Drain Detectives

Introduction

Living in London means busy streets, historic properties, and – unfortunately – some very old drainage systems. Combine that with modern city living, and it’s no surprise that blocked drains are one of the most common plumbing problems we deal with at Drain Detectives.

From Camden to Croydon, we’ve seen it all. Here are the top causes of blocked drains in London – and how you can prevent them from happening in your home or business.

Continue reading “Common Causes of Blocked Drains in London (and How to Prevent Them)”

Written by Stuart McGinn, drainage expert at Drain Detectives. 

Rats are more than just a nuisance, they can be a hidden danger to the infrastructure of a home that can cause unforeseen expenses if not treated promptly. 

Newly collected Freedom of Information (FOI) requests analysed by the team here at Drain Detectives have unveiled the extent of the problem across different regions of the UK, with findings painting a worrying picture for those living in certain areas:

Continue reading “UK’s Rodent Problem: FOI Data Reveals The Biggest Hotspots for Rat Infestations Since 2023”

This is a question that often comes up when our drainage engineers have been out to unblock a toilet, sink, shower or drain at a rental premises.

According to government statistics over 35% of UK households are now living in rental properties (either private or social ownership).

Continue reading “Who should pay to clear a blocked drain at a rental property, the tenant or the landlord?”

If you are thinking of building an extension to your property or adding a conservatory or garage, then you will need to know where your drains are.

Your drainage will by default be underground making it very difficult to see.

Continue reading “How do I find where the drains are on my property?”

The short answer is no, they won’t.

So what will your building surveyor check?

According to RICS (Royal institute of Chartered Surveyors) “Your surveyor will report on all the parts of the home that can be easily reached”.

Continue reading “Will a building surveyor check my drains when they carry out a homebuyer survey?”

We are contacted by many prospective house purchasers every week. They have normally just received a homebuyers report from their surveyor.

The report will advise that the purchaser get the property’s drains inspected to check for any defects, that may lead to subsidence.

The report will inevitably suggest they find a suitable drainage company to arrange to have a drain survey and a drain test carried out at the property.

But which one do you need or do you need a drain test and a drain survey?

Continue reading “Do I need a drain test or a drain survey before I buy a house?”

Your drainage contractor may come across pitch fibre at your property, and when he does, he may be shaking his head, with a barely disguised smile.

Here we explain everything you need to know about the dreaded pitch fibre.

Continue reading “Pitch fibre – what you need to know?”

We are pleased to announce that Drain Detectives are now members of Crystal Palace Business Club. It is a real privilege to support South London’s number one team. We may not be official CPFC sponsors (one for the future, maybe), however, we hope in our own small way to boost our local club. Continue reading “Drain Detectives join Crystal Palace Business Club”

There you are busily working away, without a second thought for what’s happening with your drains. And why would you? The toilets, sinks and urinals are doing what they always do. Everything magically disappears down the plughole, around the U-bend. Absolutely perfect, but…

Continue reading “Why have planned maintenance for your drains?”

When we launched Drain Detectives in 2017, we spent a long time thinking about what the name of our new company should be.

We had looked at a lot of the other drainage companies for ideas and most were combinations of the usual suspects: drain, dial, rod, clear, blocked, flow, easy, fast, services, jet and drainage. All very sensible… Continue reading “Choosing a name for your drainage company”