A MAN has been left with a £3,000 bill to re-route drains that were leaking human waste onto a nearby grass bank since the house was built in 2005.

Wilf Moralee, of Stanley Crook, was served notice from Durham County Council (DCC) in March last year giving him, and the adjoining house, 21 days to solve the drainage problem.

The work was completed in May by an external contractor, instructed by the council, who have since told Mr Moralee he is partly responsible to foot the bill.

Mr Moralee purchased the semi-detached house as a new build in February 2006, after all relevant building inspections were carried out.

He has since appealed the decision and complained to Durham County Council’s Corporate Complaints Unit without success.

A statement sent to Mr Moralee from the complaints department said: “I fully empathise with the situation that you (and your neighbours) find yourself in. However, from the evidence that I have seen I am satisfied that the correct procedure was followed."

Stephen Reed, planning development manager at DCC, said in November that the council had investigated the involvement of its building control service in relation to the work.

He said: “We are satisfied the pollution issues are not as a result of any negligence on our behalf.”

Mr Moralee said: “The council issued a certificate to the builders stating that everything had been checked, which was clearly not the case.

“Not many people have £3,000 lying around and we have been told to expect an invoice imminently. I will continue to fight this and have already taken the next step to do so.”