Thousands of homeowners warned they'll face £100k fine if they ignore key rule

Homeowners in the UK are being made aware of a property rule that can result in a hefty £100,000 fine if ignored. Around half a million homes in the country are said to need costly work doing to them to ensure they comply with an Environment Agency rule, but many people aren't aware that the regulation exists.

Property experts are now warning homebuyers of an updated regulation which has big financial and environmental repercussions if not complied with. In January 2015, a new regulation came into force that relates to septic tanks and the way that they discharge waste, their state of repair and the suitability of their size.

Around 500,000 homes in the UK, particularly those in rural areas, are said to use a septic tank - which is an underground chamber where household sewage flows through. The new rule was designed to help minimise the environmental impact of sewage on UK rivers and other waterways.

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Homeowners using septic tanks were given until January 2020 to upgrade them, but experts are now warning that many have not yet done so because they are either unaware of the rule, or they have put it off due to the cost - which can be as much as £20,000.

According to Gov.uk, you are a responsible for a septic tank if you own a property that uses the system, your property shares the system with other properties (you are jointly responsible) or you have an agreement with the owner of the property that you are responsible for the system, for example you’re renting and it’s in your tenancy agreement.

Devon, North Yorkshire, Cornwall, Somerset, Shropshire and Cumbria are all understood to be potential hotspots for