24/7 emergency service
Blocked drains in London
The short answer
A blocked drain shows up as slow-draining sinks and toilets, gurgling, bad smells or an overflowing outside gully or manhole. Common causes are fat, wipes, tree roots and collapsed pipes. Drain rods or high-pressure jetting clear most blockages, and a CCTV survey shows the cause if it keeps happening.
We handle blockages of every size, from a single kitchen waste to a main sewer connection. We clear the blockage, check the flow and look for the cause.
CCTV drain surveys let us see inside the pipe without digging. That means we can treat the cause, not just the symptom, and avoid unnecessary excavation.
How it works
Blocked drains: what happens when you call
- 01
Call or message us
Tell us about the blocked drain. Phone, WhatsApp or book online, 24 hours a day. We'll ask a few quick questions and tell you when we can be there.
- 02
Diagnosis and quote
The engineer finds the cause of the drain blockage, explains it in plain English and gives you a clear quote before any work starts.
- 03
Repair and clean-up
We clear the drain, test the flow, test everything, tidy up and talk you through how to avoid it happening again.
FAQs
Blocked drains questions, answered
Who is responsible for a blocked drain in London?
Generally, you're responsible for drains that serve only your property and sit within its boundary. Pipes shared with neighbours, or that run outside your boundary, are usually the water company's responsibility, which is Thames Water across most of London. We can tell you which applies once we've looked.
What causes blocked drains?
Most blockages come from fat and cooking oil, wet wipes, sanitary products, hair and soap build-up. Outside drains also block with leaves, silt and tree roots growing into joints. Older clay pipes can crack or shift and catch debris. A CCTV survey shows which one you have.
How do I stop my drains blocking again?
Don't pour fat or oil down the sink. Bin wipes, even ones labelled flushable. Use plughole strainers in showers and baths, and keep outside gullies clear of leaves. If a drain keeps blocking despite this, there's probably a defect in the pipe that needs repairing.
What customers say
All 165 reviewsEljo from Urgent Plumbers London Ltd is one of, if not the most responsive tradesman I've come across - replied to queries and messages quickly without fuss, and clearly explained issues/reasoning with any work required. Always arrived when he said he would too and was happy to provide all relevant documentation (Gas Safe etc) when asked - would recommend. Quoted for boiler service/replaced our boiler when it was found to be un-serviceable.
Urgent Plumbers were fantastic when my boiler leaked. It was at the worst time possible -early on a Sunday morning when I was rushing out to work. He was so calm , turned up quickly as promised and then was so efficient at working out and fixing the problem. He was also so kind as I was terrified how much it would all cost for a Sunday emergency call out Thank you so much - you're an absolute hero
I'm really pleased with the service. All in the same day the gentleman came to fix an issue in the bathroom. A leaking pipe fixed. Very friendly and professional. I totally recommend their service. Thanks again 😊
Blocked drains? We can help today.
Call any time, day or night. We'll tell you when we can be there and give you a clear price before we start.