Kingston Upon Thames is full of beautiful Victorian and Edwardian homes — many of which have been converted into flats or HMOs (houses in multiple occupation). While these conversions offer much-needed housing, they can also hide a serious problem: overworked and ageing drainage systems.
At Kingston Drains24, we regularly respond to blocked drains in Kingston where the root of the problem lies in the very structure of the converted property. Whether you’re a tenant, landlord, or developer, it’s important to understand the hidden drainage risks these homes carry — and how to prevent them.
🧱 Why Converted Properties in Kingston Are Prone to Drainage Issues
Conversions often increase the number of bathrooms, kitchens, and waste outputs without upgrading the original pipework. Many of these properties still rely on outdated systems not designed to cope with such high volumes of use.
Common issues include:
- Shared pipework between multiple flats
- Improperly connected plumbing from retrofits
- Overloaded soil stacks and underground drains
- Old clay or pitch fibre pipes susceptible to collapse or root intrusion
The result? Repeated clogs, slow drainage, and emergency blockages — especially in multi-occupancy buildings around Norbiton, Surbiton, and central Kingston.
🚨 Signs You May Have a Blocked Drain in Your Converted Property
If you’re living in or managing a converted home, look out for these early warning signs of trouble:
- Gurgling sounds when toilets or sinks are used
- Bad odours around plugholes or outside manholes
- Water backing up in sinks or baths
- Toilet flushing slowly or not at all
- Overflowing gullies or external drains
These are red flags that you may need professional drain unblocking in Kingston Upon Thames — fast.
🧰 How Drains24 Solves Drainage Issues in Converted Homes
We take a tailored, non-invasive approach to find and fix the problem with minimal disruption:
📹 CCTV Drain Surveys
We inspect your entire system to locate collapsed sections, improper connections, or areas of buildup.
💦 High-Pressure Water Jetting
For clearing stubborn blockages caused by grease, scale, or shared waste pipes in multi-unit buildings.
🔄 Root Cutting & Drain Repairs
We remove invasive roots and can reline or replace damaged sections of old clay or pitch fibre pipework.
🛠️ Drain Reconfiguration
For properties with improperly laid pipes or poor conversions, we can reconfigure or separate shared drainage systems to improve long-term performance.
👷 Who We Work With
We’re trusted by:
- Landlords managing HMOs and flat conversions
- Letting agents in Kingston and surrounding boroughs
- Housing associations and property managers
- Homeowners in converted homes needing inspection or repair
- Tenants experiencing repeat drainage issues
Our team is fully insured, WJA-certified, and N.A.D.C. approved — so you know you’re in safe hands.
🏡 Areas We Cover in and Around Kingston
We regularly unblock and repair drains in:
- Kingston Town Centre
- Norbiton
- Surbiton
- Coombe
- Kingston Hill
- Ham and Petersham
- New Malden
- Teddington
Don’t Let a Blocked Drain Damage Your Property
📞 If you’re dealing with blocked drains in Kingston, call Drains24 today for professional drain unblocking in Kingston Upon Thames — fast, reliable, and with no call-out fees.