Cess pit issues

[Blackie]

Hi Nigel

I live on a complex of 12 apartments and up until last November we had no problems with the cesspit. Since this time we have had to have the cesspit emptied nearly every 2 weeks. The developer is trying to get all owners to contribute towards a new pit being installed at a cost of over 2,000 Euros. We have spoken to the local Council and they say as we have received no title deeds the developer is responsible for the cesspit, whether it needs making deeper, repaired or cleared out.

Could I have your views.

[Nigel Howarth]

Hi Blackie & welcome to the forum,

I suspect the walls of the absorption column have become caked with fat - or some other substance that's preventing the waste liquids dissipating into the surrounding soil - or part of it may have collapsed. The other possibility is that the soil surrounding the column has become water-logged and cannot absorb any more liquid.

This is part of your commonly-owned 'facilities' and it's up to the management committee to sort this out. (You and the other owners should be contributing to the costs of the ongoing repairs and maintenance of these facilities).

As you've not got your Titles, I suspect that the developer may be running the management committee & collecting money from you? And if he's hasn't collected enough money for this repair, I'm afraid you'll have to dig into your pockets.

How old is the complex? (Some friends of mine in Larnaca had the same problem and had to club together to get a new column drilled - their block of apartments was built in 1982).

Regards,

[Blackie]

Hi Nigel

Thank you for your welcome. Our complex is 3 years old! All owners contribute to 6 cess pit cleans per year, this was written into our agreement with the management company which is not a problem. It's just having to be emptied every 7-10 days now that is causing us to go over budget. We have put soda down as was recommended also to disburse fat or toilet paper (even though there are signs for toilet paper not to go down!). Do you think as it is only 3 years old it should be the developer's responsibility?

Blackie

[Nigel Howarth]

Hi Blackie,

Six cesspit cleans a year sounds a bit excessive! We've been in our place 4 years and not had ours touched yet. And we've got a kitchen waste disposal unit - and we flush paper down the loo!

I think 3 years is too old to expect the developer to pay - but you might ask Louise for her opinion.

Also, I don't understand why it's filling up every 7-10 days. It could be very shallow, or the ground's waterlogged. Has the developer said anything about what's causing it to fill up so quickly?

Cheers,

[Blackie]

Hi Nigel

We specifically asked for 6 cess pit cleans as this issue started back in July 2007 albeit not on a regular basis, so we thought we would cover ourselves with 6 cleans per year, if they were not warranted, that would be OK.

The developer has claimed in the past that the reason for the pit filling is because of new developments being built in the area that the land is getting water logged as more and more properties are being occupied and our cess pit is not now finding the natural out flow. He claims we are probably getting everyone else's waste filling up our pit!

[Nigel Howarth]

The developer has claimed in the past that the reason for the pit filling is because of new developments being built in the area that the land is getting water logged as more and more properties are being occupied and our cess pit is not now finding the natural out flow. He claims we are probably getting everyone else's waste filling up our pit!

He could well be right! If it's going to be re-drilled he'll have to move it to another location.

Unfortunately, there's no overall planning system here. Every developer provides for his development - and that's it.

Regards,