Properties

Responsibilities

If you own land adjoining, above or with a watercourse running through it, you have certain rights and responsibilities. In legal terms you are a ‘riparian owner’.

If you rent the land, you should agree with the owner who will manage these rights and responsibilities.

The Environment Agency has a plan to help you understand your responsibilities.

Gardens

Make sure if you're paving your garden that the material you use is permeable. Gov.uk and the Royal Horticultural Society have produced some useful guidance on how to do this.

Pipes and drains

A drain is the property owner's responsibility until it connects to either someone else's drain or to a public sewer. Water that fails to drain away under normal circumstances is the property owner’s responsibility to check for blockages.

If your drains are blocked, you need to call a plumber or drainage engineer. Specific insurance is available for drains within the property boundary.

If water is ‘backing up’ into your toilet,sink or bath, or flowing out of a sewer and causing flooding, contact Thames Water on 0800 316 9800.

The water utility company (Thames Water) is responsible for sewers up to the property boundary or where they are shared up to the sewer which leads to the property.

Reporting issues

If you are in a Southwark Council owned property and the issue is within it, you can report this to Emergency Housing Repairs by calling 0800 952 4444 or 020 7525 2600.

If you are a housing association or private tenant, please contact your landlord to report any issues.

Page last updated: 06 June 2023