Caught between a damp & a wet place.

[Phaeton]

I have an ongoing issue with Severn Trent, I pay my water rates to them which is made up of 2 elements, 1 for the removal of the brown/foul water (which is working fine) & 1 for the removal of the green/surface water, this has not changed as far as I know in the 37 years we've lived in the property. Over the last couple of years I've been having difficulties when it rains particularly hard, storm conditions, we live on a cul-de-sac of 14 houses & ours is the lowest on our side of street. The problem is that water is coming back up the surface water drain & flooding my drive, it is has been getting worse over the years & it now flooding my garage. This has happened 3 times (I think) this year so far.

I reported it to Severn Trent in August, they duly sent out an engineer who looked on their plans of the drains & informed me it was nothing to do with Severn Trent as the water went into the Highways culvert & was it was not Severn Trent's responsibility & I had to report it to Nottinghamshire County Council. I reported it to NCC, they sent out an inspector on a day I wasn't home, (they made no effort to contact me) his decision was to arrange for 2 road drains to be cleaned out. The only problem with that is my surface water does not go via that system.

I have been back onto Severn Trent, who again sent out an engineer who came up with the same reason as to why it wasn't their problem, NCC work at a snails pace so I am still awaiting some response from them but it is very difficult, you can only send them emails which take at least 48 hours to get a response.

Sorry for the length of the post but my question really is who is my contract with?

Severn Trent are claiming that although I pay them for the removal of the surface water it is the Highways Authorities problem & there is nothing they can do, they tell me the only reason I pay them is because after the water clears (if only) the Highways Authorities pipework it does eventually end up in Severn Trent's network. My argument is that my contract is with Severn Trent & that the Highways Authority are acting as a sub contractor & as such Severn Trent should advocate my problem with the Highways Authority on my behalf. Or am I just delusional?

[echat11]

I understand your frustration with the situation. With each saying the other is responsible and neither taking responsibility / ownership of the issue you could lodge complaints with OFWAT and LGO providing you get a final response / deadlock letter. Write to them both, give them 14 days to resolve the matter or you will lodge complaints.

https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/regulated-c...g-a-complaint/

https://www.lgo.org.uk/make-a-complaint

[Phaeton]

After making a complaint to Nottinghamshire County Council I have had a response, yes you guessed it it's not their responsibility apparently they sub contract that out to VIA East Midlands, you couldn't make it up

[des8]

I'd be straight back to Notts cc pointing out that the contractor is responsible for works (not) carried out by a subcontractor.

The LGO back in 2015 reminded councils that although they can contract out services, they remain responsible for the quality of any service those contractors provide, (https://www.lgo.org.uk/information-c...accountability)