How Much Does It Cost to Unblock a Drain? (2026 UK Guide)
Published 2026 UK figures for unblocking a drain, rodding and jetting, what changes the price, who pays, and what to do when a blockage keeps coming back.
A blocked drain is one of the most common household problems, and the first question is usually what it will cost. This guide gives published UK figures, explains what changes the price, and covers when a camera check is worth adding.
Typical costs
MyJobQuote’s drain clearance cost guide (updated September 2026) gives these averages:
- Clearing and unblocking a drain: around £100
- Drain rodding: around £80 to £145
- Drain jetting: around £70 to £175
These are guide figures, not a price list. The real cost depends on the job, so ask for a written quote before any work starts.
Rodding or jetting?
Rodding pushes flexible rods down the pipe to break up a blockage. It suits a simple blockage near an access point. Either method is part of a typical drain unblocking visit.
Jetting sends water through the pipe at high pressure. It cleans the pipe walls as well as shifting the blockage, so it suits grease, silt and fine roots. What drain jetting costs compares the two in more detail.
What changes the price
- How bad the blockage is. A light blockage clears fast, while packed silt or roots take longer.
- Access. An easy-to-reach chamber keeps the job short.
- How much pipe needs clearing. Longer runs take more time.
- Urgent or out-of-hours visits. Ask whether an urgent visit is possible, and what it costs.
When a blockage keeps coming back
If the same drain blocks again soon after clearing, there is usually a cause in the pipe. Roots, a displaced joint or a partial collapse can all catch debris. In that case, paying to clear it again only buys time.
A recurring blockage investigation uses a camera to find the cause. Roots are a common one, because tree roots damage drains by growing in through small gaps.
Who pays?
You usually pay for drains that serve only your home and sit inside your boundary. Public sewers, and most drains shared with other properties, are usually the water company’s job. In Scotland, though, drains shared within one plot, such as a tenement, can stay private. Who is responsible for a blocked drain sets out each case. If you rent, the landlord is usually responsible for keeping the drains working, unless you caused the blockage. A landlord’s drain duties depend on the tenancy and on which UK nation the home is in.
Blocked drains in different cities
Local housing affects how a blockage behaves. For example, shared yard drains behind back-to-back terraces in Leeds can mean one blockage affects several homes. The Nottingham page describes the city’s older terraces and their clay drains. Some cities have their own unblocking page, such as drain unblocking in London, and the list of cities covered links them all.
What to do while you wait
Stop running water into the blocked drain, and avoid chemical drain cleaners. Since they can make jetting unsafe, an engineer may refuse to jet a drain full of chemicals. If a manhole is overflowing, keep people and pets away.
The bottom line
Most blockages are quick to clear, and the guide figures give you a starting point. If yours keeps coming back, spend the money on finding out why.
Send us your postcode and we’ll pass your request on straight away. Say if the drain is blocked now, and ask for a written quote before any work starts.