Decide what the survey needs to establish
For a recurring blockage, the question may be whether the drain has a structural defect or retained obstruction after clearance. For a property purchase, it may be the condition of accessible drainage and any limitations needing further investigation. Tell us why the report is required before booking so the inspection is scoped around the decision you need to make.
If a buyer, managing agent or insurer has specific reporting requirements, provide those at enquiry stage for later sharing. A camera inspection is not automatically a complete drainage map, a legal ownership assessment or a guarantee that every concealed connection is sound. We explain the intended inspection extent and what can reasonably be established through the available access.
Find the access that reaches the relevant run
For a Greenwich property, identify known inspection chambers and whether they lie in a private garden, shared courtyard or managed estate area. Tell us who holds keys and whether the useful route passes through another property. Do not lift heavy covers or enter chambers to prepare for the visit; ordinary safe observations and existing plans are sufficient for the first discussion.
Where a drain serves more than one property, confirm who can authorise inspection and any preparation work. Thames Water publishes guidance on private and transferred sewer ownership, and can help establish which assets it maintains. A cover inside the boundary does not settle the question by itself. The survey instruction should identify the section of interest and avoid implying authority to work on an asset controlled by another party.
Allow for cleaning and inspection limitations
A camera needs a usable view of the pipe. Standing wastewater, heavy deposits or a substantial blockage can obscure its condition or prevent progress. Explain whether the drain is currently flowing and what earlier clearance achieved. We discuss whether preparation is needed before the survey can answer the intended question.
Even after preparation, bends, changes in size, damaged sections or unavailable access can limit the inspected extent. Those limitations belong in the findings rather than being hidden behind a general statement that the drain was checked. If the camera cannot reach a section, the next decision may involve another access point or further investigation; it should not be treated as evidence that the unseen pipe is defect-free.
Use the findings to compare specific remedies
Visible deposits, root entry, displacement and collapse have different implications. The report should distinguish the observation from the proposed response and identify the location as far as the agreed inspection permits. A recommendation becomes useful when you can understand why a particular defect matters to the symptoms or planned property work.
Where relining is considered, suitability depends on pipe shape, condition, preparation and access. Some defects need a local excavation or another remedy. We can discuss repair options supported by the survey without promising that every drain can be repaired without digging. Clearance, a condition report and physical repair are separate deliverables; agree which are included so the survey does not become an open-ended instruction to undertake remedial work.
Coordinate a Greenwich survey with the building arrangements
Royal Greenwich provides a council repair form for non-urgent tenant and leaseholder issues in homes or communal areas, with urgent reports directed elsewhere. If the drainage falls within a landlord-maintained installation, use the appropriate reporting route and retain the reference before commissioning independent work. A private survey does not replace the council’s own assessment or establish liability.
For privately instructed inspections in Woolwich, Eltham or elsewhere in the borough, confirm the access contact, working restrictions and place to unload equipment. Explain any deadline for a sale or project, but allow the inspection scope to be confirmed rather than assuming a report can answer unspecified questions. We agree the required findings and discuss any uninspected sections, further access or repair assessment needed after the camera work.
Questions about arranging the work
Will a CCTV survey unblock the drain?
Inspection and clearance are different tasks. Cleaning may be needed before the camera can provide useful evidence, but its scope should be agreed rather than assumed.
Can the report prove the entire drain is sound?
Only accessible and adequately visible sections can be assessed. The report should describe its inspected extent and limitations, including sections the camera could not reach.
Does finding roots mean excavation is inevitable?
No. Preparation, lining or local repair may be options depending on the actual condition and access. The findings should support the proposed remedy rather than make a blanket recommendation.
Local information and responsibility
These independent sources help you identify reporting routes and property arrangements. A private booking with Loyal Plumbers is separate from a council or water-company repair.