Blocked Drains and Sewers Outside: Who Is Responsible?

When a drain or sewer outside your home blocks, the first question is usually who is responsible, you or the water company, and who has to pay. The answer depends on where the blockage is and what type of pipe is affected. The rules changed significantly in 2011 when most shared private sewers in England and Wales were transferred to water companies, so a lot of older advice on this topic is now out of date.

If you're not sure whether you or the water company should be dealing with a blocked pipe, you can use our free Drainage Responsibility Checker.

The Basics: Drains, Lateral Drains and Sewers

A drain is a pipe that carries waste from a single property. A lateral drain is the section of pipe that runs from your property boundary to the public sewer, usually under a road or pavement. A sewer is a pipe that carries waste from more than one property.

Before 2011, if a shared pipe serving several houses was not formally adopted by the water company, it was classed as a private sewer and the homeowners using it were jointly responsible for maintaining it. That caused endless disputes between neighbours over blocked drains and repair costs.

What Changed in 2011

On 1 October 2011, the Private Sewer Transfer Regulations came into force. Nearly a quarter of a million kilometres of private sewers and lateral drains in England and Wales were automatically transferred to the local water and sewerage company. Homeowners did not have to do anything. The transfer happened regardless of the condition of the pipes.

This means that if a shared sewer or lateral drain that existed before July 2011 becomes blocked or collapses, it is now the water company's problem, not yours. You can report it to your water company and they will deal with it at no cost to you.

What You Are Still Responsible For

The transfer did not cover everything. You are still responsible for:

• Any pipe that serves only your property and runs within your property boundary. This is your private drain and any blockage in it is yours to deal with.
• The short section of pipe between your building and the point where it connects to the transferred sewer or lateral drain. In most cases this is a relatively short run within your garden or driveway.
• All internal plumbing, including waste pipes from sinks, baths, toilets and appliances.

If you own the property, you will need to call a drainage contractor if you cannot clear the blockage yourself. If you rent, it is normally the landlord's responsibility. Contact your landlord or letting agent first. If they are unhelpful, your local council's Environmental Health team may be able to intervene.

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Properties Built After 2011

The automatic transfer only applied to pipes that existed before 1 July 2011. Drains and sewers built after that date remain private unless the developer arranged for them to be adopted by the water company through a formal agreement known as a Section 104 agreement. If your home was built after 2011, it is worth checking whether this was done. Your solicitor should have covered this during the purchase, but if you are unsure, contact your water company.

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How to Work Out Who is Responsible

If you have a blockage and are not sure whether it is on your private section or the water company's, a simple check is to ask your neighbours whether they are affected too. If several properties have the same problem, the blockage is likely in the shared sewer and the water company should deal with it. If only your property is affected, the blockage is probably in your private drain.

You can also contact your water company directly. They hold maps of their network and can tell you where the public sewer runs in relation to your property. Most water companies have an online reporting tool for blocked sewers and will send someone out to investigate.

What If a Neighbour's Drain is Causing Problems on Your Property?

If a neighbour's private drain is leaking, overflowing or causing a smell that affects your property, try raising it with them first. Many people are simply unaware of the problem. If that does not resolve things, contact your local council's Environmental Health team. They have powers to investigate and can require the property owner to carry out repairs. In serious cases they can arrange for the work to be done and recover the costs.

If the issue is with a shared pipe that should have transferred to the water company, report it to the water company rather than trying to resolve it between neighbours. That is exactly the kind of dispute the 2011 transfer was designed to prevent.

Paying for Private Drain Repairs

If the blockage is on your private section, you will need to pay for a contractor to clear or repair it. Costs vary depending on the severity of the problem. A straightforward unblocking with drain rods or a high-pressure jet typically costs between £80 and £200. More serious problems involving collapsed or damaged pipes can run into thousands of pounds.

Some home insurance policies cover drainage problems, though many standard policies do not. It is worth checking your policy or considering specialist drainage cover if your property has older pipework. If you are on a low income, some water companies offer assistance schemes for essential repairs.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Drainage Responsibility Checker lets you find out who is responsible for a drainage problem. Takes 1 minute. Try it now →