Southampton has a large student population, with many shared houses in areas such as Portswood, Highfield, Swaythling and Shirley. Shared houses often see more blocked drains than family homes, for some predictable reasons.
Why student houses block more often
- More people, more use. Five or six people showering, cooking and doing laundry put a lot through one set of drains.
- Cooking fat. Fat from frying and roasting goes down the sink, often without anyone realising it causes problems.
- Wipes and sanitary products flushed down the toilet.
- Hair in showers shared by several people.
- Nobody feels responsible for cleaning gullies or traps in a shared house.
- Older houses. Many shared houses are Victorian or Edwardian terraces, with older drains that may have shared runs and interceptor traps. See Victorian terrace drains in Southampton and what is an interceptor trap?
Who is responsible?
Landlords are usually responsible for keeping the drains and waste pipes in repair. If a blockage is caused by tenants’ misuse, such as flushing wipes, the tenancy agreement may allow the landlord to recover the cost. See blocked drains in rented properties.
Shared houses may also need an HMO licence from Southampton City Council. Check the council’s current licensing requirements, which can include standards for the property’s condition.
Tips for tenants
- Put a lidded bin in the bathroom and bin wipes, cotton buds and sanitary products. See can you flush wet wipes?
- Pour cooled fat into a jar and bin it, never down the sink.
- Use a sink strainer and a hair catcher in the shower.
- Report slow drains early. A slow drain reported in week one is cheaper and easier to fix than a blocked drain in week four.
Tips for landlords
- Welcome pack. A one-page guide for tenants on what not to flush or pour away.
- Strainers and hair catchers supplied with the property.
- Check drains between tenancies. A clean and camera check over the summer, when the house is empty, avoids problems in the first weeks of term. See why do drains smell in an empty house?
- Planned maintenance for houses with repeated blockages. See drain maintenance.
- Give tenants a number to call for blockages, so problems are reported quickly.
When a drain blocks
Tenants should stop using the affected fittings and contact the landlord or agent straight away. If sewage is backing up and the landlord cannot be reached, follow the emergency procedure in the tenancy agreement. See what to do if a drain overflows.
We work with landlords and letting agents across Southampton. See drain unblocking and blocked toilets.