Drain unblocking across Leeds and West Yorkshire
Drain Unblocker Leeds helps households and businesses ask for drainage help. You can request blocked drain clearing, CCTV drain surveys, drain jetting or drain repairs. Each service page explains the job in plain English, since jargon helps nobody.
A slow sink and a flooded garden need different help. For example, a slow sink may only need rods, while a flooded garden may need a camera to find the cause. If water or sewage is coming into your home, read about emergency drain services first.
Popular drainage services
Drain Unblocking
Rods and jetting for slow or blocked pipes View serviceCCTV Drain Surveys
A camera look inside the pipes View serviceDrain Jetting & Cleaning
High-pressure water to clean the pipe walls View serviceEmergency Drain Unblocking
Sewage backup, flooding and urgent blockages View serviceDrain Repairs
Relining, patch repairs and digging out View serviceHow it works
1) Send your request
Use the form above or the contact page. Add your postcode and describe the problem. This helps because the engineer can understand the job before they reply.
2) Talk through the job
A drainage engineer can then call or email you about what is wrong. Ask for a written quote before any work starts. Ask whether a call-out charge applies, too, since some engineers add one.
3) Agree the work
Check what the quote covers before you say yes. Ask about insurance and any guarantee on the work. Because these details vary between engineers, it pays to ask first.
What to check before you hire a drainage engineer
Drain work can cost a lot if it goes wrong. It is worth five minutes of questions before you agree, because a quick check can save money. Here is a short list to use on the phone.
- A written quote. It should say what work it covers and what it leaves out.
- Call-out charges. Ask whether there is one, and whether it comes off the final price.
- Insurance. Ask what cover the engineer holds, and ask for proof if you want it.
- Guarantees. Ask what the work comes with, how long it lasts and what it excludes.
You can ask for help for a home, a rental or a business premises. Still looking for a drainage company in Leeds? The drainage FAQ and the about page explain more.
Drain unblocking in Leeds and nearby towns
This site has a page for each of ten areas around Leeds. Pick yours to read about drains in that part of the city while you check the services listed. You can also see all the areas on one page.
Blocked drain right now? What to do first
Stop using the sink, toilet or shower that drains badly, because more water can make the flooding worse. If sewage is coming into the house, keep children and pets away from it.
Then send a request and say it is urgent in the notes. The request form is open 24/7, including bank holidays. Whether anyone can attend at night depends on the engineer who takes the job, so ask when you hear back.
- Say what is happening, for example flooding or sewage backing up
- Add your postcode so the engineer can check the distance
- Ask whether a call-out charge applies
- Ask for a written quote before work starts
Blocked drains in Leeds: common problems
Most drain problems fall into a few groups. Here are four of them, while each one links to the service page that explains it.
Blocked toilets and sinks
Grease, hair and wipes are the usual causes. Rods or jetting often clear them, however a deep blockage may need more. Read about a blocked toilet or a blocked sink.
Slow or gurgling drains
A partial blockage often gets worse over time, so do not ignore it. A CCTV drain survey can show where it sits. Then you can choose the right fix.
Outside drain flooding
Leaves, mud and tree roots can block outside drains and gullies. Because rain adds more water, the problem shows up fast. High-pressure jetting is one way to clear them.
Cracked or collapsed pipes
Old clay pipes can crack with age, and a crack lets roots and silt in. Two common repairs are no-dig pipe relining and drain excavation. A survey helps decide which one suits the damage.
Not sure what the problem is? Read the warning signs of a blocked drain. The complete guide to drains in Leeds also helps.
Who is responsible for a blocked drain?
Leeds City Council says homeowners look after the drains that serve their own property, up to the boundary. Yorkshire Water looks after the shared sewers beyond it. So the first job is to work out where the blockage sits, since that decides who fixes it.
Yorkshire Water gives a simple test. If neighbours have the same problem, the blockage is probably in its sewers. If only one room is affected, the blockage is almost certainly in your own pipes. A blockage outside your boundary, or in a pipe you share, can be a job for Yorkshire Water, so ask it if you are unsure. Read the full advice on the Yorkshire Water blocked drains page and the Leeds City Council drains and gullies page.
Drain emergency? Send a request any time
Drain emergencies do not keep office hours, so the form never closes. A blocked sewer on a Sunday evening or a flooded kitchen at 2am cannot wait. You can send details whenever it happens.
Say it is urgent in the notes and say what is going on. For example, mention flooding, sewage backing up or a collapsed pipe. However, how fast someone can attend depends on the engineer who takes the job.
24/7
Request form open every day of the year
Urgent
Say so in the form when it cannot wait
Ask
Check call-out charges before you agree
Need emergency drain unblocking in Leeds now? Send a request and say it is urgent. If anyone is in danger, call 999.
What a good drainage visit looks like
A good engineer looks at the problem first and explains it in plain words. They tell you the price before they start, because you cannot agree to a cost you do not know. If the job turns out bigger, they stop and agree the new cost with you.
Afterwards, they should tell you what caused the blockage. They can also suggest ways to stop it coming back. For example, a drain guard or a change in what goes down the sink can help.
Because every engineer works differently, ask what to expect when you speak to them. You can also ask for a written summary of the work for your records.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for a blocked drain in Leeds?
It depends on where the blockage is. Yorkshire Water says that if your neighbours have the same problem, the blockage is probably in its sewers. If only one room is affected, the blockage is almost certainly in your own pipes. A blockage outside your boundary, or in a pipe you share, can be a job for Yorkshire Water, so ask it if you are unsure.
How does this site work?
You describe the problem in the request form. A drainage engineer can then reply to talk through the job. You agree the work and the price with that engineer, so ask for a written quote before work starts.
Does it cost anything to send a request?
No. The request form is free to use, and you do not have to go ahead. Any charge for a visit or for work comes from the engineer, so ask about it before you agree.
Will there be a call-out charge?
Some drainage engineers charge a call-out fee, while others do not. Ask before anyone attends, and get the answer in writing if you can. That way the first bill holds no surprises.
Is a blocked drain an emergency?
Sewage coming back up into your home is urgent, because it is a health risk. Water pouring into a room is urgent too. A slow sink is usually less urgent, but it often gets worse, so do not leave it for weeks.
What is a CCTV drain survey?
A small camera goes inside the pipe and shows what is wrong. For example, it can show a crack, a root or a build-up of fat. It helps when drains keep blocking, or when you want to check a house before you buy it. You can ask for a copy of the footage and the report.
How can I stop my drains blocking?
Keep fat and cooking oil out of the sink, because it sets hard in cold pipes. Put wet wipes and sanitary items in the bin, not the toilet. A drain guard also catches hair and food scraps before they reach the pipe.
Which areas does this site cover?
This site has a page for ten areas, from Leeds city centre out to Wetherby and Otley. Open the locations page to see them all. If your town is not there, send a request anyway, since the engineer may still cover it.
Have more questions? Visit the full drainage FAQ page.
Need drainage help?
Send a request for a quote anywhere in Leeds and West Yorkshire. The form is free and open 24/7.