Q. If I have a blocked sewer, who do I call?
If you wish to report a blocked private drain or a private sewer problem, please telephone 0161 770 3447. These problems are the responsibility of the private properties who use them. The Public Health section has powers to require all those responsible to undertake repair work.
If you wish to report a blocked public sewer, please telephone 0161 770 4366. These are the responsibility of United Utilities to maintain, although the main drainage section looks after these on their behalf.
If you don’t know whether the problem is on a private or a public sewer, please contact either of the above numbers for advice. In general a sewer (that is a pipe which takes drainage water from 2 or more buildings) that was built after 1st October 1937 is a private sewer, although a small number of these may have been “adopted” by the water company. These “adopted” sewers and those constructed before 1st October 1937 are classed as Public Sewers.
Q. Who can I speak to regarding other drainage problems e.g. Septic tanks, leaking eaves gutters, rain water pipes etc?
Advice on the maintenance, repair or replacement of private drainage and advice on Septic tanks, leaking eaves gutters and rain water pipes can be obtained by telephoning the public health section on 0161 770 3447.
Q. My landlord will not carry out repairs on my privately rented property, what should I do?
Landlords have obligations towards their tenants in terms of making sure the property is fit for human habitation. For advice on the extent of these obligations or if you suspect your private landlord is not fulfilling these obligations, please telephone an Environmental Health Officer on 0161 770 3447 (public health section).
Q. Disrepair on a neighbouring private property is causing damage to my property – what can be done?
If you suspect that a neighbouring property is in disrepair and is causing problems to your property e.g. water ingress, you may contact Environmental Health Officers in the Public Health Section for advice. The officers have power in certain cases to require the owner of your neighbouring property to cease causing you a problem. They can be contacted on 0161 770 3447.
Q. Who do I contact for information on Private drinking Water Supplies?
If you have a query regarding the quality of your water supply, an Environmental Health Officer from the Public Health Section will be able to offer advice by telephoning 0161 770 3447.
Q. How do I arrange a sample of my drinking water to be taken?
The Public Health Section undertake the sampling of all Private Water Supplies in the borough on a rolling programme. If you require a sample to be taken, for example if you have just moved into a property or suspect a problem, we will sample it for you. There is a charge when the sample is taken outside of the rolling programme. Please telephone 0161 770 3447 for further information.
Q. How do I apply for a separate mains water supply grant?
To find out about grants for separate mains water supplies, or to obtain an application form, please telephone 0161 770 3447.
Q. What can be done if somebody is living in unacceptable conditions e.g. a dirty house?
If you think somebody is living in poor conditions, Environmental Health Officers of the Public Health Section should be notified so they can investigate and take the necessary action. Please telephone 0161 770 3447.
Q. I have seen an empty property which is open to access. What can be done?
Environmental Health Officers of the Public Health Section have powers to require the owner of the property to secure the building in a very short period of time. If the owner does not do this, the Council will secure it and recharge to the owner. It is important to secure any unoccupied buildings that is open to access as soon as possible. Please telephone the public Health section on 0161 770 3447.
Q. What can be done with buildings and structures that are in a ruinous or dilapidated state?
Environmental Health Officers in the public health section have powers to require certain ruinous or dilapidated structures to be reinstated or demolished. Please telephone them on 0161 770 3447. If you consider the building to be imminently dangerous, please contact the dangerous buildings inspector on 0161 770 4383.
Q. What should I do if travellers/gypsies set up camp on my land?
Oldham Council will take action to remove travellers/gypsies from land within Oldham where they do not have permission from the landowner to stay. Please telephone 0161 770 3447 to report such an occurrence.
Q. Who do I contact about rubbish on private land?
Environment Services, Environmental Action Unit on 0161 770 4477.
Q. How do I obtain and register an address for my new property?
Building Control, in conjunction with the Traffic Division and Royal Mail, register new addresses. If you are in the process of building a new property, you need to contact Building Control (0161-770 4122)at an early stage of construction to obtain and confirm the new address. They will not be able to do this until work has actually started.
If a new street name is also required, you will need to speak to the Traffic Division on 0161-770 4376, preferably well before work starts, as the allocation of a street name can be a lengthy process. They will send confirmation of the name to building control, and a full address including postcode can then be allocated.
Upon confirmation of the final address, Building Control contact approximately forty agencies, including all Council services, emergency services, utility services, and Royal Mail.
Q. I want to give my property a name rather than a number. Can I do this?
If your property has a number, or if it is easy to allocate a number, you must use this by law. You can give it any name you wish, providing it is used in conjunction with the number If your property does not have a number, and you wish to change the name, you must write to Building Control, Environmental Services Directorate, Level 12 Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham, OL1 1UQ explaining why you want to change it. Building Control will then have to check with Royal Mail to see whether they have any objections, particularly if there are other similar named properties within the area.
Q. How do I change the address of my property?
It is not always possible to change the address of your property, but in exceptional circumstances, it may be allowed. You will need to write to Building Control, Environmental Services Directorate, Level 12 Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham, OL1 1UQ explaining why you want to change it. Your request will need to be accompanied with a location plan.
Q. My new address is not being recognised by agencies such as insurance companies, catalogue companies etc. Why?
Firstly, check with Building Control on 0161-770 4122 that the address of your property has been officially registered. They will be able to guide you in the right direction if it hasn’t been.
If the property has been registered with the Council, you will need to contact the Royal Mail Postcode division on 0191-427 3406. They rely on the postman telling them when the property is occupied before they can make the address ‘live’ on their computer system. When they are made aware of this, the information is input on a database, which every three months or so is downloaded to the likes of insurance companies, catalogue companies etc.
Q. Can I buy or rent land from the Council?
Please check the Land and Property Services page for details of land we have at the moment. If you have a specific piece of land in mind, please put a request in writing to the address on the same page, stating what you wish to use the land for.
Q. Can the Council tell me who owns a particular piece of land?
We can tell you if land is in Council ownership. For privately owned land you will need to contact The Lytham District Land Registry. Full details can be found on the Land and Property Services page.