Blocked drains Birmingham who fixes outside?

When it comes to blocked outside drains in the city of Birmingham, the most common question that is posed by most of the homeowners is as follows: who repairs them? There are also outside drains and sewers, unlike the sink in your kitchen, which may involve more than one party, and you do not need to be aware that the responsibility belongs to the other party, just to get the job done fast, safe, and at reasonable cost. 

The Interpretation of the Responsibility of Outside Drains.

In England the law separates the responsibility of the drains according to the ownership and location:

Privatisation of your property

When a blocked drainage is found on your property, and it only serves your house, then the duty of repairing it is usually your responsibility. That means:

Clearing blockages

Repair of cracks or broken pipes

Replacing pipe sections

This is so in case the drain flows outside your house such as on the edge of your garden so long as it serves your home alone.

Shared Drains or Pipes

In case the drain serves a number of properties, the responsibility may vary:

The local water and sewerage company usually has the responsibility of shared drains used by several properties.

These common or lateral drains normally run out of your property and lead to the common sewer system. In UK laws, they are normally adopted and maintained by the water company.

Sewers, Road Drains, and others

Drains which are found under the roadways, or are in the custody of the sewer system in common, are not your property. In case of blockage and eventual resultant wider flooding, the water company, i.e. in the West Midlands, Severn Trent Water, is tasked with clearing them. Highway drains (gullies) which handle surface water but not household waste drains are controlled by local councils.

What do you do when the outside drains are blocked?

Step 1 - Locate the Blockage

Enquire whether the blockage lies within your property line or along the drainage line. Observable symptoms such as stagnant water at the manhole in front of your garden are an indication of a problem in a particular drain. When the issue is below a pavement that is owned by the people or when the problem affects several neighbours, it is probable to belong to a water company.

Step 2 - Contact the Right Party

Personal drain problems: Have a drain professional or plumber come and fix it.

Possible common or shared sewer problem: Contact your local water utility (e.g. Severn Trent Water).

Blockage of highways gullies: Report to the highways department of the city council of Birmingham.

In case you cannot always know where the responsibility is, a good starting point is always to call your sewerage provider, and have them investigate the issue, as they may be able to tell whether the blockage is in the public section or in the private section and provide instructions.

The Time to Hire a Professional Drainage Pro

Outside blocked drains are untidy as well as potentially dangerous to health particularly when sewage is involved. Drainage companies within the city of Birmingham have professional drainage services both in emergency call-outs and planned visits. Common services include:

Unblocking of drains (external) by rodding or high-pressure jetting.

CCTV check to observe profound blockages or destruction.

Replacement and repair of drains.

24/7 emergency response

These are professionals, who are trained to operate in a safe environment underground and are able to solve issues, which cannot be addressed by mere DIY equipment. Some major local companies react fast usually in a day.

 Common Costs and expectation

In spite of differences between the prices being paid by the severity of blockage, duration of drain, or the necessity of specialist equipment, you might encounter:

Drain rodding: approx. PS75-PS150+

High-pressure jetting: ~PS120-PS250+

CCTV survey: ~PS150-PS300+

Emergency call-out: PS100-PS150+

It is a good idea to request several quotes with regulated drainage professionals in Birmingham so as to make sure that you are getting good prices.

It is frustrating that outside drains may be blocked and having an idea of the person who welcomes the process is one way of making it easier. In most cases:

You repair domestic drains in your house,

Water company is concerned with common sewers and drains in the open.

The council is primarily concerned with highway drainage in surface water.

It can be a mere flush failure, or something more serious in the ground, but in any case, the drainage engineers in the city of Birmingham will be happy to assist you in removing the blockage in the most appropriate way and avoid future pains.