Short answer: A washing machine leaking from the bottom is usually caused by a split inlet hose, a loose hose connection, a waste hose that has slipped out of the standpipe, a blocked filter or a failed door seal or pump. Switch off the power safely, close the machine's valve, mop up, then check hoses and connections before blaming the machine.
Water under the washing machine is one of the most common kitchen emergencies. The good news is that the cause is often the plumbing around the machine rather than the machine itself, and that is usually cheaper to fix.
Stop it safely
- Do not stand in water and touch the machine. If water is near the socket, switch off the kitchen circuit at the consumer unit first, if you can reach it without standing in water.
- Turn off the water to the machine. Look for an isolation valve on the cold pipe behind it, usually a small lever or a slotted screw. A quarter turn closes it. If you cannot find it, use the stop tap.
- Unplug the machine once the power is off.
- Mop up and pull the plinth off the kitchen units so water underneath can dry.
- Tell the flat below if you live in a flat.
Plumbing or appliance?
| Where the leak is | Likely cause | Who fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Behind the machine, at the tap | Loose or perished inlet hose washer, failed valve | Plumber |
| Along the inlet hose | Split or bulging hose | Plumber or replace the hose |
| At the waste standpipe or sink waste | Waste hose slipped out, or the waste is blocked | Plumber |
| From the front, bottom right or left | Filter cap loose or filter blocked | Clean the filter |
| From the door during a wash | Door seal torn or dirty | Appliance repair |
| From underneath, mid cycle | Pump, internal hose or drum seal | Appliance repair |
The usual plumbing causes
Inlet hoses
The inlet hose carries water from the valve to the machine. Rubber hoses perish. Braided hoses can kink or corrode at the ends. A hose that splits under mains pressure can flood a kitchen in minutes. The small rubber washer at each end can also wear and leak.
The waste hose and standpipe
The waste hose carries dirty water away. It either hooks into a standpipe, a vertical pipe behind the machine, or connects to the sink waste under the sink. If the hook slips out during a spin, the machine pumps water onto the floor. If the sink waste or standpipe is blocked, water backs up and overflows.
Blocked sink waste
If the machine drains into the sink waste and the sink is slow, the machine’s pump may push water back up into the sink or out of a loose connection. Clearing the sink waste often cures it.
Kitchens on outside walls
In Wandsworth, 22.2% of households live in terraced houses and 17.7% in converted houses, according to the 2021 Census (Nomis, TS044). In Balham, Tooting and Earlsfield, many kitchens are in back additions and side returns, with the washing machine against an outside wall. In a cold snap, pipes in those walls are more exposed, and a hose or valve that is already tired may fail as things warm up.
In conversions, the washing machine in the upper flat is often directly over a bedroom or kitchen below. A leak that spreads under the units can come through the ceiling below without you noticing much on your own floor.
Hard water and appliance valves
Thames Water says all the water in its region is hard, and suggests installing a water softener on household appliances as one way to reduce scale. Scale builds up inside the machine’s inlet valve and on the isolation valve behind it, which can make them weep or stick. If your isolation valve is stiff or crusty, it is worth replacing before it fails.
Protecting the flat below
The Leasehold Advisory Service says each leaseholder is usually responsible for their own appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers. Damage to the flat below from your machine is generally for you and your insurer to sort out.
Simple steps reduce the risk:
- replace inlet hoses every few years, or sooner if they look tired
- clip the waste hose into the standpipe so it cannot slip out
- close the machine’s valve when you go away
- fit a cheap leak alarm on the floor behind the machine
If you rent
Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords must keep installations for water supply and sanitation in repair, but not appliances such as washing machines unless the tenancy agreement says so. So the valve, pipe and waste are usually the landlord’s, while the machine itself depends on your agreement.
When to call a plumber
Call a plumber if the leak is from the valve, pipework or waste, if water has gone under the units or into the floor, or if the flat below has a stain. Our leaking appliance and flooded kitchen page explains the visit. If the dishwasher is the culprit instead, see our guide to a dishwasher leaking.
Quick questions
Should I keep using a washing machine that leaks?
No. Each wash adds more water to the floor, and in a flat it may be going into the ceiling below. Stop using it until the cause is found.
Is a washing machine leak covered by insurance?
Damage from a leaking appliance is often covered under escape of water, but check your policy and the excess. Keep photos and any repair note.
My landlord says the washing machine is my problem. Is that right?
Section 11 does not cover appliances like washing machines unless your tenancy says so. The pipes and taps feeding it are the landlord's to keep in repair.
Last updated 23 October 2026. Written for homes in London. Rules can change, so check the linked sources for the latest position.