Shared Septic Tank or Private Drainage Agreement — Word & PDF Template

This shared septic tank or private drainage agreement template is for households that share one septic tank, sewage treatment plant or cesspool and want to agree access, upkeep and costs. It records each property’s share, who books emptying and servicing, and how repairs are approved and paid for.

Who is this template for?

It suits rural neighbours and owners of converted properties on shared off-mains drainage. As the document itself states, it does not create or change any drainage right or easement; those come from the title deeds.

What does the template include?

The agreement is made up of numbered sections and a schedule:

• The Households and Their Shares — a table of properties, owners and percentage shares, and the named lead owner.
• The System — a tick-one choice of septic tank, treatment plant or cesspool, where it lies and discharges, and its make, capacity and age.
• Access — entry onto the host owner’s land for routine work on 48 hours’ notice or at once in an emergency, and keeping the system clear.
• Emptying, Servicing and Repair — how often it is emptied, records kept for five years, a repair spending limit and a tick-one approval choice for larger work.
• Costs and Replacement Fund — sharing every cost, recovering unpaid shares, and a tick-one choice of a yearly replacement fund or none.
• Rules on Discharges — the owners’ joint responsibility for finding out and meeting the rules that apply to the system in England or Wales.
• Use of the System — what must not go into the drains, no new connections without consent, and reporting problems.
• Damage and Pollution — the household that causes a blockage, damage or pollution pays the whole cost.
• Sale or Letting of a Property — information to give a buyer, the adherence form, when the seller is released, and responsibility for tenants.
• Disputes, Changes and Ending — discussion, then a drainage engineer or mediator if agreed, changes in writing, ending on agreement or connection to the public sewer, and governing law of England and Wales.
• Signatures — signature blocks for the owners of up to three properties.
• Schedule: Adherence Form — a form for a buyer and the lead owner to sign so the buyer joins the agreement.

Easy to customise

The template opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice. Fill in the highlighted fields, enter each property and its share, describe the system, tick the options and edit any clause to suit your arrangement.

Format and scope

Download instantly as an editable Word (.docx) file and a PDF, formatted to A4. Written in plain British English and drafted for use in England and Wales.