Leaks

There are a few tell-tale signs for spotting a leak inside or outside your home:

• Reduced water pressure in your home
• Damp patches on the ground
• Water where there usually isn’t any
• Noisy pipework
• A higher than normal meter reading or bill
• A particularly lush looking patch of grass or plants, especially during dry weather

If you have a meter you can also do some further checks to find where the leak is coming from.

Check for a leak at my home

You can watch our video guide to help you check for leaks at your home, or you can follow our step-by-step guide below.

• Step 1: Before you get started

  There are a couple of things you will need to do before you start the checks:

  1. Locate your water meter and check that you can read it. See how to find and read your water meter.
  2. Locate your internal stop tap and check that it is working. If you need help finding your internal stop tap click here.
• Step 2: Do I have a leak?
  1. Make sure that nothing in your property is using water at the moment.
  2. Take a meter reading – make sure you get all the numbers on your meter – and note this down and then wait 15 minutes.
  3. Take a second meter reading.

  If your meter readings are the same

  If your meter readings are the same then no water has passed through your meter and you do not have a free-flowing leak.

  You may be using more water than you realise, or you may have an intermittent leak somewhere inside your property. You can find out more about using less water and making your property more water efficient here.

  If your meter readings are different

  If your meter readings are different then you may have a leak at your property. Please continue to Step 3 – Where is my leak?

• Step 3: Where is my leak?
  1. Switch off your internal stop tap.
  2. Run your kitchen or a bathroom tap – it should flow for a few moments and then dry up – this confirms that you have successfully switched off your internal stop tap and isolated your property from the supply outside
  3. Take a third meter reading and then wait 15 minutes.
  4. Take a fourth meter reading.

  If your meter readings are the same

  If your meter readings are the same, then you have a leak inside your property. We can tell this, because closing your internal stop tap has stopped the leak. Check the ‘The leak is inside my home’ section below for advice on what to do next.

  If your meter readings are different

  If your meter readings are different then you have a leak outside, between your water meter and your internal stop tap.

  Check the ‘The leak is outside my home’ section below for advice on what to do next.

I’ve found a leak

If you’ve found a leak, what you do should do next depends on where it is.

• The leak is inside my home

  Internal leaks are your responsibility to repair because the homeowner is responsible for the private pipework inside your property. If you’re renting your property, you’ll need to report the leak to your landlord who should arrange a repair.

  Should I contact you?

  Yes. If you find an internal leak then you should contact us and tell us about it.

  Our team is available Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm, and on Saturdays between 8am and 2pm. You can call them on 0345 350 3672. Or, you can request a callback.

  You’ll need a repair for any internal leaks inside your property. You can find a list of approved and accredited local plumbers at www.watersafe.org.uk

  Or, you could contact HomeServe to discuss their one-off repair option on 0330 0247 064.

  What help is available?

  • Payment plan: A leak may lead to a higher bill, however we may be able to help you manage the cost with a payment plan until the leak is fixed.
  • Leak allowance: Once the leak is fixed, you may also be able to claim a leak allowance for the cost of the leaked water. Check our Leak Allowance Policy.
  • Insurance: Your home insurance policy may cover internal leakage, so it’s a good idea to check with your insurance provider if they will cover the cost of any repair work.

  Leakage Booklet – we’ve put together some more detailed information about leaks, including who is responsible for shared pipework.

   

• The leak is outside my home but on my land

  The homeowner is responsible for the private pipework outside your property, however, we may be able to help you with the repair.

  What should I do next?

  If you’ve found an external leak then you should contact us and tell us about it. We may book an appointment with you to check the leak.

  You can contact us by:

  • visiting our Report a Leak page
  • calling us on 0345 350 3672 (Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm, and on Saturdays between 8am and 2pm)
  • requesting a callback

  What help is available?

  Payment plan: An leak may lead to a higher bill, however, we may be able to help you manage the cost with a payment plan until the leak is fixed.

  Leak allowance: Once the leak is fixed, you may also be able to claim a leak allowance for the cost of the leaked water. You can view our Leak Allowance Policy and our Customer Leak Repair Policy.

  Insurance: Many home insurance policies cover external leakage, so it’s a good idea to check with your insurance provider if they will cover the cost of any repair work.

  Replacing your supply pipe: If you replace your supply pipe, you may be eligible for a £100.00 contribution towards the cost.

  You can find more detailed information about leakage, including who is responsible for shared pipework and Waste Notices, in our Leakage Booklet (page 5).

• The leak is on the public ground

  Leaks on public ground are our usually our responsibility, unless the pipework is privately owned

  How do I report a leak in my supply area?

  Leaks on publicly owned ground such as roads, footpaths and fields are usually our responsibility.

  If you’ve seen a leak you can let us know by reporting a leak online.

  • Report a leak

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