Drains are pipes which carry waste and surface water from one or more houses. When one drain meets another, it becomes a sewer.
Waste pipes are the pipes that run from your sinks and appliances through the walls and floors of your home. Blocked pipes can cause overflowing and flooding throughout your home. If your waste pipe is blocked click here.
How do I know if it is my drain that is blocked?
If your drain is blocked you will usually know because your waste will stop going away when you flush the toilet, or gullies outside will overflow. There will also probably be a smell. Private drains/sewers are the responsibility of the owner-occupier and any other properties connected to it. We can advise on clearance of a blocked drain.
Who is responsible?
It is the responsibility of the owner-occupier to maintain and clear a private drain/sewer. If the property is rented then it is the owners' responsibility. If you live in a row of houses then the problem could be a shared one if the drain is connected to a private sewer and a number of properties use the sewer.