Septic Tank Property Legislation

People buying or selling a property with a septic tank should familiarise themselves with the new government regulations to avoid significant expenses and delays to the process.

If the property that you wish to buy or sell has a non-compliant septic tank on its land, this must be replaced or updated before the property can change hands.

Familiarising yourself with the government’s new septic tank regulations can help you to identify problems with a septic tank early on and have it updated accordingly.

What are the new regulations?

The new septic tank General Binding Rules were bought into force by the government in January 2015 in order to reduce pollution from sewage.  Under the new rules, septic tanks cannot discharge water into public water courses like streams, canals and rivers, instead, water should be discharged into a drainage field. There are different rules depending on where your septic tank discharges and the volume being discharged per day. You can view the full information about the General Binding Rules on the government website here. Septic tank owners have until January 2020 to update or replace non-compliant systems.

What do the regulations mean for buying or selling a property?

If you are thinking about selling a property with a non-compliant septic tank, then you should get it updated prior to putting the property on the market to avoid problems later on.

Properties with non-compliant septic tanks are legally unsellable and could cause problems with your mortgage application if you apply before the septic tank has been updated.

Buyers considering purchasing a property with a septic tank should consider hiring a surveyor to inspect the tank and ensure that it is compliant with the new regulations and in good working order.

If a property’s septic tank does not meet the government’s new regulations, then selling the property will trigger the requirement to replace or upgrade the septic tank. This will cause considerable expenses and delays to the property changing hands, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to update the system before putting your property up for sale.

What other information is required?

Key information that should be provided when buying or selling a property with a septic tank includes:

• Detailed information about the septic tank’s design.
• The location of the septic tank and its drainage field.
• Instructions for use and maintenance.
• Records for any maintenance carried out or changes made to the system (these should be kept for at least 7 years).

Speak to a specialist

If you need any help understanding the new regulations or require advice from a specialist on how to become compliant, get in touch with the team of experts at OMDI by calling for free on 01977 800 418.  OMDI have been providing a full turnkey septic tanks and drainage solution for over 20 years and can help with servicing, installing, upgrading or decommissioning your septic tank.