A blocked toilet or drain is unpleasant at the best of times. What often makes it worse is the uncertainty around who is responsible and who should pay.
In the UK, responsibility usually depends on where the blockage is, who owns the pipework, and whether the drainage is private, shared, or public. If you are unsure, use our Responsibility Wizard before you book a local engineer.
Quick answer (1 minute)
- Inside your property and only serving your property: usually the homeowner or landlord.
- Shared pipework serving multiple properties: often the freeholder, managing agent, or the water company if adopted.
- Public sewer: usually the water and sewerage company.
- Road gullies or highway drainage: often the local authority or highways body.
If you want the fastest way to decide, the wizard is built to guide you based on the location and type of drainage.
Why responsibility matters before you call an engineer
If you arrange a visit straight away, you may still get the blockage cleared, but you could also run into problems like:
- You pay for a visit that should have been handled by someone else, such as a landlord, managing agent, or water company.
- Work cannot be completed because the affected pipe is not yours to authorise work on.
- Delays while parties argue about ownership, especially with shared systems.
- Repeat blockages if the real issue is further along the line than the visible symptoms.
The simple rule of thumb
While every property is different, this general guide helps:
- If the blockage is within your property and only serves your property, it is usually the responsibility of the homeowner or landlord.
- If it is on shared pipework that serves more than one property, responsibility may sit with a management company, freeholder, or the water and sewerage company, depending on what has been adopted and how the system is set up.
- If it is on the public sewer, it is typically the water and sewerage company.
- If it relates to road gullies or highway drainage, it is often the local authority or highways body.
If you are not sure which category you fall into, the wizard is the fastest way to narrow it down.
Common terms, explained in plain English
People often use "drain" and "sewer" as if they mean the same thing. They do not, and this is where a lot of confusion starts.
Private drain
Pipework that carries waste away from a single property, typically within the boundary and before it connects into shared or public pipework.
Shared drain or shared sewer
Pipework that serves more than one property. This is common with terraces, semis, flats, and multi-unit buildings.
Public sewer
The wider network maintained by the water and sewerage company. A public sewer can sometimes run through private land, including gardens.
Lateral drain
A section of pipework that runs outside your boundary but still carries waste from your property towards the sewer network.
You do not need to memorise these. The wizard asks practical questions and uses them to point you to the most likely responsible party.
Domestic responsibility: homeowners, tenants, and landlords
If you own your home
You are usually responsible for blockages in:
- Toilets and waste pipes inside the home
- Pipework within your boundary that only serves your property
- Private drainage systems that do not connect to a public sewer network
If the blockage is on shared or public infrastructure, you may not be the one who should pay.
If you rent your home
Responsibility usually depends on two things:
- Where the blockage is
- What caused it
In many cases:
- The landlord is responsible for the drainage installation and repairs to pipework.
- The tenant may be responsible if the blockage was caused by misuse, such as flushing wipes, nappies, sanitary items, or excessive paper.
Tenancy agreements can vary, so if you are renting, it is worth checking your agreement and using the wizard to identify the likely route.
Flats and leasehold properties
Flats are often the most complicated because responsibilities can be split between:
- The flat owner or tenant (internal pipework serving that flat)
- The freeholder or managing agent (shared soil stacks, communal drainage, and common parts)
- The water and sewerage company (public sewer network)
If multiple flats are affected, that is a strong clue the issue is not limited to one internal toilet or one private waste pipe.
Commercial responsibility: tenants, landlords, and facilities teams
Commercial responsibility often looks similar to domestic responsibility, but with added layers, especially for leased premises and multi-let sites.
Commercial tenants
Your lease may place responsibility on the tenant, particularly under repairing obligations. In multi-let buildings, some drainage may be covered by the landlord and recovered through service charges.
As a general approach:
- If the blockage is clearly within your unit and serves only your unit, it is often the tenant’s responsibility.
- If it affects shared services or common drainage, it may fall to the landlord, managing agent, or building owner.
If you manage a site, the wizard helps you decide whether you should call a drainage contractor, log it with facilities management, or contact the responsible external party.
Restaurants, cafes, takeaways, and food sites
Food businesses are more prone to blockages caused by fats, oils, and grease. Even where the wider network is not your responsibility, you can still face disruption and potential costs if poor waste practices contribute to the problem.
If you run a food site, consider a proactive plan:
- Grease management and staff training
- Regular maintenance if you have a history of slow drains
- CCTV inspection when issues become frequent
How to tell where the problem might be
You do not need specialist equipment to spot some useful clues, but do not take risks.
Quick checks you can do safely
- Is it one toilet or multiple fixtures?
- One toilet blocked can be a local obstruction.
- Several fixtures backing up can suggest a blockage further along the line.
- Are neighbouring properties or other units affected?
- If yes, it can point towards shared drainage or a public sewer issue.
- Do you have a manhole on the property?
- If a manhole is overflowing, it often means the blockage is downstream of that point.
- Do not attempt to lift a heavy cover if it is unsafe or in a public area.
If you are unsure, the wizard helps you translate these clues into the right next step.
When it makes sense to call Clearflow Drains
If the wizard indicates the issue is likely on private pipework, or you need a clear diagnosis quickly, a professional visit can be the most efficient route.
Clearflow Drains can help with:
- Unblocking toilets, sinks, and internal waste pipes
- High-pressure jetting for stubborn blockages
- CCTV drain surveys to locate the issue and confirm where responsibility sits
- Commercial unblocking and preventative maintenance support
If you want to book a visit, you can contact us here: Contact Clearflow Drains. For services, see Drain Unblocking and Toilet Unblocking.
Local coverage
We cover Birmingham, the West Midlands, and Coventry, with rapid attendance for emergencies. See Areas Covered for a full list.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for a blocked toilet in a rented property?
It depends on what caused the blockage and where it is. Tenants may be responsible for blockages caused by misuse. Landlords are often responsible for defects and the underlying drainage installation.
Who is responsible for a blocked drain outside my boundary?
Not always the homeowner. Some pipework outside the boundary may be part of a shared or public system. The wizard helps you work out the most likely owner and what to do next.
Who is responsible for shared drains between terraced houses?
It depends on whether it is privately shared or part of the public network. Shared symptoms across multiple homes are a strong clue it is not a simple private blockage.
Are public sewers ever in private gardens?
Yes, they can be. The fact a pipe runs through your land does not automatically mean you own it.
Who is responsible for blocked drains at a commercial premises?
Often it is the tenant if it is within the demise and serves only that unit, but lease terms and shared systems can change the answer. Multi-let sites are commonly managed through facilities or service charge arrangements.
Final takeaway
If you are dealing with a blocked toilet or drain, the best first step is to work out who is responsible. It can save you money, speed up the fix, and reduce the risk of paying for work that should have been handled by someone else.
If it looks like a private blockage and you need help urgently, contact us here: Contact Clearflow Drains.