A drain can flood when a pipe blocks, a sewer backs up or heavy rain overloads the system. Water may rise from a gully, a manhole or a floor drain. Quick, calm action limits the damage, although you cannot always stop the water.
Your first job is safety. Keep people and pets away from the water, since it may contain sewage. Stop using sinks, toilets and washing machines until the flooding stops.
Then work out where the water comes from, since your own drain, a shared pipe and a public sewer each have a different owner. Read the section below, and see emergency drain help for the wider picture. Mark your request urgent so the engineer sees it first.
The owner of the pipe is responsible for the fix. Scottish Water must provide the public sewers, and Citizens Advice Scotland says Scottish Water repairs them, while your own drain is your responsibility, up to the point where it joins the sewer.
If water comes up from a public sewer, report it to Scottish Water. However, if you rent from Dundee City Council, the council says to report a blocked or defective drain to its Customer Service Team or any Housing Office. Ask the engineer too, since the source is not always clear.
Citizens Advice Scotland says building insurance typically covers damage from sewer flooding. It also says you may claim compensation from Scottish Water if it was negligent. Tell your insurer early and keep photos of the damage, because policies differ.
Keep people and pets away from the water. Never touch electrical items while standing in water. Turn off the power at the fuse board only if you can reach it without stepping in water.
Stop using toilets, sinks and washing machines. Each flush or wash adds water to a drain that cannot take it. This slows the flooding, although it may not stop it.
Use the form and mark the request urgent. Say where the water is rising and how fast, since this helps the engineer judge the urgency. The engineer who takes the job sets the arrival time.
Report a public sewer problem to Scottish Water. Take photos for your insurer, since they support a claim. Keep any receipts for work and cleaning.
The engineer who takes your job runs a separate business, so the engineer sets the price, the arrival time and any guarantee. Use these questions to compare quotes, since answers differ from one engineer to the next. Write the answers down, because a written note helps if the job changes.
The guides checked for this page do not price flooding jobs on their own. However, for call-outs, MyJobQuote lists a standard charge of £50 to £100 and an emergency charge of £100 to £200. Book A Builder adds £50 to £120 for evenings and £100 to £250 for weekends and bank holidays.
These are not Dundee quotes, although they show how out-of-hours work can add to a bill. The two guides define the charge differently. Ask what the call-out covers, and ask for a written quote before work starts.
Keep people and pets away, stop using water while you wait and open windows if it is safe. Then mark a request urgent through the form. Report a public sewer problem to Scottish Water.
Scottish Water maintains and repairs public sewers, while your own drain is your responsibility. Ask the engineer or Scottish Water where the public sewer begins if you are unsure. Keep notes of who you spoke to.
Citizens Advice Scotland says building insurance typically covers damage from sewer flooding. Policies still differ, so read yours and check the excess. Tell your insurer early and keep photos.
No. Although you can send a request 24/7, the engineer who takes your job sets the arrival time. Ask for an estimate when they reply, and ask whether an out-of-hours charge applies.