Shared sewerage with the neighbours

Questioner

Between my house and my neighbors' house, there is a collection pit in the driveway for the sewer pipes of my house and the house of the neighbors. This was not reported when the house was purchased and when the house next door was purchased (September and October 2021). Both houses were recently sold by the same seller. Advice, after a blockage that brought the situation to light, is to remove the collection pit and connect both houses independently to the sewer to prevent problems in the future. Can the costs of this be recovered from the seller? Is this something that the sellers should have reported? As a buyer of a house built in 1962, can I assume that I have an independent sewer connection, or is that different?

Lawyer

Regarding your last remark, it is more common that sewage runs differently or is shared with neighbours, certainly in older homes. It is also questionable whether there is a hidden defect, because then it is required that you can no longer live in the home normally. Usually there is also an age clause in the purchase contract.