Greater Manchester
In short
Salford's drainage story is a straight line down the M602: sealed HIU-fed stacks on the Quays, and hundred-year salt-glaze runs in the ex-council terraces.
Half our Salford blocked-drain work is stack blockages in MediaCity apartment blocks (nappies, wipes, the occasional dropped phone). The other half is silted or root-invaded shared alley runs in Ordsall, Pendleton and Walkden where the pipework hasn't been jetted in 20 years.
Where your responsibility ends: MediaCityUK and Chapel Wharf blocks own the internal stack to the ground-floor chamber — everything beyond that is UU. In Ordsall and Walkden it's the classic back-alley shared run.
Drainage undertaker for Salford: United Utilities
Under the 2011 private-sewer transfer, any pipework serving more than one property, and any lateral drain from the boundary of your property to the sewer, is United Utilities' responsibility. That covers most back-alley shared runs and every stretch under the public highway. Salford's back-alley terrace runs are almost all UU laterals — free-of-charge to the resident. Call 0345 672 3723 first; we're a paid unblock service, not the water company.
United Utilities 24/7 sewer-flooding line: 0345 672 3723 — free of charge. Call them first if the blockage is beyond your boundary or on shared pipework.
£85–£180 for a jet-clear; £220–£420 with CCTV and root work.
Every price is confirmed in writing after the £50 diagnostic. Nothing billable starts until you approve the fair fixed quote — and if we can't clear the blockage we diagnosed, the £50 is refunded.
A common Salford landlord scam is invoicing tenants for a blockage that was actually the shared lateral. If the blockage is downstream of the last inspection chamber inside the property, it's the water company's — the tenant should not be paying.
Our promise on every Salford blocked-drain call-out: £50 to attend and diagnose, a fair fixed quote in writing before any billable clearance or repair, and the £50 refunded if we can't clear the blockage we diagnosed.
"Water hammer in the risers was rattling every kitchen tap. Diagnosed a failed PRV in the block plant room — coordinated the fix with our concierge and left a written report for the freeholder."
— Priya S., MediaCityUK · PRV replacement, MediaCityUK apartment
"Combi packed in on Boxing Day. KJ were the only firm to answer. Diagnosed a frozen condensate, thawed it, and stayed to check the pressure had come back cleanly. Charged the £50 diagnostic and nothing more."
— Tom L., Monton · Frozen condensate, Monton
"Bathroom refit in a 1950s semi. Honest quote up front, no surprise extras, tiled and grouted to a really high standard."
— Karen B., Weaste · Bathroom installation, Weaste
Fixed £50 diagnostic
Flat fee. No hourly meter running.
Fair quote or refund
Transparent pricing — refunded if we don't fix it.
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Drain backing up in Salford?
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KJ
onlineHonest UK plumbing advice — free where safe, £50 home visit only if needed.
Hi, I'm KJ. Tell me what's happening — leak, blockage, boiler, emergency, anything — and I'll help you sort it.
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