Specialist septic tank surveys and buyer reports for homeowners, buyers and solicitors — Drain-Age serves Dorset, Devon, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Cornwall.
Septic Tank Surveys Explained
Professional Septic Tank Surveys Across the South West
A septic tank survey is a professional inspection of a property's private drainage system — essential when buying or selling a rural property in the South West. Since January 2020, the UK General Binding Rules require all septic tanks to meet strict environmental standards. Systems that discharge directly to surface water must be upgraded, and non-compliance can result in Environment Agency enforcement action and significant fines.
Drain-Age has been surveying septic tanks, cesspits, and sewage treatment plants across Dorset, Devon, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Cornwall for over 45 years. Our NADC-approved engineers provide thorough on-site inspections, CCTV drain surveys, drainage field assessments, and solicitor-ready written reports within 48 hours — accepted by all major UK mortgage lenders and conveyancers.
If you're purchasing a property with a private drainage system, a pre-purchase septic tank survey protects you from inheriting costly compliance failures. A new sewage treatment plant and drainage field can cost upwards of £15,000 — our surveys identify issues before you exchange contracts, giving you the power to negotiate or walk away. We also provide compliance certification for existing homeowners who need to demonstrate their system meets the 2020 General Binding Rules.
TRUSTED ACROSS THE SOUTH WEST
SERVING DORCHESTER
THE SOUTH WEST
We serve homes and businesses across Dorset, Devon, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Cornwall — with fast response times from our Dorchester base.
From rural farmsteads needing a pre-purchase septic tank survey to coastal properties requiring compliance certification under the 2020 General Binding Rules, our engineers cover the full breadth of the South West. We understand the unique drainage challenges posed by the region's varied geology — from the chalk downs of Wiltshire to the granite uplands of Cornwall.
Our Dorchester headquarters puts us within easy reach of the A35, A37 and A350 corridors, meaning we can typically dispatch a surveyor to most South West postcodes within 48 hours of booking. Same-week appointments are available for urgent buyer reports and solicitor-led property transactions.
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SURVEY
TODAY
Contact our Dorchester team for a free, no-obligation quote on your septic tank survey or buyer report.
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Customer Testimonials
What Our Customers Say
Trusted by hundreds of homeowners and businesses across the South West. Here's what a few of them had to say.
"Incredibly professional team. Survey was thorough and the report was clear and solicitor-ready. Saved us from a very expensive problem."
"Called at 8am with an overflow emergency. Engineer arrived within the hour. Cannot recommend highly enough."
"Used Drain-Age for our cesspool contract for 3 years now. Always reliable, always on time, always professional."
"The buyer report they produced was extremely detailed and gave us real peace of mind before completing the purchase."