What are the current regulations regarding rainwater drainage?

Questioner

I have lived in a historic building (seventeenth century) for over 30 years with a large number of changing neighbors on my side. The existing situation of rainwater drainage has never changed. On the side of our house there is a small piece of gutter from our roof which drains via a gutter to a collection point at our neighbours. This is a situation that has been like this for a few hundred years (so nothing has ever changed through extensions or anything else) Now the current residents of the adjacent building (they have lived there for 4 years now) suddenly want us to move the drainpipe. This is not structurally possible for us. My question is, can the neighbors just demand this?

Lawyer

If the rainwater from your home is drained via the neighbours' property, then there is an easement. This easement can be recorded in writing but can also (exclusively) have arisen by prescription. Your neighbours are then not simply allowed to remove it. Your neighbours can request that you cooperate in organising this rainwater drainage via your neighbours' property in a different (less burdensome) way.