Discover rewarding management franchise opportunities with one of the UK's leading drain care and maintenance companies.
Investing in a Metro Rod franchise means you can build from an established customer base, with ongoing revenue, a fleet of vehicles, associated equipment and trained staff.

We are in high demand for our services nationwide and currently have 43 franchise locations, servicing our clients across the whole of the UK. We are looking for ambitious, hard-working, commercially aware individuals that are looking to run their own business via our franchise model to help us keep up with this demand. A focus of Metro Rod is to provide an emergency response service to customers through its operating model of National Accounts and local customers. We are able to do this because of the large support centre team we have in place, as one of our franchisees you will have a team to assist you with marketing, IT, Sales, quotes, tenders, handling enquiries to invoicing and payment collection. Our support centre team handles more than 15,000 calls and 8,000 emails per month serving customers and providing work for our network of franchisees.
Resale Opportunities
We have a selection of resales across the Country - See full list below for locations.
The areas are:
- Gloucestershire £50k
- Exeter £50k
- North East £1.3million
- Dumfries £35k (Territory only)
- Maidstone £50k (Territory only)
- Canterbury £50k (Territory only)
- Watford £500k (Territory only (Equipment and van package available)
Full Resale List
Location | Price |
Gloucester | £50k (Territory only) |
Exeter | £50k (Territory only) |
Bristol | £995K (Including Assets & fully staffed) |
North East | £1.3million (including assets and fully staffed) |
Dumfries | £35k (Territory only) |
Maidstone | £50k (Territory only) |
Canterbury | £50k (Territory only) |
Watford | £500k (Territory only (Equipment and van package available) |
Our excellent reputation and long list of satisfied clients are strong indicators of our attention to detail, clear communication, honesty and integrity.
Metro Rod’s and soon to be your specialist services include:
- Drain clearance and maintenance.
- High pressure water jetting.
- CCTV surveys.
- Drain or sewer lining.
- Excavation.
- Electro mechanical cleaning and fat and grease management.
Benefits of being a Metro Rod Franchisee
- No prior experience of drainage necessary. Our highly experienced technical team will provide full training to get you started and stay with you using our tried and tested support programme.
- Sales and marketing support – websites, advertising and a full brand pack of promotional materials continue to build the brand and secure more national account work year on year through our dedicated national accounts team.
- Being part of Franchise Brands means that Metro Rod franchisees can also benefit from a dedicated support team that work closely with franchisees to help raise the brand profile and drive customer enquiries.
- Our support centre handles the invoicing and credit control function dealing with invoicing, payment collection and debtors on your behalf, so that you can focus on growing your business.
- In-house call centre team working 24/7 365 days a year processing enquiries and preparing quotations.
Last year Metro Rod completed over £70 million pounds worth of jobs, a 24% growth increase despite of covid. As a franchisee not only will you benefit from all the work, we channel through to you, we are adding new services and introducing new revenue streams all the time. You will also be able to build local relationships and create your own portfolio of customers, giving you complete ownership of how big you wish to grow your business.
Costs & Earning Potential
Metro Rod offer several ways that you can join the business the minimum investment for a Metro Rod franchise is approx. £100k if you can invest £30k we have relationships with some of the major banks with our proven track record and financial supporting data loans of 70% LTV are possible. Resales of existing businesses start from £150k+ VAT.
We also have other opportunities with our Metro Plumb franchise business which carries a minimum investment value of £10k.
For hard working and dedicated franchisees, the Metro Rod franchise model can generate a fantastic earning potential. A large proportion of our franchisee’s turnover in excess of £1m per year.
The Metro Rod franchise model is a proven success that has remained resilient against recession. Our emergency repair services and regular drain maintenance contracts have kept Metro Rod franchisees busy, regardless of the state of the economy.
Metro Rod is the ideal franchise opportunity for committed individuals who have management or small business operation experience; you don’t need to be a drainage expert, as we provide you with all the training you need to run your own successful drain care business.
We have been members of the British Franchising Association (BFA) since 1997 and have won a number of national awards with them. As well as winning Franchisor of the Year in 2003, in 2016, two of our franchisees were named Young Franchise of the Year and Female Franchisee of the Year.
Interested?
If this sounds like the type of brand you would like to be associated with, request more information today or speak with our team directly about the available options and for more information.Take the plunge to a brand-new future
Franchise Choices in an AI World: Why Hands-On Industries Still Hold the Power
We’re living through a technological tipping point. AI is no longer a distant concept, it's already transforming how we live, work, and do business. From retail to recruitment, systems are becoming more intelligent, more automated, and some would argue more replaceable.

