Drainage and septic tanks
What does it mean if a drain camera stopped because it could not pass?
It means the survey of the pipe is unfinished from that direction. A blockage, a collapse, a root mass or a sharp bend can stop the camera. The report should say how far it got. It should not describe the unseen length as clear. A home survey has not filled that gap by looking in the chamber.
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?
Buyers read “CCTV done” as “drains fine”. The sentence that matters is the one that says the camera stopped. The rest of the run might be sound, or it might be the failed part. A second entry from the next chamber, if there is one, is a further instruction. Approved Document H does not complete the video. There is no RICS price for a return visit.
Do not exchange on a half-run if the home survey’s worry was further downstream. Ask the firm whether they can approach from the other end and what it would cost them, not a forum. If they say the pipe is collapsed where the camera stopped, that is the finding. The unseen part is still unseen.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- How many metres were seen, and where did it stop?
- Is there another chamber they did not use?
- Are you treating the unseen length as unknown?
What are the typical next steps?
- Read the stop point before you read the word satisfactory.
- Ask whether a second approach is possible before you price a full relay.
- Do not tell the seller the drains passed.
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
Does a blockage of grease count as a collapse?
Not unless the report says the pipe has collapsed. Grease can stop a camera and still be a clearable blockage. Ask which it is.
Should you rod it yourself?
No. You do not know whether the pipe is broken. Leave it to the firm.