Can I make my neighbour remove a tree whose roots are in my drain?

There is a process in most states, and it is a legal one rather than a trade one — typically starting with written notice and, where that fails, a tribunal or court that can order works. What matters practically is evidence: dated camera footage identifying the intrusion is the thing that makes any of those steps possible.

Is pipe relining better than digging it up?

Relining avoids excavation and is often the better answer under a driveway, a slab or a mature garden. It is not a universal fix — a collapsed or badly misaligned pipe has to be dug up, and a good operator will tell you which one you have from the footage rather than selling the technique.

Who to hire for tree roots in drains

Short answer

A licensed plumber with a jetter and a camera to clear and inspect the drain, and then an arborist to advise on the tree — because clearing roots without dealing with why they are there buys you months, not years. If the tree is on a nature strip or is a protected species, removal may need council consent.

Soon, not tonightIt will not usually get cheaper by waiting, and it is rarely worth an after-hours rate.

When it is someone else

Calling the wrong trade costs an attendance fee to be told so. These are the cases where this problem belongs to someone other than a Plumber.

an arborist
you want the cause dealt with rather than the symptom. They can also tell you whether root pruning is survivable for the tree or whether you are choosing between the tree and the drain.
your local council
the tree is on public land, or is covered by a local tree or vegetation protection overlay. Both are common and neither is obvious from the footpath.

What to do before anyone arrives

Get the camera footage and ask for it as a file. It is the evidence for every later decision, including an insurance claim or a discussion with the council.
Find out which tree. The plumber can usually say how far along the drain the intrusion is, and that distance plus a site plan identifies it.
Check whether the tree is yours, the neighbour's or on public land before you plan anything.

What to ask when you book

Can you jet rather than cut, and will you camera it afterwards to show the pipe condition?
Is the pipe damaged or just infiltrated? Roots enter at a joint or a crack — which is it?
What are the options: relining, patch repair, or replacement of that section?

What changes the price

No dollar figures here: this directory holds no price data and an invented range is worse than none. What follows is what makes one of these jobs cost more than the same job next door, which is the part you can actually use when comparing quotes.

Clearing versus repair. Relining a section is a different trade of work from running a machine through it.
Depth and location of the damaged section, and what is on top of it.
Whether the tree can stay. That single decision changes whether you are buying a repair or a recurring service.

What you can do yourself

Is this licensed work?

Drainage repair is licensed plumbing work. Tree removal is not licensed in the same way, but it is frequently controlled by local planning rules, and removing a protected tree without consent carries real penalties.

There is no national register. Search the licence number with the regulator for the state the work is happening in.

NSWNSW Fair Tradingbuilders, electricians, plumbers and specialist trades
VICBuilding and Plumbing Commission, and Energy Safe Victoria for electricalbuilding practitioners and plumbers; electricians are Energy Safe Victoria
QLDQueensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC)building and most trade contractor licences
WABuilding and Energybuilders, electricians, plumbers and gas fitters
SAConsumer and Business Servicesbuilding work contractors and supervisors
TASConsumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS)building and occupational licences
ACTAccess Canberraconstruction occupations licensing
NTNT Government building practitioner registrationbuilding practitioners and electrical workers

Licensing thresholds and certificate requirements differ by state and change with amending regulation, so this page describes the mechanism rather than quoting a figure. The regulator’s own page is the current answer.

Common questions

Who should I hire for tree roots in the drains: A licensed plumber with a jetter and a camera to clear and inspect the drain, and then an arborist to advise on the tree — because clearing roots without dealing with why they are there buys you months, not years. If the tree is on a nature strip or is a protected species, removal may need council consent.
Can I make my neighbour remove a tree whose roots are in my drain?: There is a process in most states, and it is a legal one rather than a trade one — typically starting with written notice and, where that fails, a tribunal or court that can order works. What matters practically is evidence: dated camera footage identifying the intrusion is the thing that makes any of those steps possible.
Is pipe relining better than digging it up?: Relining avoids excavation and is often the better answer under a driveway, a slab or a mature garden. It is not a universal fix — a collapsed or badly misaligned pipe has to be dug up, and a good operator will tell you which one you have from the footage rather than selling the technique.

Find a Plumber near you

3,553 plumbers in this directory, ranked on published evidence rather than on advertising.

Who to hire for

General information about who does what, not advice about your specific job. Licensing, consumer law and council rules differ by state and change; the regulator for your state is the current source. More guides to hiring a tradesperson.