feeling flushed - blocked drains

Trembling_Turnip

Hi. Hope that somebody with any knowledge of drains can help?!

I live in the basement flat of a house split into 8 flats.

Over the last year we noticed an occasional drainy smell in the hallway. The rain drains quite often get blocked in wet weather and presumed it was connected to that. These have been jetted before to remove leaves etc.

Last week the smell in the communal hallway got worse and our bath started making this horrible gurgling sound. It does this even when we are not using water so must come from a neighbour flushing their toilet or something? Now when i flush our toilet (both the main one and the ensuite on the other side of the house) the toilet bowl fills up really high before the water drains away. Sometimes when we flush the toilet the bath makes the weird gurgling noise and there is also a kind of damp smell permeating the bathroom.

I've tried plunging the bath and using drain unblocker but it has not helped.

Is it possible this sewage problem is connected to the blocked rain water drain outside or are they totally separate?

Basically i don't want to get stung for a huge plumbers bill if it is a communal problem and therefore the responsiblity of all the flats in the building. I also dont want smelly sewage to come out of my toilet on christmas day so want to get it sorted asap!

Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks
TT

ormus

almost certainly a blocked drain.
buy a set of rods. much cheaper and quicker than a plumber.

lift the manhole cover to check first.

Trembling_Turnip

is not possible that it could be a blocked soil vent pipe?

that would explain the smell in the communal hallway and the gurgling noises?

ormus

a blockage is possible anywhere. but always try the manhole first.
if its empty then work backwards. worth rodding backwards too.

suppose it could even be just a U bend or pan connector at a WC pan.