Residents of a Whitchurch estate that has been plagued by sewage problems say they face a massive bill to sort the problems out, as Shropshire Council says it is seeking a long-term solution to the issue.

People living at The Brambles, off Chester Road, have spent years reporting incidents of sewage backing up into gardens and bathrooms because the properties are not properly connected to the sewage system.

And they have faced further frustrations after the Local Government Ombudsman said it will not be pursuing an investigation into Shropshire Council after a complaint was lodged in an attempt to hold them to account for issuing completion certificates.

But the unitary authority says it is seeking a long-term solution to the issue and has warned "buyers beware" over the persistent problems being faced by those living there.

One resident, who did not want to be named, recently launched a complaint to the LGO about Shropshire Council's role in leaving homeowners with a potential six-figure bill to ensure the incomplete work is carried out, including connecting to sewers.

The LGO said it could not hold Shropshire Council responsible for the 'poor work' of the housebuilder; however, the resident insists the complaint is not about the "shoddy building work" but for the council's failing to force the developer to properly finish the site.

Shropshire Council has also responded to a series of questions from residents about the development – and has said it is seeking to bring the drainage up to a standard that can be adopted by a water company. But that may be a costly solution for homeowners.

In a statement accompanying the response, the council spokesman said: "Shropshire Council is sympathetic to the position the Brambles residents find themselves in, and our focus has been on identifying a solution to issues that involve multiple parties, interests and legislation.

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"The council isn’t responsible for the primary issues that remain outstanding, namely the completion of the drainage and roads to adoptable standards, as these are subject to separate legislative controls and process.

"However, we have been working with the Brambles residents to procure a competent contractor to undertake the works. The works procurement has been through an open competitive tender route. We have been providing the residents with regular updates throughout the process and are currently undertaking a tender assessment following tender returns from interested contractors."

Residents claim to have been asked to pay £900,000 towards the work.

The council spokesman added: "The developer in this case did not secure the adoption of the drains, and the road was always intended to be a private road as shown in the land transfer documents – something that should have been identified by conveyancing solicitors acting for purchasers prior to completion of their purchases.

"The lesson in this case is 'buyer beware'. A property purchase can be the most financially significant decision many of us make and we would encourage home buyers to ensure that the right due diligence is undertaken when considering buying a property. That might mean ensuring surveys are undertaken, independent legal advice is sought and local searches are done thoroughly.

"The council does not have powers or duties to assist property buyers generally and can only step in where specific legislation is breached, for example taking planning enforcement action if there is a breach of planning control. This will usually then involve the new landowners."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the LGO said: “In this case, we have carefully considered whether to investigate the complaint about Shropshire Council.

"We have decided not to because we cannot achieve what the person wants – for the council to be held responsible for the sub-standard work of the builder and to put right the defects in his home.”