CLEARMASTERS
Blocked drains in converted houses
We clear blocked drains in flats and houses with high-pressure jetting. In converted buildings, we’ll trace which drain serves which flat so the right people deal with the problem.
Learn moreHove is quieter than its neighbour, but its drains work just as hard. Grand Regency and Victorian terraces have been split into flats, many with basements and lower-ground floors, and a lot of the drainage underneath them is well over a hundred years old. Everything is on mains drainage, so our work here is about keeping it flowing.
Converted houses mean shared drains, and a blockage in one flat can affect everyone. Basement flats often rely on a pump to reach the sewer. Along Church Road, George Street and the seafront, cafés and restaurants need grease traps emptied, and around Portslade there are business units and yards with gullies to clean.
Our crews work in Brighton and Hove most days and we answer the phone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Our Hove drainage services
View all services
Blocked Drains & CCTV Surveys
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Septic Tank Surveys
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Pump Station Servicing
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Grease Traps & Commercial Waste
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Gullies & Interceptors
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Treatment Plant & Pump Repairs
Learn moreCovering Hove
& villages
& villages
24/7
call-outs
call-outs
Homes &
businesses
businesses
Waste transfer
notes
notes
Own tanker
fleet
fleet
What we do for Hove customers
CCTV drain surveys
Before you buy a flat, or when a drain keeps blocking, a CCTV survey shows the condition of the pipes. Managing agents get a written report with photos.
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Basement and lower-ground pumps
Lower-ground flats below the sewer depend on a pump. We service them, test the floats and alarms and come out 24/7 if one fails.
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Grease traps and gullies
Cafés and restaurants need grease traps emptied; business yards in Portslade need gullies cleaned. We set regular schedules with waste transfer notes.
Learn moreLocal knowledge
Drainage in Hove: what to know
Big old houses split into flats.
Shared drains
Converted houses often share one drain. Leaseholders and managing agents should know who’s responsible for which part.
Old pipes
Many drains under Hove’s terraces are over a century old. Cracks and displaced joints are common.
Lower-ground flats
A basement pump that fails can flood a flat quickly. An annual service is the best protection.
Local to you
Areas we cover in and around Hove
We cover Hove and the neighbouring areas.
Hove · and neighbourhoods
- Hove
- Aldrington
- Portslade
- West Blatchington
- Hangleton
- Hove Park
Surrounding areas · homes and businesses we cover
- Brighton
- Southwick
- Shoreham-by-Sea
- Mile Oak
- Portslade-by-Sea
- Patcham
- Withdean
- Preston
- Fishersgate
- Shoreham Beach
- Saddlescombe
- Poynings
Not sure if we cover you?
If you’re anywhere in Hove, we cover you. Call with your postcode and we’ll confirm.
Nearby areas
Why Hove customers use us
Clear answers for flat owners and agents
Whether it’s a shared drain under a Regency terrace or a basement pump, here’s what you can expect.
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Day and night, all year
Emergency call-outs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a real person answering the phone.
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Paperwork done properly
A waste transfer note with every collection, and a written report after surveys and services.
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The right kit for the job
Tankers from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons, jet/vac combination units, CCTV survey kit and confined space teams for pump station wet wells.
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34 years in drainage
We’ve been emptying tanks and servicing systems since long before most of the kit on the market existed.
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Trained engineers
Our engineers and most of our tanker drivers hold current confined space entry certificates, and the engineers carry the most common parts.
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One call for everything
Tanks, treatment plants, pump stations, grease traps and drains, all handled by one team.
What our customers say
9.84/10
Checkatrade
From 134 reviews · Read them
4.9/5
From 63 reviews · Read them
Scores as of September 2026
★★★★★Came out within an hour on an emergency call out. Great service. Fast reliable reasonable prices. Highly Recommended
Peter D. Google review
★★★★★Our family have been using Clearmasters for years and are the only choice as far as we are concerned! All the staff are friendly, helpful and accommodating. Couldn’t recommend them highly enough!
★★★★★I have used Clearmasters for years. They are always on time, polite and reliable whether your need them to empty your septic tank or undertake maintenance work. I wouldn’t use anyone else. Local and the best.
How it works
What happens when you book
The same simple process for every job.
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Step 1
Tell us what you’ve got
Call us or book online and tell us what’s happening, which flat you’re in and who else might be affected.
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Step 2
We come out and do the job
We send the right van or tanker. It helps if:
- manhole covers are clear of cars, bins and planters
- there’s somewhere nearby for our van or tanker to park
- you tell us about shared drains or neighbours who are affected
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Step 3
Paperwork and the next visit
You get a waste transfer note for anything we take away, and a written report after a survey or service. If it’s a regular job, we’ll remind you when the next one is due.
Free, no-obligation quote
Get a quote for your Hove property
Tell us what you need and we’ll come back with a price. If something’s overflowing, call us now.
- Free quotes for drains, surveys and pumps
- Reports for leaseholders and managing agents
- 24/7 response for basement pumps
Urgent?
03333 233566
Questions answered
Hove drainage FAQs
What flat owners, agents and businesses in Hove ask us most.
Our building’s drain is blocked. Whose responsibility is it?
In converted buildings it’s often shared between leaseholders through the freeholder or managing agent. Drains shared with neighbouring buildings are usually the water company’s. We’ll find the blockage and tell you where it is.
My lower-ground flat has a pump. How often should it be serviced?
At least once a year. A failed pump can flood a flat quickly, so a working alarm matters too.
Should I have the drains surveyed before buying a flat?
It’s worth it for an older building. A survey shows the condition of the drains you’ll share responsibility for.
Do you empty grease traps in Hove?
Yes. We empty grease traps for cafés and restaurants on a regular schedule, with a waste transfer note each time.
Do you clean gullies at business units?
Yes. We clean gullies and interceptors at yards and car parks around Portslade and beyond.
Can you come out today?
Our crews work in Brighton and Hove most days. Call 03333 233566 and we’ll tell you when we can get to you.
Got a different question? Call 03333 233566 or send us a message.
Fully accredited & compliant
We're independently vetted and certified so you can trust who you're letting onto your site.
SafeContractor
Health & safety pre-qualification accreditation, verifying our processes meet recognised safety standards.
RISQS
Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme — approved to work safely within the rail industry supply chain.
Achilles UVDB
Utilities Vetting Database membership, confirming we meet the utilities sector's supply chain standards.
Trading Standards Approved
Vetted and approved under the local authority's trusted trader scheme for honesty and fair dealing.
NADC Member
Members of the National Association of Drainage Contractors, the UK trade body for the drainage industry.
Registered Waste Carrier
Registered with the Environment Agency, so your waste is handled and disposed of fully within the law.