So, what does that mean for those looking to buy into a franchise?
If you're exploring franchise opportunities, one key question should be front of mind:
What will this business look like in five years?
Because while AI can answer customer queries, write content, or even drive vehicles, there are still industries that rely on something more human: judgement, resilience, physical skill, and problem-solving under pressure.
One of those industries? Drainage.
The underground world, is a world AI can’t quite reach
At Metro Rod, we live in a world most people never think about, until something goes wrong. Drainage isn’t glamorous, but it is essential. It’s not something AI can replace anytime soon. Yes, we use incredible camera equipment, real-time diagnostics, reporting tools that keep our customers informed with status updates and technology that has made working in this sector safer than ever before. But when you’re dealing with a blocked sewer under a school or repairing a collapsed drain in a car park at midnight, no machine is doing that for you.
This is a franchise for people who are hands-on, practical, and ready to manage the kind of projects where every day is different.
Drainage is part technical expertise, part project management. It takes a cool head, the right equipment, a skilled team, and the ability to coordinate jobs that often involve a variety of vehicles, Kit and safety protocols.
The franchise of the future is one you can trust to last
When you look across the franchise industry, there are plenty of opportunities that may look attractive today but could be obsolete tomorrow. Industries that are being streamlined or swallowed by AI are on shaky ground. Chatbots don’t need offices. Apps don’t need local owners, and machines don’t buy sandwiches, but they can be trained to make them.
In contrast, our work at Metro Rod is growing in complexity. The UK’s drainage infrastructure is ageing. Environmental standards are tightening. Flood risks are rising. Regulations are increasing. The need for smart, local drainage experts is only going up.
AI with humans, not instead of them
We’re not anti-AI, far from it, we are embracing the advancements we can bring to our industry, we’re already using it to improve safety, predict maintenance, and help our engineers work efficiently. But we know that this is a people-first business. That’s what makes Metro Rod a franchise that’s built to last.
So, if you’re looking to invest in your future, choose a business that the future still needs. Choose something that blends technology with the power of real people. Choose Metro Rod.
Tracey was my first contact when I enquired about a Metro Rod resale opportunity. She obviously knew her stuff, was easy to talk to and made what was a huge personal decision so much easier as a result. I always felt Tracey made every effort to make the process & negotiations as transparent as possible and was great help when coordinating the all the parties involved in the sale.
I came to Metro Rod with no experience in drainage back in 2014, but I learned everything I needed from the team and, combined with lots of on-the-job experience, I am now a qualified engineer. I love working with the team here at Mid Wales; we’re like a family. We work hard, always do that little bit extra for the customer and above all else, I know my work is valued.
I’ve been with Metro Rod for 4 years as the Operations Manager. Everything we do here is a team effort, and whether it is in the office or out in the field, our customer service always comes first. The thing I like most is that we’re a close-knit team, and we’re flexible, so try to ensure everyone has a happy work-life balance.
I love what I do and am proud of what I have achieved – I am thankful to my team and Metro Rod for the support that they have given to me. Although I do a great deal of local marketing, I get guaranteed work from Metro Rod with their National Accounts. Metro Rod also looks after all my invoicing and I have a very low level of debt due to their credit control service and my personal efforts. The support of a franchisor and franchise network would be difficult to match on my own!


Metro Rod | Franchisee - Graeme Tulloch


Metro Rod | Franchisee Video - Paul Davies


Metro Rod | Franchise Brands continue seeking acquisition deals after underlying profits hit record levels


BFA CEO Meets Metro Rod


Metro Rod | Franchise Brands announce record profits and an ambitious acquisition strategy


Metro Rod | Franchise Brands drove bottom line by 'learning lessons of the lockdown'

