Emergency plumbing advice for London

plumbing emergencies

What counts as a plumbing emergency in a London flat

Which plumbing problems need a plumber now and which can wait until morning, with the extra rules that apply when you live in a London flat.

escape of water claim

Escape of water claims: what to do after a leak in London

How escape of water claims work for London flats: buildings vs contents cover, the evidence insurers want, and the steps to take in the first hours.

how much is an emergency plumber london

How much does an emergency plumber cost in London

What actually drives the cost of an emergency plumber in London, from time of day to tracing leaks between flats, and the questions to ask first.

thames water leak

Thames Water says you have a leak: the four week rule explained

Thames Water letter about a leak on your property? What the four week rule means, who owns which pipe, the leak allowance and what happens if you wait.

lead pipes

Lead pipes in London homes: leaks and replacement

How to tell if your London home has lead pipes, why old lead joints leak and burst, and how Thames Water's lead pipe replacement scheme works.

burst water main

Burst water main or burst pipe: how to tell and who to call

Water in the road, your front garden or your home? How to tell a burst main from a burst pipe in London, who is responsible and what to expect after.

burst pipe what to do

Burst pipe in a London flat: what to do in the first ten minutes

Burst pipe in a London flat, step by step: finding the right stop tap, making electrics safe, draining down, warning the flat below, who owns the pipe.

leak detection

Hidden leaks in London flats: signs and leak detection

How to tell if you have a hidden leak in a London flat, a simple meter test, what a Thames Water leak letter means and when you need leak detection.

shower leaking through ceiling

Shower leaking through the ceiling below

Shower water coming through the ceiling below? The common causes in London flats, from trays and wastes to grout and mixer valves, and how to test each.

water leaking from ceiling under bathroom

Water leaking from the ceiling under a bathroom

Water dripping from the ceiling below a bathroom? How to make it safe, the usual culprits, simple tests to find the source and who pays in a London flat.

does buildings insurance cover leak from flat above

Does buildings insurance cover a leak from the flat above

What buildings insurance covers when water comes from the flat above, who makes the claim, who pays the excess and how to check your block's policy.

leak from flat above no one in

Leak from the flat above and nobody is in

Water coming through your ceiling and the flat above is empty or a short let? How to stop it, who can get access, and when to call the fire brigade.

leak from flat above who is responsible

Leak from the flat above: who is responsible in London

Water coming through your ceiling from upstairs? Who is responsible for the leak and the damage in a London flat, for leaseholders, tenants and owners.

how to unblock a toilet

How to unblock a toilet before calling a plumber

A safe way to unblock a toilet with a plunger, what not to pour down it, and the signs the blockage is in the soil stack of your London block, not the pan.

toilet keeps running

Toilet keeps running: the London hard water problem

Why toilets in London keep running, how limescale from hard water jams fill valves and flush seals, what you can check and when it becomes urgent.

overflowing toilet

Toilet overflowing into the flat below: what to do

Toilet overflowing and water going through the floor to the flat below? How to stop it, why shared soil stacks are often to blame and who pays.

blocked drain outside

Blocked drain outside a London terraced house

Gully overflowing or manhole full outside your London terrace? What to check, what is safe to try, and how to tell your drain from a shared one.

thames water blocked drain

Blocked drain: you or Thames Water

Is a blocked drain yours or Thames Water's? How the 2011 private sewer transfer works for London houses and flats, and the neighbour test to try first.

drain smells

Drain smells in a London flat: causes and fixes

Bad drain smell in your London flat? Dry traps, failed seals on old soil stacks, blocked vents and slow blockages explained, plus when it is urgent.

flooded basement

Basement flat flooding from drains in London

Sewage coming up in a London basement flat? Why Victorian combined sewers back up in storms, how pumps and non return valves help, and who to call.

no water thames water

No water: what to check before calling Thames Water or a plumber

No water in your London flat or house? Check the street, your building and your own stop tap in the right order, and know who to call for each.

no hot water but heating works

No hot water but the heating works

Radiators warm but hot taps cold? The water side causes in combi and cylinder systems, the London limescale factor, and what needs a Gas Safe engineer.

low water pressure

Low water pressure in a London flat

Weak taps and showers in your London flat? Whether it is Thames Water, your building's pump or tank, an old supply pipe, a part closed valve or limescale.

no hot water

No hot water in a mansion block flat

No hot water in your mansion block flat? How communal hot water works, how to tell if it is the building or your flat, and who to call in Westminster.

how long can thames water leave you without water

How long can Thames Water leave you without water

What the Guaranteed Standards Scheme means when Thames Water cuts your supply, how compensation is paid, extra help, and when the fault is your pipe.

stopcock key

Stopcock keys and the outside stop tap in London streets

How to find and use the outside stop tap in a London pavement, which stopcock key you need, why it can cut off neighbours and when to call a plumber.

stop tap leaking

Stop tap leaking: causes and repair

Stop tap dripping or leaking in your London home? The difference between a gland drip and a body leak, what you can do now and who is responsible.

where is my stop tap

Where is my stop tap in a London flat

Can't find the stop tap in your London flat? The usual places, communal valves in conversions and blocks, cellar vaults, and how many stop taps a home has.

why won't my stop tap turn

Stop tap won't turn: what to do

Stop tap stuck or seized in your London home? Why hard water locks valves, why you should not force it, other ways to shut off the water and fixes.

washing machine leaking from bottom

Washing machine leaking from the bottom

Washing machine leaking from underneath? The plumbing causes and the appliance faults, how to stop it safely and how to protect the flat below.

dishwasher leaking

Dishwasher leaking: what to do now

Dishwasher leaking onto the kitchen floor? How to shut it down safely, check the under sink connections and sink waste, and protect the flat below.

frozen pipes

Frozen pipes: what to do in a London cold snap

Taps stopped in a cold snap? How to find and thaw a frozen pipe safely, check for splits before the water goes back on and deal with a frozen boiler pipe.

how to prevent frozen pipes

How to prevent frozen pipes in a London home

Stop pipes freezing before winter: lag lofts and suspended floors, isolate outside taps, keep empty flats safe over Christmas and check your insurance.

24 hour plumber london

24 hour plumber in London: what to expect from a night call

Calling a 24 hour plumber in London at night? What a night visit covers, how to prepare access and parking, making safe versus full repair and what to ask.

landlord not fixing leak

Tenant with a plumbing emergency at night: what to do

Renting in London and a leak starts at night? Your landlord's repair duties, the out of hours line, making safe, receipts and what to put in writing.