Rats in Drains in Surrey
Warning Signs
Common signs rats may be using your drains. Also look for a damaged, loose or missing drain cover in the garden. Not every rat problem starts in the drains: if there's no sign of activity around your drains, a pest controller or your council's pest service is usually the right first call.
Scratching noises
Repeat visits
Droppings
Building work
Under floors, in walls or around a boxed-in soil pipe
Rats return after the property has been treated
Droppings or greasy marks inside an inspection chamber when you lift the cover
An extension or removed outside toilet may have left old pipes open
How They Get In
How rats get in through drains
Rats live in the public sewer network, and they can get into private drains wherever a pipe is broken or open. Common weak points include:
Old pipes that were never sealed off, for example where an extension replaced a downstairs toilet or kitchen.
Cracked or displaced joints, often in older clay pipes, where the ground has moved or roots have got in.
Damaged inspection chambers, including broken benching or a loose frame around the cover.
Faults where the soil pipe meets the drain under the house.
The British Pest Control Association recommends a CCTV drain survey to find the actual defect when drains are suspected.
What We Do
What we do
AB Drainworks is an independent drainage specialist based in Gomshall, working for homeowners, landlords and commercial customers. We use a CCTV camera to find where rats are getting into your drains, seal off old pipes, repair or reline the damaged pipe, and fit a rat blocker where it suits your drain.
CCTV survey to find the way in: we put a camera into your drains from an inspection chamber to find where rats are getting in, such as cracks, displaced joints or open connections. We provide a written report or the CCTV footage, which you can pass to a landlord, letting agent or the water company.
Dye testing and drain tracing: where it isn't clear which pipes connect where, we use dye testing and drain tracing to follow the runs and find old or hidden connections.
Sealing old pipes: disused pipes left open after building work are a common way in. We seal or cap them so rats can't use them.
Repairs and no-dig relining: where a pipe is cracked or a joint has moved, we repair it. Where relining is suitable, we fix the pipe from the inside without digging up your garden or drive. Where it isn't, we carry out a traditional repair.
Rat blockers (non-return valves): where it suits your drain, we fit a one-way rat blocker. Waste flows out as normal, but rats can't get back up the pipe.
Mesh and metal grids, arranged for you: where open inlets or plastic gully grids need covering, we can arrange for rodent mesh or metal gully grids to be fitted.
Pest control, arranged for you: we're drainage specialists, not pest controllers. If you have rats inside the property, we can arrange a pest control team to bait and deal with them while we close the way in.
Follow-up camera checks: once the work is done, we can come back with the camera to check the drain.
Landlords and commercial properties: we carry out this work for landlords, letting agents and commercial premises as well as homeowners.
Four Steps
How It Works
Call us
Camera survey
Agree the fix
Put it right
Ring 01483 323204 or 07917 726634 and tell us what has been happening. You speak to a local drainage engineer.
We inspect the drains with a CCTV camera, using dye testing or drain tracing where needed, to find where rats could be getting in. You get a written report or the footage.
We explain what we found and agree the work with you before we start.
We seal old pipes, repair or reline the defect, fit a rat blocker where it suits, and check the drain is running freely. We can arrange pest control and a follow-up camera check too.
Responsibility
Who is responsible for rats in drains?
Drains inside your boundary that serve only your property are the owner's responsibility.
Shared drains, drains outside your boundary and the public sewer are generally the water company's responsibility.
If you rent, speak to your landlord. Our written report or CCTV footage shows where the defect is and which section of pipe it's on.
Simple Checks
Simple checks you can do yourself
Lift your inspection chamber cover (wear gloves and don't climb in) and look for droppings or greasy marks.
Check that the cover and frame are sound and sitting properly.
Think back over any building work. Old pipes left open are a common cause.
Don't pour fat or food waste down the sink. It attracts rats and causes blockages.
Do you get rid of the rats?
How do I know if rats are coming from my drains?
We don't do pest control ourselves; we're drainage specialists. But we can arrange a pest control team to bait and deal with the rats, while we find and fix the way in.
Look for the signs above, such as droppings in an inspection chamber or noises around a soil pipe. Rats coming back after treatment is a strong clue. A CCTV survey shows whether there's a defect in the drain.
It's rare, but rats can swim and climb through pipes, and a fault in the drain makes it more likely. A CCTV survey can check the pipework.
What is a rat blocker, and do you fit them?
Is a rat blocker enough on its own?
Yes, we fit them. A rat blocker, also called a non-return valve, is a one-way flap fitted inside the drain. Waste flows out, but rats can't come back up. We check the pipe on camera first, because a blocker needs a sound pipe and somewhere suitable to fit it.
Not always. If the pipe is cracked or an old pipe is open, that needs repairing or sealing as well. We show you what we find and agree the right fix with you.
Yes. We provide a written report or the CCTV footage, showing what we found and where.
Do you work for landlords and businesses?
Will you need to dig up my garden?
Yes. We work for landlords, letting agents and commercial premises as well as homeowners across Surrey.
Not if relining is suitable. Where it isn't, we carry out a traditional repair.
Call us on 01483 323204 or 07917 726634. Emergency call-outs available 24/7. Emergency drain unblocking.
Contact & Location
Rats getting in through your drains?
AB Drainworks
16a New Road, Gomshall, Guildford, Surrey GU5 9LZ
Landline: 01483 323204 Mobile: 07917 726634
Call AB Drainworks on 01483 323204 or 07917 726634 (mobile and WhatsApp), or send your details through our contact page. Based in Gomshall, serving homes, landlords and businesses across Guildford and Surrey. Rated 10/10 on Checkatrade.
Based in Gomshall, we cover Guildford, Dorking, Woking, Leatherhead, Camberley, Esher, Aldershot, Cranleigh, Godalming, Farnham, Farnborough, Cobham, Addlestone, Epsom and across Surrey.