jumbletons

Building Control person rang about my STP installation and I asked her if she knew of any procedures that needed following, and she said 'no', just to ask for an invoice for the decommissioning and leave the 'how' to the property owner on which the tank resides.

Good question, it’s in a small yard so not somewhere that can be planted over but it’s not really my problem what it looks like as it’s not my property, only really if there’s a safety/liability issue and the answer seems to be ‘not really’, so the owner of the property it’s on can do things however they see fit.

There are pipes leading into and out of it that will be capped off and no longer in use

Great, thank you. It’s just an ancient brick thing. They’ve implied their installer is doing it so I’ll await the invoice, but otherwise they can let me know if they’re doing it with DIY labour, then I’ll maybe contribute with labour instead. (although they had it emptied yesterday and I’m pretty sure their new STP isn’t in use yet, so it won’t be completely empty 🤔I’ve asked them to clarify their timings/methods)

Hi all, To DIY or not to DIY? Shared septic tank (brick, from 1960s, not huge) is being closed and decommissioned. Professional websites say not to DIY it, in case of leakage/collapse, but a lot of people seem to DIY it. I'm a part owner of the tank, but it isn't on my property....should I care how it's done?? Personally I'd prefer to have a document to add to my property records that shows the septic tank was appropriately decommissioned (because I'm a part owner, even if it's not on my property) - if nothing else it may stave off issues if/when I sell my property because solicitors want EVERY document! The costs have been estimated based on man hours for moving rubble/soil to the site from where a new STP is currently being installed, and we've all agreed to pay our fair share of this cost - it would be fairly simply to just get one of the guys doing the new STP installation to fill the septic tank in, and we all get a copy of the invoice for our records. Other owners, including the person whose property the tank is on, think we should just DIY it and don't need a professional or proof of professional decommissioning. I suspect this is a cost-cutting thing for my neighbour, as it means my £ share goes towards the neighbour's labour/time rather than the installer (fair enough, not the best job in the world!). If we DIY it I may offer to move my proportion of rubble and contribute to the decommissioning with labour rather than money 😆 But my main concern is protecting myself and my property from practical/legal issues further down the line. So, to DIY or not to DIY?

Yes, this is exactly what I am doing for the reasons you state. But I do want a written record of the fact that I have been willing to discuss and explore all options, including various ways in which the septic tank can be replaced, to refute their claim that I am being unreasonable or obstructive (because I’m not). I’m covering my back because I need to with these people 😔

This is for 2 x 5-bed houses, but they're sizing up because they're putting a bit of rainwater in it to save on installing rainwater drainage.....yeah, I know.....

(Also to add, there are no access rights on my property for this system, so there is no express legal right to access via my property - they are simply saying the easement cannot be upheld without access by my garden, because the owner of the property on which the septic tank is located has grown a big old shrubbery around the F'ing thing....)

I posted this elsewhere, it's a shared system with a. whole year + of arguing back and forth! They are claiming they can ONLY replace the septic tank with an STP under the existing easement IF I allow unfettered access, on their terms, and if I refuse I am forfeiting my easement rights (nonsense), and they'll pursue legal action if I refuse access - the latter is irrelevant because I'm leaving the easement anyway, but I do want it on record that I am willing to discuss a range of options that haven't yet been explored, eg other access options. They can't just say "oh, it simply can't be done, our installer says so...", without exploring different STP types and different access options.

This is part of a wider dispute - they're saying that our existing easement for a shared system can ONLY continue IF I agree to allow unrestricted access via my garden. I've requested screening to safeguard kids who use my pool, and fencing to be replaced by professional instead of my neighbour, and they've said that's ludicrous, so I've declined access. They're now saying they simply can't put the STP in the yard without access via my garden. I am disputing that. There is a solution, they just don't want to see it, they'd rather accuse me of being unreasonable instead of just cutting down a holly tree or two 😆

Thank you, these are really useful ideas and much appreciated. I think with a combination of a well chosen STP, a 'can-do' attitude (currently missing!) by the installer, some hedge/tree pruning, and some appropriate machinery, it should be possible to find, what, a 2m width space? Basically my neighbours are saying it's simply impossible and they HAVE to have access via my garden, and I disagree, but this is part of a much wider disagreement.

Property with limited access, needs to install a 15-16p STP. Wants a Biodisc, which is 2.5m wide. Marsh is 2m, Harlequin 1.6m. Apart from choosing a narrow STP, what else can be done to allow installation with limited access? Smaller machinery for digging and moving the STP into place? The site is behind a shrubbery/trees (yes, I know, not ideal, but it's not mine...) - could the STP be lifted over them?! What's the narrowest you can get away with? They already have a garden gate which must be nearly 1m wide. Just wondering how much more space is needed?

Thank you so much for this, it’s so useful to have an outsider looking in! I will consult my ‘pool guy’ about pipes running alongside it. The outflow is going downhill into a drainage ditch, so the outflow route just follows the fall of the land so it’s gravity drained. I think I’m wrong about the pump actually, ignore that! I think it’s an inspection chamber. But the orchard is suggested as plant location because it is the closest to the house that is a) far enough to meet regs and b) not under a driveway. I own the driveway and the strip of grass the other side of the orchard so access shouldn’t be an issue.

Thank you, this is very helpful. I do feel anxious about the idea of not having control/choice over the system I use. So on balance I prefer going solo

Purple shows existing, blue shows individual - my concern is that it's in the orchard and pipes dug around a pool...so maybe I will push it to be installed beyond the orchard in a strip of grass beyond it, but that will end up being really quite far from the house so rather deep!

I'm back! An update..... So, the neighbours have spent a year being horrendous and refusing anything that gets us to an agreement, while simultaneously accusing my of being unreasonable and uncooperative....but they have finally (a year on) seen sense, and we have 2 options on the table. HOORAH!: 1. Keep existing easement and 3-way shared system at cottage 3. Klargester Biodisc installed as close as possible to existing septic tank. Everything else stays the same. PROS - cheaper, my garden not dug up, less risky CONS - sharing with awful neighbours, installation will need access through my garden, septic tank currently accepts rainwater from 2 roof valleys and neighbours/their installer think that's fine (but I think it can cause STP failure, flushing out and pollution, and maybe void the STP warranty), unlikely to have any choice/say in STP type or installer because neighbours have refused to negotiate anything, ever... 2. Individual system - neighbours have agreed to a legal abandonment document for my property, so I am officially released from the rights/responsibilities of the old easement. I will not put rainwater in my new system - a soakaway will be installed simultaneously. However, the STP will be sited in my orchard (site map to follow). PROS - no rainwater flush out, free from neighbours and associated drama, property sale-ability, choice of system (will be Marsh), CONS - expense, upheaval, risk of something causing issues like the water pipe getting in the way (generally it's a fiddly job and these things never go 100% smoothly), tree root damage risk, 100% of maintenance costs/issue fall on me

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