Do I need a drain survey when buying a house?

A RICS Level 2 survey (opens in a new tab) includes a visual check of accessible drainage chambers where covers can be lifted safely without damage. That is different from sending a camera through the pipes.

Ask your surveyor what is included in your own agreement. Do not assume a more expensive house survey includes specialist drainage footage.

• Your surveyor has raised a drainage concern.
• Your solicitor, lender or insurer has asked for a report.
• The seller has told you about recurring blockages or other drain problems.
• You are unsure where the drains run or whether they are shared.
• You plan to build over or near a sewer and need information for an application.

Not every buyer will need the same checks. Tell your surveyor or solicitor what concerns you before commissioning extra work.

No. A drainage and water search reports records about the property’s water and sewerage services. A CCTV inspection examines accessible pipes on site. Ask your solicitor what the search tells you and your surveyor whether a separate condition check is justified.

Thames Water’s property-search guidance also warns that some sewers may not appear on its records. A search is not a guarantee that all pipe routes or defects have been identified.

If a professional has requested it, send their exact wording to the drainage contractor. Ask the contractor to confirm they can provide it by the date you need.

For building work, check with the relevant water company first. United Utilities (opens in a new tab) and Thames Water (opens in a new tab), for example, have their own processes for building near sewers. A standard homebuyer package may not be enough.

Arrange the visit through the seller or estate agent before booking. Agree who will be there, how the contractor will enter, and which covers can be reached. Get permission before any clearance, lifting of fixed coverings or other work beyond the agreed inspection.

Tell the contractor about locked gates, decking, extensions and access through a neighbour’s land. Do not try to open a stuck or heavy cover yourself. RICS advises discussing further investigations with the owner where the property may need to be disturbed.

If the result could affect your purchase, arrange the inspection and report before you make a legal commitment. For an England or Wales purchase, discuss the deadline with your solicitor before exchanging contracts. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different processes: ask your solicitor when the decision becomes binding.

Work backwards from the date your surveyor or solicitor needs to read the report. Agree the report deadline as well as the visit date, leaving time for questions or repair quotes. A booking before exchange is little help if the report arrives afterwards.

Published examples checked on 7 September 2026 include Clearflow’s two-bedroom homebuyer survey from £249 + VAT (£298.80 including 20% VAT) in Cheshire, Staffordshire and Greater Manchester, and Aspect’s mapping/homebuyer service from £315 + VAT (£378 including 20% VAT) for up to four covers.

These are individual firms’ starting prices, not a UK average or a quote for your home. The full price table gives the sources, coverage and extras. Ask whether clearance, video, mapping and a second visit are included.

1. A written report explaining what was inspected and what was found.
2. Video and photographs you can keep, if you need them.
3. A drain plan if the person using the report requires one.
4. A note of any pipes the camera could not reach.
5. A total price including VAT and any extra charges.
6. A date for receiving the report, not just the inspection appointment.

Print the booking checklist

Read the report alongside any photographs and video. Check that it says which areas were not inspected. If your surveyor, solicitor or lender requested it, send it back to them to discuss the findings.

If defects are found, ask the contractor to identify the affected pipe and explain the repair options. RICS recommends obtaining repair quotes before a legal commitment (opens in a new tab). Take the findings and quotes to your surveyor and solicitor.

You can then discuss a price adjustment or agreed repairs with the seller. Neither is guaranteed. If the seller agrees to repairs, ask your solicitor how the scope, completion evidence and timing will be recorded. Check ownership first where shared or public pipework is involved.

“Not inspected” means there is still a gap in the evidence. Ask what could resolve it before treating the report as an all-clear.

Do not assume every pipe on the property is the owner’s responsibility. Ask your solicitor or the relevant sewerage company if you are unsure before arranging private work.

The rules differ across the UK. See CCW’s guidance for England and Wales (opens in a new tab) and nidirect’s guidance for Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab). For Scotland, check with Scottish Water.