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Drain Unblocking Areas We Cover

Blocked drains in homes, shops, offices and commercial premises across twelve UK cities. Find local drain unblocking information, common drainage problems and sewer responsibilities for your area.

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Local drain unblocking pages

Blocked drains can affect homes, shops, offices, restaurants and industrial premises. Waste water may back up into sinks or toilets, outside gullies may overflow, or several fixtures may stop draining properly. The cause could be a build-up of grease, debris, wipes or another obstruction in the drainage system.

Drain unblocking involves locating the obstruction and clearing the affected pipe so waste water can flow again. The work needed depends on where the blockage is, the condition of the pipework and whether the problem is in a private drain or a public sewer. For domestic and commercial drainage, that distinction can also determine who is responsible for dealing with it.

Choose your city below for local drain unblocking information, including common property layouts, shared drainage arrangements and the sewerage company serving the area.

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Twelve UK cities

Ten cities in England and two in Scotland, with local drain unblocking information for each.

Private and public drainage

Find information about sewerage companies, shared drains and responsibility for blocked pipework.

Domestic and commercial drains

Drainage problems affecting houses, flats, shops, kitchens, offices and industrial premises.

England

  • Drain Unblocking London: converted houses, mansion blocks and basements, with Thames Water responsible for the public sewers.
  • Drain Unblocking Bristol: older terraces, rainwater gullies and commercial yards in a Wessex Water area.
  • Drain Unblocking Manchester: terraces with back entries, student lets and city centre kitchens, with United Utilities responsible for public sewers.
  • Drain Unblocking Liverpool: private drains, shared pipework, Liverpool City Council’s role and public sewers maintained by United Utilities.
  • Drain Unblocking Leeds: back-to-back terraces, business yards and industrial units, including drainage maintained by Yorkshire Water.
  • Drain Unblocking Sheffield: hillside streets, stone terraces and industrial yards, with Yorkshire Water responsible for public sewers.
  • Drain Unblocking Newcastle: Tyneside flats, shared drainage between properties and Northumbrian Water’s responsibilities for public sewers.
  • Drain Unblocking Birmingham: factories, workshops, commercial kitchens and offices, including private drains and Severn Trent sewers.
  • Drain Unblocking Nottingham: shared houses, landlord responsibilities and commercial kitchens, with Severn Trent responsible for public sewers.
  • Drain Unblocking Leicester: red-brick terraces with older pipework and food premises where grease can contribute to blockages, with Severn Trent responsible for public sewers.

Scotland

  • Drain Unblocking Glasgow: tenements, back courts, ground floor shops and commercial kitchens, including private drains and Scottish Water sewers.
  • Drain Unblocking Edinburgh: shared tenement drainage, property boundaries and the distinction between private drains and Scottish Water sewers.
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Blocked drain in another area?

Tell us where the property is, whether it is a home or business, and what is blocked or backing up. We can review your drain unblocking enquiry.

Private drains, shared drains and public sewers

A blockage within the drainage serving a house or commercial building may be in pipework maintained by the property owner. Where several properties are affected, the obstruction may be further along a shared drain or public sewer. The location and ownership of the pipe matter when deciding who should deal with the problem.

In England, many previously private sewers and lateral drains transferred to the sewerage companies in 2011. That means some pipes outside a property’s boundary, and some shared drainage, are now maintained by the relevant sewerage company. Not every shared pipe is public, however, and the particular drainage arrangement still needs to be established.

Scotland has different arrangements. Scottish Water’s guidance explains that a drain generally becomes a public sewer when it leaves a property’s curtilage or joins drainage from another separate curtilage. Shared pipework within the curtilage of a block of flats can remain private.

For further information about drainage ownership, see Ofwat’s guidance on public and private sewers, the Water Industry (Schemes for Adoption of Private Sewers) Regulations 2011 and Scottish Water’s guide to drains and sewers.

Drain clearance for homes and businesses

A blocked kitchen drain, overflowing outside gully or backed-up toilet can have different causes. In commercial kitchens, grease and food waste can build up inside drainage pipes. In residential properties, wipes, debris and obstructions in shared pipework can affect one home or several neighbouring properties. Commercial yards and industrial premises may also have drainage systems serving gullies and outside areas.

Identifying which fixtures or areas are affected helps establish where the obstruction may be. For more information about blockage clearance itself, see our drain unblocking service. For details specific to your location, choose one of the city pages above.

Drain Unblocking Areas We Cover: common questions

Why does it matter which sewerage company serves my area?

The sewerage company maintains public sewers in its area. In England, many previously private sewers and lateral drains also transferred to sewerage companies in 2011. Knowing who maintains the public network helps establish who should deal with a blockage once its location and the pipe's responsibility are known.

Are the rules for blocked drains different in Scotland?

Yes. The 2011 transfer applied in England and Wales, not Scotland. Scottish Water's guidance explains that drains generally become public sewers when they leave a property's curtilage or join drainage from a separate curtilage. Shared drains within the curtilage of a tenement or block of flats can remain private.

Do the city pages cover commercial premises?

Yes. The city pages cover drainage affecting homes and commercial premises, including shops, restaurants, offices, managed blocks and industrial yards where relevant. They also explain local drainage arrangements and the distinction between private drains and public sewers.

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