I splashed millions of pounds on my dream home – then I found out my ‘neighbour is leaking POO into my garden’
ASDA’S billionaire owner is locked in a bitter war with his neighbours over raw sewage leaking onto his vast estate.
Fuming Manjit Dale, 59, splashed out millions on the sprawling stately home in Lechdale, Gloucestershire.
But the supermarket tycoon claims his stunning countryside idyll is being wrecked by a “stinking state of affairs”.
The former investment banker blames a crumbling septic tank for the row – and says his neighbour is “legally responsible”.
He says up to 2,000 litres of untreated sewage is currently being discharged onto a field on his land every day.
Now, after fighting a 12-year battle to get it fixed, one of Britain’s wealthiest men is launching legal action in London’s High Court.
He accuses neighbour Brian Abdy-Collins of turning their lives into a pungent nightmare – and says the value of his home has sunk as a result.
In court documents obtained by Sun Online his lawyers write: “The walls of the three chambers within the septic tank have collapsed.
“Untreated sewage and effluent from the estate drainage system has been, and continues to be, continually discharged.
“It has also been, and continues to be, observed beyond the field, flowing towards the lake on the property.
“The untreated sewage and effluent has resulted in strong and unpleasant sewage odours which have adversely affected the property.
“All in all, the estate drainage system in its current condition is manifestly not fit for purpose.
“It has resulted in a polluted, harmful and stinking state of affairs…and continues to give rise to a nuisance.”
Dale, who is worth over £6billion and appears on the Sunday Times rich-list, claims he spent over £600,000 trying to fix the issue himself.
He now wants his money back and has ordered Mr Abdy-Collins to pay damages.
His lawyers add: “Over many years the Claimant has notified and complained to the Defendant about the matters.
“He has notified the Defendant of his responsibilities, and has repeatedly called on him to address and remedy the issues.
“Despite this the Defendant has prevaricated and has failed and declined to take any (or any sufficient and effective) action in that regard.”
They add: “The Claimant has suffered, and continues to suffer, loss, damage, inconvenience and distress.”
The court documents detail how the estate drainage system serves 18 houses in the village.
Mr Dale’s public battle is a significant departure for the famously private businessman.
He bought the home in 2010 as his private equity firm, TDR Capital, soared and had a tennis court built on the site of an orchard in the grounds.
It was covered with the same blue hard court surface used in the US Open.
TDR now owns 15 businesses, including David Lloyd and Slug & Lettuce owner Stonegate, and collectively employs about 200,000 people in the UK.
A team of 85 professionals now manage more than £13 billion of assets.
But it was the £6.8billion purchase of Asda in 2021 that brought TDR out of the shadows.
The bulk of the purchase was financed by issuing almost £4 billion of debt.
Asda’s new owners then raised £1.7 billion selling and leasing back its warehouses.
But they are far from done – and now have Boots, the UK’s largest pharmacy chain, firmly in their sights.
What are my rights?
ACCORDING to Citizens Advice, if a neighbour’s septic tank is leaking and causing problems, what you can do depends on what effect the leak is having.
If the tank is causing problems on land, such as creating a damp patch of ground that has an offensive smell, or affecting your neighbour’s water supply, then you can contact the Environmental Health Department of your local council.
Councils have powers to serve notices, requiring owners to carry out works to stop the problem.
If owners don’t do the work then they could be committing a criminal offence.
If your local council won’t take steps against the owner of the septic tank, you could take civil legal action against the owner yourself.
You should then seek legal advice.