My neighbour recently asked if he could lay a sewer through my garden to join with a main sewer manhole. My initial response was that I did not want him to cross my garden but in the end agreed a route that caused minimal disruption. We went away on holiday with the understanding that he would lay his sewer to the agreed route. Upon return we found he had taken a different route and dug up our drive to lay the new sewer. You can imagine the upset! A year later he has reluctantly agreed to relay the tarmac, but now says he has right of access to do any maintenance on the said sewer which I do not believe he has? There is an easement for another sewer that passes from his property across mine but this is a new sewer that has been laid without permission. This has all been very disturbing and upsetting. It now seems we have a liability for access to a sewer in our drive that I never wanted. Any views please.

If the sewer is of proper construction, and laid according to regs then there should be absolutely no need for anyone to access it other than from the manhole(s) at either end in the event of a blockage. (Again, if the sewer was laid properly and is fit for purpose then a blockage should be a rare event in itself!) I presume the work was inspected and passed by Building Control at the time?

Also, out of curiosity, does this sewer serve an existing premises or is it for a self contained new building