Quick answer
MSCC5 is the fifth edition of the Manual of Sewer Condition Classification. WRc publishes it, and many UK drain surveys use it to code and grade pipe defects. That turns a camera video into a report you can compare and act on. A graded survey can also show weak spots. Shifted joints, cracked pipes and root damage are gaps that rats may use.
What MSCC5 is
MSCC5 sets out a standard way to describe and code what a surveyor sees on camera. A report from one contractor should then mean the same as a report from another. Before standards like this, the words drain survey could mean almost anything, since no common method existed.
Some surveys are a quick look and a verbal opinion, while others are a documented inspection. MSCC5 is what makes the second kind something you can rely on later. If you need to show the result to a buyer, insurer or contractor, ask for the graded version.
How the grading works
A surveyor reviews the footage from a CCTV drain survey. Each defect gets a code. Examples are a cracked joint, a displaced section, root growth or a partial collapse. The surveyor then grades how serious each one is.
The grades run from minor notes to severe structural defects. The exact codes and limits sit in the manual itself, so this guide does not list them. What matters to you is the result. A graded report shows what is wrong and how serious it is.
That helps a contractor sort urgent faults from cosmetic ones. It also gives you a clear basis for talking to the water company. This matters if a fault sits on a shared section of sewer, since the water company may own it.
How rats can use damaged pipes
Rats can use broken drains to get into gardens and buildings. They do not need much room. A shifted joint, a cracked pipe or a gap left by roots can be enough.
A graded survey records each of these defects and ties it to a position in the run. You get a located list of likely entry points. That beats a vague sense that the drains are old, since a located list tells you where to look.
The camera cannot promise to find every entry point. Still, it gives a pest controller somewhere to start. A repair at the right spot beats a guess.
Why a graded survey beats a basic look
A basic camera look records what the lens sees and leaves the meaning to whoever watches. It can spot an obvious blockage on the day. However, it gives you nothing to compare with a future inspection.
A graded survey turns the same footage into a standard list of defects, each with a severity grade. You can then use it in three ways, and the footage stays on file.
- Plan and rank repairs
- Brief a pest control contractor on where to focus
- Keep it on file as a record of the drain's condition on one date
Next steps if a survey finds a defect
If the survey shows a fault, the footage can support a repair quote. See the drain repairs service page for the options. The drainage investigation page covers cases where the source of a problem is unclear, since some faults hide.
Costs vary, so read our guide to CCTV drain survey costs. MyJobQuote gives an average survey of about £250, and Survey Match gives £200 to £350 plus VAT for a 2 to 3 bed home. Ask for a written quote that says which report standard you will receive.
Survey pages by town
- CCTV drain surveys in Chelmsford
- CCTV drain surveys in Springfield
- CCTV drain surveys in Great Baddow
- Chelmsford area page
- All CCTV drain survey options
Frequently asked questions
What is an MSCC5 drain survey?
It is a CCTV drain survey that codes and grades each defect under the MSCC5 manual. That gives a structured record of the pipe, while an opinion on the day gives none. It also makes reports easier to compare.
Can a drain survey find where rats get in?
A graded survey records cracked joints, shifted pipes and root damage. Rats can use those defects. It will not promise every entry point, yet it gives a located list to work from.
Do all CCTV drain surveys follow MSCC5?
No. A basic camera look with no written, graded report does not follow MSCC5 coding. If you need a report to pass on, ask for a full graded survey, since only that version carries grades.
Who publishes the MSCC5 manual?
WRc publishes it. Water companies and drainage contractors use its classifications. As a result, a graded report means something beyond the contractor who wrote it.