This question is for a family member with some rental property adjacent to hers. They apparently have a septic field and the tenant regularly allows residental type trucks to park on it. She is concerned about the field and the plumbing leading to it being damaged by the weight of the trucks.
She has diplomatically and nicely asked the man to have his visitors park on a paved area explaining her concerns. She’s ready to evict by now. Is this a legitimate concern? Thanks in advance.
Replies
you are not supposed to even drive over them (bed) as it compacts the earth which does not allow it to breath.
as for the tank you can crush the inlet and the outlet if vehicle heavy enough and tank close enough to the surface
how do i know ,i used to be a liensed installer and seen aall the above and more
It's a very legitimate concern and there's probably already some damage. If it were my property, I wouldn't be asking, I would be telling them not to park on (or even drive over) any of the septic system. If necessary, I would fence around it.
Dear DT Garden Girl,
My brother's septic field is right in front of his house and makes a very good turnaround for cars, delivery trucks, etc.
To protect him from the problem you describe, I recommended that he put a decorative picket fence in front or place some boulders or even a bench there so that cars and trucks in his driveway would resist the tempation to drive on that piece of grass. Whether or not you evict this tenant, I would still put up some sort of barrier so that this issue does not come up again.
Sheila Torres
Editorial Assistant
Thank you, folks, for your insight on this problem. As a kid, with a septic tank, I remember the no-no's of what to flush. As an adult, I've had a sewer. My question was for a relative in a more rural area.
I called her tonight and read the info posted. She'd already read the lax tenant the final riot act and he's behaving so far. He knows he is outta there if one more incident happens and he has more than received his due notice.
They are less formal in this rural locale in business matters. There, a person's word usually counts for something. Not the overly cautious legal way I'd use, but no less effective in most cases. (I'm speaking of being civil and respectful, and not the old "shotgun" approach here for the record...it's not THAT rural.)
She did note the helpful barrier methods, and should she encounter another tenant who won't comply, she'll seriously consider those measures. She just doesn't see how people can thumb their nose at polite requests with reasonable explanations and that is the part that ticks her off big-time. It's become more of a matter of principal for her, while is still a damage/cost factor as well.
I appreciate each of you who took the time to respond and all had good advice. Let's just hope things work out in this case and see this as a learning experience for all. Thank you.