

Road drains

Road drainage is the responsibility of Leicestershire County Council. If road drains are blocked and/or causing flooding, you should contact the Highways Department on 0116 305 0001 or report it online: report a flood (leicestershire.gov.uk)

Last updated:‎ ‎17‎/‎04‎/‎2024‎ ‎16‎:‎37‎