Got a Question? We've Got the Answer.

For emergency callouts across London, we aim to have a qualified drainage engineer at your property within 60 minutes of your call. In many cases, particularly in central and inner London, response times are even shorter.

We operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week — including bank holidays and over the Christmas period. A blocked drain at 2am is handled with the same urgency as one at 2pm. When you call, you speak to someone who can despatch an engineer immediately rather than leaving a message for a callback.

Drains block for a variety of reasons. The most common causes we encounter are:

• Grease and fat — cooking oil and fat poured down the kitchen sink solidify inside the pipe over time, gradually narrowing the channel until it becomes completely obstructed.
• Hair and soap residue — a leading cause of bathroom drain blockages, as hair binds with soap scum to form a dense, sticky mass.
• Wet wipes and sanitary products — even products labelled "flushable" do not break down in drainage systems and are one of the most common causes of sewer blockages.
• Tree root ingress — roots naturally seek moisture and can penetrate even small cracks in underground pipework, eventually causing significant obstruction or collapse.
• Debris and scale build-up — in older pipework especially, mineral scale, silt, and general debris accumulate over years and reduce the pipe's effective diameter.

Some blockages develop slowly and give warning signs — slow drainage, gurgling sounds, or unpleasant smells from plug holes. Others happen suddenly. Either way, the sooner you address the problem, the less likely it is to cause more serious damage.

Yes. If our engineer attends your property and is unable to resolve the drainage problem, you will not be charged for the work. We believe in straightforward, honest service — you only pay when the job is done properly and to your satisfaction.

Before any work begins, we will always give you a clear, fixed quote. There are no hidden call-out charges added afterwards, and the price we quote is the price you pay.

The cost of drain unblocking varies depending on several factors — the severity and location of the blockage, the method required to clear it (rodding, jetting, or mechanical clearance), and whether the job is an emergency callout or a scheduled visit.

We always provide a fixed price before work begins, so you are never left facing an unexpected bill. The best way to get an accurate estimate is to call us on 07771 200075 — describe the problem and we can give you a clear indication of cost over the phone.

A CCTV drain survey involves passing a small, waterproof camera through your drainage pipework to inspect the internal condition of the pipes in real time. The camera transmits live footage to a screen above ground, and we record the full inspection for your reference.

You are likely to benefit from a CCTV survey if:

• You have a blockage that keeps coming back after clearing
• You are buying or selling a property and want to know the condition of the drains
• You suspect root intrusion, pipe collapse, or cracking but can't locate the source
• You want to plan a drainage repair or renovation and need to know what you're working with

It is the most accurate, non-invasive way to diagnose a drainage problem — and it prevents unnecessary digging when the cause isn't immediately obvious.

In many cases, yes. We use no-dig repair techniques — including patch lining and full pipe relining — that allow us to repair cracked, fractured, or deteriorating pipes from the inside without excavating the ground above them.

These methods are faster, less disruptive to your property, and often more cost-effective than traditional excavation. Where no-dig methods are suitable, there is typically no mess left behind once the work is complete.

Following a CCTV survey, we will advise exactly which repair method is most appropriate for your specific situation. In some cases — for example, a completely collapsed section of pipe — excavation may still be necessary, and we will always explain why before proceeding.

Yes, we work on both domestic and commercial properties throughout London and the surrounding areas. Our team has handled drainage systems of all sizes — from a single-bedroom flat through to large office buildings, restaurants, retail units, schools, and industrial sites.

For commercial clients, we understand that drainage problems can directly impact trading and operations. We prioritise fast response, minimise disruption wherever possible, and provide written reports and documentation to support insurance claims, property records, or compliance requirements.

We are also happy to discuss planned maintenance agreements for businesses that want to manage their drainage proactively rather than reactively.

High-pressure water jetting is safe for the vast majority of drainage systems when carried out by a trained engineer using the correct equipment and pressure settings. It is one of the most effective methods for clearing stubborn blockages and thoroughly cleaning the interior walls of a pipe.

Before using a jetter, our engineers assess the condition and age of your pipework. For older clay pipes or systems showing signs of deterioration, we may recommend a lower-pressure setting or an alternative cleaning method to avoid placing additional stress on compromised pipe joints or walls.

If there is any doubt about the suitability of jetting for your system, a CCTV inspection beforehand removes the guesswork entirely.

We provide drainage and plumbing services across South East England areas. Our engineers are mobile and cover a wide geographic range, so even if you are slightly outside central London, there is a good chance we can assist.

The quickest way to confirm coverage for your postcode is to call us directly on 07771 200075 or send an email to support@drainage-plumbing.co.uk. We will confirm immediately and, if we can't help, we will do our best to point you in the right direction.

While you wait for our engineer, the most helpful things you can do are:

• Stop using the affected drain — avoid running taps, flushing the toilet, or using the shower if the blockage is connected to the soil pipe.
• Turn off the water supply if needed — if water is overflowing, locate your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink or in the utility room) and turn it off.
• Contain any overflow — lay down old towels or place buckets to limit water damage while you wait.
• Avoid chemical drain cleaners — these can damage pipework and create hazardous conditions for the engineer who arrives, particularly if combined with hot water jetting.

If the situation deteriorates rapidly, call us back and we can advise further over the phone.

Most drain blockages are preventable with a few straightforward habits:

• Use a sink strainer in the kitchen and bathroom to catch food particles, hair, and debris before they enter the drain.
• Never pour cooking fat, grease, or oil down the sink — allow it to cool and dispose of it in the bin instead.
• Only flush the three Ps — pee, poo, and toilet paper. Wet wipes, cotton wool, and sanitary products belong in the bin, not the toilet.
• Run hot water through kitchen drains for 30 seconds after washing up to help flush grease through before it solidifies.
• For properties with mature trees nearby, consider an annual CCTV drain check to catch root intrusion early before it becomes a costly repair.

If you are aware of slow drainage anywhere in your property, it is worth addressing it early — the cost of clearing a partial blockage is almost always lower than dealing with a full emergency callout.

Yes — we work with landlords, property managers, and letting agents across London on both reactive emergency callouts and planned maintenance programmes. We understand that a drainage fault in a tenanted property needs to be resolved quickly to minimise disruption to tenants and protect the landlord from further liability.

We provide written reports, photographs, and itemised invoices for every job — useful for insurance purposes, landlord records, or demonstrating compliance with repair obligations. We are also happy to liaise directly with tenants on the landlord's behalf to arrange access and keep communication clear.

If you manage multiple properties, speak to us about a planned maintenance agreement that gives you priority response and a consistent point of contact.