CCTV Drain Survey London — Find the Problem Before You Dig or Move

A CCTV drain survey is a camera inspection of your drainage pipework, run on a flexible rod or push-reel, that records the inside of the pipe so a plumber can see blockages, cracks, root ingress, or collapsed sections without breaking up floors or paving. The camera feeds live footage back to a screen as it travels through the pipe, and every defect is logged with a timestamp and distance from the access point.

You're left with a written report, footage, and photos of anything found — useful evidence whether you're chasing a recurring blockage, satisfying a landlord's compliance check, or supporting a house purchase.

If a drain blocks again within weeks of being cleared, or you notice gurgling, slow drainage in more than one fixture, or a smell from an outside gully, the cause is usually something a plumber can't see or reach by hand — that's what a camera survey finds.

• A drain that blocks again within weeks of being cleared
• Slow-draining sinks, baths, or toilets across more than one room
• Gurgling sounds from a toilet, sink, or outside gully
• A bad smell from an external drain or gully that won't clear
• Damp patches near an external wall close to a drain run
• A landlord or managing agent asking for proof of drain condition

If you just need a blockage cleared right now rather than diagnosed, see our blocked drains page — a survey is the right call when the same blockage keeps coming back.

Many London flats and Victorian terraces share drains with neighbouring properties, so a pre-purchase or pre-let CCTV survey is the only way to confirm the drain serving your new home isn't already cracked, root-blocked, or shared in a way your solicitor needs to know about. A standard house survey doesn't inspect underground pipework, so this is often the only real check anyone does before exchange.

This matters most in period conversions and terraces common across Tower Hamlets, Hackney, and Islington, where a single drain run can serve two or three flats and responsibility for repairs isn't always obvious from the deeds. We also carry out pre-let drain checks for landlords ahead of a new tenancy, and can turn a report around quickly if you're working to a conveyancing deadline.

Every survey checks for blockages, cracked or collapsed sections, tree root ingress, misaligned joints, and — in older London terraces — where a private drain becomes a shared or public sewer, which affects who's responsible for repairs.

• Full and partial blockages along the pipe run
• Cracked, fractured, or collapsed pipe sections
• Tree root ingress at joints or through cracked pipe
• Misaligned or displaced joints between pipe sections
• Pipe material and general condition — clay vs plastic, common in older housing stock
• Collapsed or damaged gullies at ground level
• Where a private drain becomes a shared or public sewer

Cost depends on how many access points need checking and how far the camera has to travel, so we don't quote a fixed price without seeing the property — every drain survey comes with a free, no-obligation quote. For a general sense of how we price jobs, see our pricing page.

Based at Commercial Rd in E1, we can usually get a camera survey booked within 24–48 hours across Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Islington, Newham, and Southwark — sooner if it's linked to an active blockage. We're a Gas Safe registered plumbing team covering East and Central London 24 hours a day, so urgent diagnostic jobs tied to a live blockage or leak don't have to wait for a standard booking slot.

You get a written report and footage the same day, and if the survey finds a blockage or damaged section we can quote on the spot to clear or repair it — no need to book a second visit just to get a price. If the fix is a blockage, that goes straight to our blocked drains service; if it turns out to be a hidden leak rather than a drain issue, we can also cross over into leak detection & repair.

Call 07460 824073 if a drain has blocked more than once in a month, you need a survey report for a house purchase or letting, or you've got damp or smells with no visible cause — we'll give you a free, no-obligation quote before any work starts. RenoPlumb is Gas Safe registered and available 24/7 across East and Central London, from Whitechapel and Canary Wharf out to Newham and Southwark.

Call 07460 824073 to book a survey or ask a question — there's no obligation with our quotes.