Drainage problems in a house in multiple occupation behave differently from other property. Here is what actually causes the problem and what we do about it.
How houses in multiple occupation are drained
An HMO puts several times the normal load through pipework sized for one household, with more bathrooms, more laundry and more kitchen use than the original design allowed for.
What goes wrong
Wipes, cooking fat, hair and textile fibres all arrive in greater volume, and the original clay run outside was never sized for it.
Our approach
For landlords and agents, planned inspection is far cheaper than reactive call-outs, and we report in a form that can go straight into a maintenance record.
Signs worth reporting
- Water sitting in a drain outside long after use
- More than one appliance backing up, which points at the shared run
- Gurgling from a toilet or sink when the bath is let out
- Foul odour around a chamber that worsens after rain
Before we arrive
- Keep water use to nothing, particularly appliances on a timer
- Cordon off contaminated ground
- Move bins or planters off the inspection covers
- Jot down what is draining and what is not for the call
Who pays for the repair
Not every blockage is yours to pay for. Since 2011, most shared drains and lateral drains in England belong to the water company, and a defect on the shared run is not your cost. We establish which side of the line the fault sits and tell you plainly, even where it means there is no job in it for us.
What we charge
Every price is fixed before work starts and there is never a call-out charge, at any hour:
- Blocked Drains – Outside drain clearance is a fixed £144 plus VAT.
- Blocked Toilets – A blocked toilet is normally cleared at the fixed £120 plus VAT rate.
- Blocked Sinks – Clearing a blocked sink is a fixed £120 plus VAT.
- Drain Unblocking – Drain unblocking starts at a fixed £120 plus VAT, with no call-out charge at any hour.
- CCTV Drain Surveys – A CCTV drain survey is a fixed £300 plus VAT, footage and written summary included.
- Trenchless Drain Repairs – Trenchless repairs are quoted after a survey, because the length and condition set the price.
- Drainage Installation – Installation work typically runs from £600 to £2,500, fixed after a site visit.
- French Drains – French drain installations are quoted after a site visit.