Clogged toilet and private septic tank - can anybody help?

[KettleAlwaysBoiling]

Not long moved into this property and only just realised it is a private septic tank! No mention of this in the lease or during the viewing so I'd just assumed it was connected to the mains sewerage.

Anyway, that might not even be relevant.

The toilet clogged a few days ago and my daughter confessed she has been flushing her wet wipes instead of putting them in nappy sacks and then the bathroom bin. She knows better now and won't do it again in future. But i'm sure this is what has caused the blockage.

I've tried everything.

Hot water and washing liquid trick

Three different types of plungers.

And a toilet snake which was delivered this morning.

Nothing works.

The toilet isn't blocked completely. But is very very very slow to drain. e.g. if we flush it at night, it fills all the way up, but by the morning almost all of the water has gone.

I've done some googling and it looks like it's not an issue with the septic tank otherwise water drainage would be an issue with the sinks and bath as well. But these are fine. It's only the toilet. Nothing else is backing up out of plugholes etc.

Landlord refusing to help as it is our own fault. Perfectly understandable.

I'm now needing to get a plumber out but worried sick about the cost of this and, actually, if it's someone else i'll need out instead (if it's to do with the septic tank).

I'm going to tell the plumber i've already tried plunging and snaking the toilet to no avail. What else can they do? What kind of cost am I looking at?

Can anybody offer any advice?

Do you know where the septic tank is? Are there inspection covers/manholes between the house and the tank? Lift them and see if there is standing water sewage in any of them. It will help you locate the blockage. You then need to rod UP (towards the house) from an empty manhole towards the blockage. Otherwise you will just block it tighter.

Or call dynorod / similar.

Neighbours might have rods you can borrow if they are on septic tanks too.

Thanks for the reply.

I have no idea! I'm assuming it's underground? There's a boulder just outside the bathroom window which is covering a hole. Standing water, yes. Bubbly too because of the fairy liquid!

Haven't heard of Dynorod. I'm off to Google.

Call in a waste removal company. They will find the tank and rod the pipe. Get one that offers waste disposal as you may need the septic tank pumping out. In the north its around £130

Thanks so much for the Dynorod link. Looks like just what i need! For a 'mechanical unblock' i'm looking at just under £200. This is about the price of buying a new long sewer rod myself so I'd be best hiring someone. I was worried sick it would be nearer £500+

Thanks as well, Please. I should call around for the best quote. I'm just being aware not to cross a line here between what is my responsibility and what is the landlord's. I know it's my landlord's responsibility to pump the tank every three years (as he told me this the other day when i reported the clog). But he said this was done less than a year ago before i moved it so shouldn't need done again so soon.

We had a blockage last year with our pipes overflowing outside the house. We discovered there were several manhole covers along the 'run' and tried drain rods but they just weren't long enough. We had to get someone in, get a company who empties septic tanks. They had a really powerful water-propelled snake with a camera and cleared it with no trouble. It was, of course, baby wipes that my FIL had been flushing down the toilet despite us telling him not to. We've banned baby wipes from the house now because he can't be trusted. Cost about £150 to get it cleared I think it was.

Unless you have a very strong constitution, get a company in for this.

Ive had my pipes jetted as necroscope suggests but we needed it pumping away too

Ours was wipes too

Your dynorod quote seems expensive look for a sewage disposal company that offers drain unblocking

Yes the septic tank is underground. If there is standing water outside the house then the blockage is in the pipe to the tank not in the loo. That means anything going down any of your drains is almost certainly backing up towards the house. Limit how much liquid you put down the drains until its sorted or you are going to have sewage all over the garden. Are there any of these in your garden?

If the septic tank wasn't mentioned at the viewing and not in the lease how did the LL expect you know it existed and how it should be maintained? You need to find out who is responsible for emptying it etc.

Agreed Penfold

Dynorod will only be able to help once you have the septic tank emptied - I have ours emptied twice a year. costs about £150 a time, but we have reduced water rates as a balance. The company I use are very good at removing 'fat bergs' which are very good at clogging pipes. They will also flush out the pipes as well.

You will also have to watch what you put down the loo etc with regards to cleaning products - ideally no bleach, although I use a bit now and again, definitively no wet wipes or toilet wipes

I rented a property with a septic tank. It became blocked and flooded all over my front garden 🤢 my young daughter had blocked it with wet wipes 🙄 I rang
My landlord and he came and used rods to unblock it. In my case it was his responsibility. It seems strange you having to have the responsibility when you didn't even know about it in the first place as there are a few "do's" and "donts" about having one

From my experience you will have to call in professionals

Daft of the landlord not to tell you, as if you chuck bleach about like many do you will knacker the tank in nothing flat. Flushing non flushables will block drains , mains or not, so that's down to you, but the best bet is to discuss with the landlord, find oh how it all works and sort it between you.

Nothing down toilet except body waste and toilet roll, same as anywhere. No food waste or coffee grounds down sink. No bleach down anything. Washing liquid, not powder. Use half the quantities recommended on the packet.

Landlord may not pay but he should explain what needs doing and who can do it.

My usual questions about legals, how to rent booklet etc apply.