Blocked Sewer or Drain? Who Is Responsible and What to Do

Sewage coming up through a manhole, a gully overflowing or a toilet that won’t flush are all unpleasant, and they need dealing with quickly. The first question is usually: whose problem is it? Here’s how to tell whether a blocked sewer or drain is yours or the water company’s, and what to do next if you live in Stockport or elsewhere in Greater Manchester.

Step 1: Work out who is responsible

Since 1 October 2011, most shared drains and lateral drains outside your property boundary have been the responsibility of the water company. Across Stockport and Greater Manchester, that’s United Utilities.

• Usually yours: a drain that serves only your property and sits within your boundary.
• Usually the water company’s: a drain shared with neighbours, the pipe once it leaves your boundary, and the public sewer.

If you’re not sure, you can contact United Utilities, or call us and we’ll check. If we find the blockage is on the public side, we’ll tell you, so you’re not paying for something that isn’t yours to fix.

Step 2: If the drain is private, get it cleared safely

You can try to clear a private drain yourself, but we don’t recommend it, especially where sewage is involved. Raw sewage carries bacteria that can make you ill, and standing in a flooded chamber with hired rods is not a job we’d wish on anyone. Calling a reputable contractor is the safer option.

On a tight budget?

Over-the-counter drain rods and chemicals can look like a cheap fix. Naturally, we’d steer you away from both, as they can be dangerous and often make things worse. Instead:

• Ask for the price up front. Our prices are fixed and shown on our website.
• Check whether there’s a call-out charge on top. With us, there’s no call-out charge when we carry out the work.
• Ask what level of service you’re paying for. Our rodding and plunging is a fixed £75 + VAT, and jetting or machine work is a fixed £150 + VAT. Fixed prices apply Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Evenings, weekends and bank holidays may cost more, and we’ll tell you the rate before we set off.

Why pay a contractor?

In the long run, it usually works out cheaper. By the time you’ve driven around hiring equipment and tried to clear the blockage, possibly causing more damage, a drainage engineer could have cleared it in a fraction of the time. Our drain unblocking also comes with a 12-month guarantee, as long as the drainage isn’t misused or damaged. Full conditions are in our terms.

DIY equipment: does it work?

• Drain rods: they can work, but we’ve seen countless jobs where rods got jammed, came apart in the pipe or even damaged the drain.
• Chemicals: we’d only use gentle products such as bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. Corrosive chemicals like acids are dangerous and often eat the seals in the pipework.
• Plungers: great for sinks, but risky in toilets. We’ve found plunger heads stuck behind toilet pans.
• Drain snakes: cheap ones have flimsy cables and aren’t up to much. The decent ones cost several hundred pounds.

Blocked sewer or drain right now?

We’re open 24/7 and can clear blocked drains, manholes and toilets across Stockport, Gatley and the surrounding areas. Call 07375 521027 or WhatsApp us a photo of the problem.