Selling a Property with Off-Mains Drainage? Here's What You Need to Know.
If you're selling a rural property that isn't connected to the mains sewer, drainage compliance can become one of the most important, and potentially costly, issues to address before completion. It's also one of the most commonly overlooked.
Here's a real example from a job we completed recently that illustrates exactly what's involved.
Rose Croft (Case Study)
We were contacted by the owner of Rose Croft, who was in the process of selling their property. The sale had flagged a drainage compliance issue, specifically a requirement to meet Environment Agency binding rules before the transaction could proceed.
The first step was a drainage survey. What it revealed was straightforward, but serious: surface water and foul water were not being kept separate, and the system was discharging directly to a watercourse. Under current regulations, this isn't compliant and no reputable solicitor or buyer's surveyor is going to let that pass.
In situations like this, there are typically two routes to achieving compliance:
Install a drainage field (soakaway) to handle the discharge properly
Replace the existing unit with a sewage package treatment plant
Following our site assessment and discussions with the owner, we were instructed to install a Marsh Ensign PE06 sewage package treatment plant, connecting to the existing inlet and outlet pipework. It's a proven, reliable system well suited to a property of this size and a good fit for the site conditions.
Work began on Monday 30th March. Cheshire East Building Control inspected and passed the installation on Tuesday 7th April. The system was operational, the compliance box was ticked, and the property sale completed.
What This Means If You're Selling
If your property is off the mains sewer, it's worth getting ahead of drainage compliance before you go to market, not after you've accepted an offer. Issues flagged late in a sale can cause delays, renegotiations, or in some cases, fall-throughs.
The key questions to ask:
Is your surface water and foul water drainage properly separated?
Does your system discharge to a watercourse? If so, is it permitted?
Is your septic tank or treatment plant operating within current Environment Agency general binding rules?
If you're unsure, the best move is to get a drainage survey done early. It puts you in control of the timeline and the cost rather than scrambling to fix things under pressure from a buyer.
We Can Help
Envirocare Off-Mains can provide full transparent surveys. We work with Cheshire Lamonts Estate Agents and Rostons Estate Agents as surveyor of choice - so you’re in safe, trusted hands with us!
Whether you need a drainage survey, compliance advice, or a full installation, we're here to help you.
Call us on 01270 442442 to discuss your situation, arrange a site visit, or get a quotation.
