Drainage and septic tanks
Will a Level 2 camera-survey the drains?
No, not as standard. A Level 2 can include looking at chambers that can be opened safely. A camera through the pipes is a separate instruction. If the report recommends a CCTV survey, that work has not already been done unless the report says it has.
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?
RICS describes drainage inspections in a home survey as visual and limited. A slow gully, a stained chamber or a crack above a drain is a reason they may suggest a camera. The camera firm should say which runs they will film and what the fee includes. Prices vary with access and the length of the run. Ask them. Do not treat a call-out as a repair.
A camera result may be a displaced joint, a root, or a collapse. The repair is then a drainage quote, which is different again. Share the film with the surveyor if you want their condition rating read against it. They are not obliged to re-rate the house for free. Ask them what a review would cost if you want one.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which covers did you lift, and which could you not open?
- Are you recommending CCTV, or only noting a gully?
- Did any camera work form part of this instruction? If it did, where is the film?
What are the typical next steps?
- If CCTV is recommended, get two written scopes that name the runs.
- Do not dig on the strength of a slow gully.
- If the camera finds a defect, price the repair before you agree a reduction. The film is not a price.
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 Level 3 include CCTV automatically?
No. Level 3 is more detailed and still not a camera survey unless the terms add one. Read the terms.
What if the chambers are in the neighbour’s garden?
The surveyor may not have entered. A shared drain needs the solicitor’s advice before anyone lifts a neighbour’s cover.