jumbletons

Update - My choice is: - shared system with outflow drain on my land. Neighbours unwilling to pay for new easement (just want to update existing with informal signed letter, not update deeds), so solicitor costs on me if they agree to me getting a solicitor to write a new one. Will be Klargester biodisc. Will likely pay 1/3rd costs despite contributing 1/4 towards system size but TBC. - individual system; more cost, more upheaval, more input, more independence...If I go individual I will be using a company who does everything very 'by the book' to protect myself, and use a Marsh system which I'm happy with. I'll update once there's any progress but awaiting a legal letter from the neighbour now 😕 Hoping it just says they're serving notice that the tank will be decommissioned in 1 year's time, as we all agreed...

Fantastic thanks so much, this actually makes sense hoorah!! Just the info I needed 😊

Yes!! I had the same dilemma with solar panels on my garage, nobody answers the phone and when they do they can’t give advice over the phone. You can’t simply ask if something needs planning permission without having to pay! Money maker for them yes but also money saver as they don’t need staff to be available on the phones to answer such queries

Oh sneaky!! The company who said o don’t need it have been excellent, are very experienced and been around for ages with loads of good reviews so I don’t think they can be wrong!

Me again. Dreaded planning permission. Can’t get a straight answer on this! Planning department never answer the phone or just say “put in a planning advice request”… New individual STP. About 5m from the house. One installer says I’ll need planning, but with various delays their end + 6w for PP, that’ll mean I won’t get to installing my new system for at least 4-5months! The other installer swears blind I don’t need PP, only building control, and that they do this day in day out (I know it’s annoying when customers question things, but my neighbours WILL make as much trouble as possible so I need everything to be by the book).

Yes I’ve specified that building regs must be OK with the plan first. Thank you, I’ll look into it further. Don’t want to make an expensive mistake!

Hmm, installer says: if we discharge within 10m of existing discharge point we don’t need a new permit. my garden is max 5m, then there’s driveway, then some more of my land. However if neighbours want to keep their drains in use that cross my land, I have to go under them, so if it went all the way to a tank on the opposite end of the driveway, it’s been veeeeery deep 😬🤔He says those rules are outdated and open to interpretation because what if you don’t have 7m long garden. the company has a good reputation and he’s answered a thousand questions from me, so he’s my preferred installer…I did have a quote from another one that would site a Marsh in the orchard opposite the driveway but not sure he knew about the pipes in the way. hmm tricky 🤔Having the neighbours I have, I need everything to be EXACTLY by the book!! Maybe this company is a bit too “just get it done” in attitude

Good points. My land is weirdly laid out, but yes the installer is happy he can install it in my front garden, then dig outflow through driveway (owned by me, neighbour has access rights) and my fields, to my ditch, so no need to go via neighbours.

Yes I prefer to control my own essentials! Yes I’ll need building regs and that’s something the installer will sort

This made me laugh! I definitely wint move, this is my dream come true property and I have an amazing home and life here (plus in three years I’ve put a lot of work into building hen runs, duck runs, compost bays, water collection tanks, fencing, working on compost toilet etc…!)…but when you’re in the middle of an extended family who’ve lived her for 4 generations, you have to be able to stand up for yourself 😂

Thanks! I don't like the upheaval and expense, and feel like I'm cutting off my nose to spite my face....but in the future my nose might be grateful to be free from my face 😆

Yeah this is my worry 😂We share enough other bits and pieces!

Thank you. They use bleach. We’re actually only a small frugal family we don’t even put animal fat in the system, and I can see your point about taking good care of your own stuff!

They will insist on a particular supplier, and a Klargester Biodisc. they will not let me have input on who/what is installed. I tried to be consulted but it’s 2 against 1… I don’t want a biodisc

Hi all, Long story short - 3 cottages, I'm the middle, share a septic tank in Cottage 3. This year I learnt it doesn't meet regs (I bought the property in 2021 but the illegal nature of the septic tank wasn't flagged up by conveyancing solicitor). We agreed it needed replacing. NB my property deeds are COMPLEX! Old farm worker's cottage with lots of easements, rights of way, bits of land added, missing permissions, etc etc. So buying it was not a simple task, whereas my neighbours have never sold/bought either property on the open market so are unaware of the foibles of conveyancing (they're family and have lived here generations, so their properties were passed down and they don't like kindly on newbies like me upgrading by property...). Neighbours 1 and 3 have spent months trying to bully me into moving some or all of the system onto my property and refusing to replace the system like for like on their land (they don't want to dig up their garden, so would prefer for me to dig up mine). I have consistently declined moving anything to my land - I do not want the future hassle if any disputes (and if the system blocks, then I could get sewage pollution), nor the added complexity in my deeds. I have therefore looked into getting my own individual system. We have finally got down to 2 options: 1 - Continue status quo: cottage 3 have finally agreed to put in a shared system, on their land, for all 3 cottages (like I said months ago). They will request access for building work via my property, which involves taking out a piece of trellis, fence and a small vegetable plot. So, some upheaval for me. We will need a new easement. Cost TBC but obviously less than option 2 2 - I go individual, cottage 1 and 3 share. This means the old pipes crossing my garden will still be used by 1 so remain in situ. I will divert my pipes under them to a plant in my very small front garden, outflow will be pumped out (otherwise the whole thing will end up far too deep, as it's got 50m to go to reach my ditch!). We will need to alter the easement to release me from existing responsibilities towards the shared tank, and retain the pipe easement for no. 1. Cost will be about £8-10,000 more than option 1 (I live in the SE, I've had many quotes, and they're all this high! And no I can't DIY install because I have waaaaay too many other commitments) I'm torn. The last few months has been truly awful, being in dispute with neighbours. It's opened my eyes to the horrors of sharing (and we still have plenty else that we share, like access road, driveway etc!). I also think some people will walk away from my property when it comes to selling (not planning on selling ever but you never know!), because of all the many foibles, but the shared septic system may be the final straw... On the other hand, it seems mad not to share - it's cheaper, and I don't need to dig up my garden. However, I spent a year planning and putting up with chaos in my home to get it insulated, the conservatory updated, and green energy put in....it was a MASSIVE upheaval .....but I'm glad I did it. It adds to my quality of life, my peace of mind, and the value of my home. So I feel this could be a similar investment. What would you do??? (The individual system will be a Harlequin CAP6)