shared fosse septique

[martin]

We have just had our inspection d'assainissement non collectif and as expected have been told that we need to install a complete new system. No problem so far as we have plenty of land.

However our neighbour too needs a new system to replace his cess-pit under his house.  Unfortunately he doesn't have much land, so has suggested that we go together with a suitably big enough fosse septique, but on our land!

In theory, this sounds okay as we need one anyway, and to share costs can't be a bad idea.  I am now wondering if this would be a foolish move, particularly when we come to sell our house.  Maybe even problems when things go wrong with the tank.

Does anybody have experience of a similar situation and have any knowledge of legal implications?

My feeling now is to say no, but I sympathise with his position.

 

 

 

 

[cooperlola]

My neighbours in the UK shared a cess pit.  Their experiences echo your feelings, it was a real minefield.  There were constant problems, especially when pipes got blocked etc, and disputes about whose turn it was to pay to have it emptied, etc etc.  But of course, you'd share the costs of construction so it does have its plus points.  If you do go down a sharing route, do get a Notaire to sort out all potential issues of this sort - including the resulting easements (or whatever the French equivalent is) for allowing the neighbours onto your land for servicing the thing, etc.

[mint]

Once again Coops is spot on in her advice.  When we bought our house, we shared a fosse situated in our garden with our neighbours but, as soon as we could, we had our own built.  Our neighbours' fosse is, of course, still on our land and we granted them rights to access it for maintenance, etc and these rights are legally stated on the title deeds by the notaire.  We in fact OWN their fosse because apparently ownership goes with the land.  Therefore, in this case, we have, as it were, the upper hand should anything become amiss.  At present, it's not something that bothers us, our neighbours are wonderful and we are have quite a bit of toing and froing between the 2 families (but we respect each other's privacy and do not intrude, we wait to be invited)

It may well be that when their fosse is inspected, they will be asked to build their own on their own land.  I don't think their fosse conforms but I may be wrong.

So, you see, it could work out OK.  Just be sure you have all the legal formalities sorted out at a notaire's.  And be very sure that you know where you are with your neighbours.   On the plus side, I would imagine the savings would be quite substantial as the new fosses that conform to regulations are relatively sophisticated with grease traps and filter beds layered with geotextile and so on. 

In your position, I would think it through carefully and certainly discuss all the implications with your neighbour.  If you do say "yes", you'd make a friend of him but if you say "no", it may lead to strained relations.  Not a decision to be taken lightly, as I am sure you already know.  Anyway, Good Luck with your project.

[tj]

Dont do it!!

At worst, offer to let him place his drain field on your land, I assume he must at least have room for a tank?

[londoneye]

Or, if he hasn't room for even a tank, and you have acres and acres of land, and it is convenient for you, location-wise, just let him have a little bit of your land, enough to put a tank on.

My neighbour recently had a fosse installed, which was passed (less than 6 months ago), and he doesn't have the drain field type thing, because he didn't have room for it.   He has a tank which goes a short distance (around 25 metres in my estimation) to a pit, which then runs off somewhere (thankfully not to my garden!), so there must still be options available for those with limited land.   Sorry, I don't really know the workings of it though.

[martin]

Thank-you all for your advice.

I have made an appointment to discuss all this with a notaire before coming to any decision.

[finisterian]

there is no problem with this, our new waste treatment plant is going to be shared with the old chap next door who doesnt have the room or the money for one of his own - our local mayor got the notaire FOC to draw up a coprop agreement for this which lays down who pays what etc

we took the view it was better than his pipe going direct into the river next to our patio!