SEWAGE TREATMENT
Buying a house with a septic tank in the UK
The General binding rules are the legislation in force regarding septic tanks and sewage treatment plants in the UK. They determine the case where you are responsible for a septic tank or a sewage treatment plant, the type of installation and the cases in which your system complies or does not with the legislation.
Recently, in 2020, the legislation changed, and some installations were not compliant anymore with the new rules. Those new rules concern the installation of septic tanks.
When buying a house with a septic tank in the UK, you must know the new rules, the type of installation the house has, and if some adjustments are needed.
In this article, you will find some help regarding the new 2020 septic tank regulations and what to do if you are buying a house.
If you have any questions, feel free to call us
What should you know about the sewage treatment system when you are buying a house?
Once you spot a house you’d like to buy; you need to find out the existing sewage system.
Here are some useful details to find out before buying your house:
- The description of the property’s sewage treatment system
- The location of the main elements, the drainage field and the discharge point.
- The details of any changes or alterations made to the system and drainage field.
- Some indications of how it should be maintained, including the manufacturer’s manual, if available.
- Maintenance records, if possible.
If the system is non-compliant and is being replaced with a modern and efficient sewage treatment plant, it is essential to ensure that your new system is sized and installed correctly and in accordance with British Water’s Flows & Loads 4 Guidance.
How do I know if the installation of the house is compliant?
Buying a house and would like to know if the installation is compliant?
First, you will need to know the type of installation the house has.
To determine the type of installation, you should ask the house owner or the estate agent.
The seller is responsible for ensuring the installed system complies with the legislation. If you’re selling a house with a septic tank, please read this article.
In what cases is the system not compliant?
If the house is equipped with a sewage treatment plant, the system complies with UK legislation.
If the house is equipped with a septic tank, there are two possible cases:
- The septic tank is discharging into a network of pipes in the surrounding field (drainage field). It provides an additional form of treatment for the effluent from the septic tank. This type of installation – a septic tank + a drainage field – is not affected by the 2020 septic tank regulations.
- However, if the septic tank discharges through a pipe directly into a watercourse (stream, river or lake) – The 2020 septic tank regulations affect this type of installation, as direct discharge to a waterway is no longer permitted. The system must be upgraded.
What should the seller do if the solution is not compliant?
If your current sewage treatment system does not meet the 2020 General Binding Rules requirements, the seller has three options:
- Connect to the local main sewer system if there is one close enough for this to be possible.
- Install a drainage field after the septic tank if there is enough suitable land available to do so. It is illegal to discharge into a watercourse from a septic tank.
- Replace the non-compliant sewage treatment system with a modern and efficient sewage treatment plant.
Why is it important to know if the solution complies when you’re buying a house?
If the system is not upgraded, the sewage is polluting the watercourse. The owner of the non-compliant septic tank can be heavily fined and imposed to pay penalty fees.
Articles you might be interested in
- Septic Tanks
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