Safe immediate actions, warning signs and when to call an engineer.
Short answer: stop using the affected drain, keep people away from any escaping water, check whether the problem is yours or shared, and call a drainage engineer if water is backing up, overflowing or the blockage keeps coming back.
Stop using sinks, toilets and appliances that discharge into the affected drain so the problem does not get worse. Keep children, pets and the public away from any escaping water, which may be contaminated. Wear gloves if you have to touch anything, and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
Pipes that serve only your property are usually your responsibility within the property boundary. Pipes shared with neighbours or running beyond the boundary are often the responsibility of the water company. If neighbours have the same problem, that is a useful clue. We can advise once we have seen the layout.
Call straight away if waste water is backing up into the property, overflowing outside, or close to electricity. Book an engineer if the drain stays slow after simple checks, or if blockages keep returning, which usually points to a defect that a CCTV survey can identify.
An engineer locates the access points, clears the blockage with rods or high-pressure jetting, and checks that the drain is running freely. Where the cause is not obvious, a CCTV survey shows what is inside the pipe so the right repair can be recommended.
