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Failure of Common In-Ground Drain Pipe

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furlongsd

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL

I live in a community of 80+ single-family homes with a home owners association.

In my area all of the homes have sump pumps to drain excess ground water from their foundations. Each house has a drain pipe that is connected to a larger, common drain pipe. The larger drain pipe then discharges into the city sewer.

The common drain pipe that my house feeds into also services 5 other house for a total of six. The common pipe is buried under the swale which runs along the backyard border of the affected houses.

The pipe has failed and a sink hole is beginning to form in or near my back yard. I am not sure if the sinkhole is in my backyard and I am not sure that the common pipe runs through my backyard as it could be on/in my adjacent neighbors property.

I have contacted my home owners association in the belief that they would be responsible for fixing the common pipe as it serves 6 houses. The association disagreed citing legal counsel and bylaws, of which I have no copy of, yet.

Does this sound like something I should try to fight with a lawyer? The pipe failure could cause flooding to 6 houses and has caused a sinkhole which is a hazard in itself. I guestimate the repair cost would run about $700.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
 


HomeGuru

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL

I live in a community of 80+ single-family homes with a home owners association.

In my area all of the homes have sump pumps to drain excess ground water from their foundations. Each house has a drain pipe that is connected to a larger, common drain pipe. The larger drain pipe then discharges into the city sewer.

The common drain pipe that my house feeds into also services 5 other house for a total of six. The common pipe is buried under the swale which runs along the backyard border of the affected houses.

The pipe has failed and a sink hole is beginning to form in or near my back yard. I am not sure if the sinkhole is in my backyard and I am not sure that the common pipe runs through my backyard as it could be on/in my adjacent neighbors property.

I have contacted my home owners association in the belief that they would be responsible for fixing the common pipe as it serves 6 houses. The association disagreed citing legal counsel and bylaws, of which I have no copy of, yet.

Does this sound like something I should try to fight with a lawyer? The pipe failure could cause flooding to 6 houses and has caused a sinkhole which is a hazard in itself. I guestimate the repair cost would run about $700.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

**A: don't know until you get the docs and review it to see if the pipe is actually a common pipe owned by the HOA.
 

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