Answers to common questions about drains in Dundee and Tayside. If yours is missing, send a request and ask, since the engineer who replies can help with your own drain.
Who is responsible for a blocked drain, me or Scottish Water?
Citizens Advice Scotland says owners look after the household pipes up to the point where they join the public sewer, and Scottish Water looks after the public sewer. A drain that serves only your home is usually yours. Find out which pipe is blocked before you pay for work, and see who is responsible for a blocked drain for more.
Is there a call-out fee?
It depends on the engineer who takes your job, since charges vary. Ask before you agree. MyJobQuote lists a standard call-out at £50 to £100 and an emergency call-out at £100 to £200 in its UK price guide. Ask for a written quote before work starts.
How quickly can an engineer respond to an emergency?
The engineer who takes the job sets the response time, so this site promises none. Mark your request urgent and ask for an estimate when the engineer replies. See the page on emergency drain services for what to do while you wait. The request form accepts messages 24/7.
UK price guides give a guide, not a quote. MyJobQuote lists outside drain unblocking at £80 to £150, and Fantastic Services says most unblocking costs £80 to £250 outside London. Jetting or complex jobs can cost more. Ask the engineer for a written quote before work starts.
Do Scottish Water unblock drains?
Scottish Water looks after the public sewers, including chokes and collapses in them. It does not look after the private drain that serves only your home. If you are not sure which pipe is blocked, a CCTV drain survey can show where the fault sits.
Who is responsible for a shared drain in Scotland?
The rule depends on where the shared pipe runs. Citizens Advice Scotland says owners who share a pipe are jointly responsible, and the title deeds usually say how to split the cost. Scottish Water's guide says a pipe that leaves the property boundary, or joins drains from another property, becomes a public sewer. Check your deeds and ask Scottish Water if you are unsure.
How do I report a blocked drain or sewer?
Start by working out whose pipe it is. For a public sewer, report it to Scottish Water. A blocked drain on the road or pavement may be a job for your council. Angus Council, for example, lists a blocked drain form under roads and pavements. For a private drain, you can send a request here.
I live in a council house in Dundee. Who do I tell about a blocked drain?
Dundee City Council says blocked or defective drains in council houses should be reported to its Customer Service Team or any Housing Office. Tenants of other landlords should ask the landlord first, because the lease may say who arranges the repair.
Does home insurance cover blocked drains?
It depends on your policy, because drain cover varies. Citizens Advice Scotland says building insurance typically covers damage from sewer flooding. Read the wording, or ask your insurer what it covers and what evidence it needs. A CCTV report and a written quote usually help.
What is a CCTV drain survey and when is it needed?
A CCTV drain survey uses a small camera to inspect the inside of your drainage pipes. It helps with repeat blockages, damage and cracks. Buyers can also ask about a pre-purchase drain survey before they commit.
How much does a drain survey cost?
UK price guides give wide ranges. less.co.uk lists £100 to £300 for a home survey, and MyJobQuote lists £90 to £500 with an average of about £250. Ask what the price includes, since some quotes cover the inspection and report only.
Do I need a drain survey when buying a house in Scotland?
A survey can save you a costly surprise. Ask your surveyor what they checked on the drains. A camera shows the inside of the pipes, which a visual look often cannot. See the guide for home buyers and drain surveys.
How can I prevent blocked drains?
Avoid pouring fat and cooking oil down the sink, and use drain guards to catch hair. Put wet wipes and sanitary products in the bin, since they do not break down. Regular drain jetting can help if a drain keeps blocking. Read the guide to preventing kitchen drain blockages for more tips.
What should I do if my drains are blocked?
Stop using the affected sink, toilet or bath, since more water makes things worse. Check whether other drains are slow, and look at any outside gully or inspection cover. Then send a request and describe what you found.
Is a blocked drain an emergency?
Not always. Sewage coming up inside the home, or no usable toilet, is urgent. A single slow sink can usually wait for a booked visit, but mark the request urgent if you are unsure.
Can tree roots damage drains?
Yes. Roots can enter a pipe through a cracked or shifted joint, then grow and block the flow. A CCTV survey can show them, while jetting can clear them from inside the pipe.
Can I send a request for a commercial property?
Yes, you can send a request for a shop, office, restaurant or other business premises. Typical jobs include blockages, repairs and commercial drain jetting. The engineer who takes the job will confirm what they can do, since each engineer offers different services.
Are the engineers qualified and insured?
The engineer who takes your job sets out their own training and insurance, which varies. Ask to see proof of insurance, and ask what cover comes with the work in writing. Read how this service works for more detail.
How do I pay for the work?
The engineer who takes your job sets the payment terms. Ask how they take payment before work starts, because terms differ. Ask for a written quote and a final invoice, and keep both.
Why does my bathroom smell like sewage?
A sewage smell in a bathroom usually means a dry U-bend that has let sewer gas back into the room, or a partial blockage further down the pipe. Running a tap or flushing a rarely used fixture often fixes a dry trap. A smell that stays points to a genuine blocked drain. See why drains smell for the other causes.
Before you send a request
Use this page to check a few basics first. Then, if you still need help, send a request. The engineer who replies can answer questions about your own drain, since only they have seen it.
Many drain questions start with one point: who owns the pipe? Citizens Advice Scotland says owners look after the household pipes up to the point where they join the public sewer, while Scottish Water looks after the public sewer itself. Section 59 of the Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968 gives the legal test. A drain serves one building inside its boundary, whereas a sewer serves more than one property.
Shared pipes inside one boundary are a joint matter, so check your title deeds. Once a shared pipe leaves that boundary, it is a public sewer that Scottish Water looks after. Advice written for English homes can mislead here, because Scotland has its own sewer law. Council tenants in Dundee should report blocked drains to Dundee City Council, and tenants elsewhere should ask their landlord first.
Price guides give a rough idea of cost. MyJobQuote lists outside drain unblocking at £80 to £150, and less.co.uk lists a home drain survey at £100 to £300. These are UK figures, so the real price may differ, although the guide helps.
Some problems cannot wait. Sewage backing up or flooding calls for an urgent request, so mark it urgent in the notes box, because delay can spread the damage. If anyone is in danger, call 999. The engineer who takes your job runs a separate business, so ask for a written quote before work starts, since terms differ. Ask whether there is a call-out charge, and ask what a guarantee covers.
The request form stays open 24/7 for Dundee and surrounding areas. You can mark urgent problems as urgent at any hour. However, the engineer who takes the job sets the arrival time.
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