Blocked toilet in a student house: what to do and how to stop it

A blocked toilet is a bad start to anyone’s day, and in a house shared by five or six people it quickly becomes everyone’s problem. Student houses in Broomhill, Crookes, Walkley and around Ecclesall Road see more blocked toilets than most homes. That comes down to how many people use one toilet, what gets flushed, and how old many of the drains are.

First: stop flushing

If the water in the pan is rising or not going down, do not flush again. Each flush adds more water to a pipe that cannot take it, and the next one may overflow onto the floor.

If water is near the rim, turn off the isolating valve on the pipe into the cistern so it cannot refill. It has a slot you turn a quarter turn with a flat screwdriver.

Clearing it with a plunger

You need a toilet plunger, the kind with a flange or extended cup that fits into the outlet. A flat sink plunger does not seal properly.

1. Put on gloves and lay old towels around the base.
2. Make sure there is enough water in the pan to cover the cup. Add some from a bucket if needed.
3. Put the plunger in so it seals over the outlet.
4. Push down gently first to get the air out, then push and pull firmly and steadily ten or fifteen times without breaking the seal.
5. Lift the plunger and see if the water drains.
6. Repeat a few times if needed.

When it clears, flush once with the lid down to check it is working.

What not to use

• Strong chemical drain cleaners. In a fully blocked toilet they sit in the pan. If they do not work, anyone clearing it later risks chemical splashes.
• Coat hangers or sticks. They can scratch the pan and push the blockage further in.
• Boiling water. It can crack the ceramic pan.

When it is not just your toilet

If the plunger does not work, the blockage may be further down the drain. Signs:

• The shower or bath drains slowly or gurgles when the toilet is flushed.
• Water comes up in the shower tray or yard gully.
• A manhole outside is full.
• Next door has the same problem.

Many terraces and villa conversions in Broomhill and Crookes share a drain with neighbours or with other flats in the same building. Since October 2011, drains shared with neighbours or running outside your boundary have been the water company’s responsibility. In Sheffield that is Yorkshire Water. Its sewer flooding page says if your neighbours have the same problem, the blockage is probably in its sewers, and it is its responsibility.

If only your house is affected, the blockage is in your own pipes. Our post on when Yorkshire Water should clear a drain explains how to tell.

Who should deal with it in a rented house

If you rent, tell your landlord or letting agent straight away, in writing as well as by phone. Landlords are responsible for keeping drains and sanitary fittings in repair. Whether tenants pay for a callout depends on the tenancy agreement and what caused it. If a plumber pulls out a wad of wipes, the landlord may pass on the cost.

For landlords, a blocked toilet that is not dealt with quickly can turn into a health problem and a repair complaint. Sheffield City Council’s HMO licence page says licensable HMOs must meet the council’s standards for amenities, and licence holders must attend training that covers landlord repairing duties. Our Broomhill area page covers the other rules for landlords there.

Why student houses block more

• More people per toilet. Five or six people using one toilet means more paper per day.
• Wipes. Face wipes, baby wipes and “flushable” wipes do not break down like paper. They catch on rough joints in old drains and build up.
• Too much paper in one go. Especially with low flush or dual flush toilets.
• Old clay drains. Many Victorian houses still have clay drains with joints that have shifted or let roots in. Blockages catch there.
• Sanitary products and cotton buds, which should never be flushed.

How to stop it happening again

For tenants:

• Only flush paper and what comes out of you.
• Put a bin with a lid in the bathroom for wipes and sanitary products.
• Use less paper per flush, or flush twice.
• Report slow drains early, before they block fully.

For landlords:

• Put a clear note in the bathroom about what not to flush.
• Make sure there is a bathroom bin.
• If the same drain keeps blocking, get a CCTV drain survey. It shows whether there is a crack, a sunken section or roots. Our blocked drains page explains what that involves.
• Check the toilet flushes well. A weak flush leaves paper in the pipe.

When to call a plumber

Call a plumber or drain engineer if:

• The plunger has not worked after several goes.
• Other drains in the house are affected.
• Water or sewage is coming up anywhere.
• The toilet blocks again and again.

If you are not sure whether it is your drain or a shared one, send us a photo of the nearest manhole and tell us whether neighbours are affected.