Drainage and septic tanks
The basement sewage ejector had no power on the day. What can you not conclude?
You cannot conclude that the pump has failed, and you cannot conclude that the drain has collapsed. The power was off, so the survey did not run the pump. A silent ejector is an untested machine, not a camera survey of the sewer it discharges to.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Sewage ejectors lift waste from a basement WC or a floor gully up to the gravity drain. They need power, a chamber, and a non-return valve. With the power off, the surveyor sees a tank, a control panel, or a locked cover. They do not invent a test. They should say the power was off and the pump was not operated. Approved Document H does not switch the supply on, and a home survey does not grade the rising main. There is no CCTV grade in this sentence. Do not add one because pumps and cameras are both “drainage”.
Ask the seller why the power was off and for any service record. Then decide whether someone must run the pump before exchange. A plumber or a drainage firm can do that when the supply is on. If it then fails, you have a pump fault to quote. If the basement floods only when the kitchen upstairs is used, that is a different clue and should be written separately. A pump that was merely switched off is not proof of either fault. Do not replace the rising main in a spreadsheet because a fuse board was dead on Thursday. Get the power on, then look.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Where is the ejector, and was the power off or the unit simply not operated?
- Did you see sewage standing in the chamber?
- Are you refusing both “pump failed” and “drain collapsed” until it is run?
What are the typical next steps?
- Do not turn an unknown pump on and walk away.
- Ask the seller for power and a service note before you rely on the basement WC.
- If it is tested later, record whether it pumped. Do not film a grade the test did not include.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Is a sewage ejector the same as a macerator behind a WC?
They are both pumps. They are not the same unit. The survey should name the one in the basement.
Does a high-level alarm lamp, if it was dark, mean the chamber is empty?
No. A dark lamp can mean no alarm, no power, or no fault. The survey did not interpret it by running the pump.