Checking for leaks
We want to help our customers detect and repair leaks as quickly as possible - follow the steps below to check your home.
Signs you may have a leak
You may have a leak if you notice:
- an unexplained increase in your bill
- a big drop in water pressure
- areas of lush vegetation in your garden
- damp patches on the ground
- a hissing or knocking noise near your internal stop tap.
If you have a meter
Follow these steps to check for a leak if you have a meter:
Step 1
Turn off all the appliances in your home that use water.
Step 2
Locate your water meter and remove the lid.
Step 3
Take a meter reading, noting down both the black and red numbers.
Step 4
Wait for 30 minutes to one hour and check your meter again.
If the second reading is the same as the first, you don’t have a leak. If the second reading is higher, you may have a leak and you will need to locate it to work out who is responsible for fixing it.
If you don’t have a meter
Follow these steps to check for a leak if you don’t have a meter:
Step 1
Locate your internal stop tap and check for a hissing and/or knocking noise.
Step 2
Turn off your water supply by turning your stop tap clockwise.
Step 3
Check your water supply is turned off by turning on your cold kitchen tap.
Step 4
Check your stop tap again to see if you can still hear a hissing/and or knocking noise.
If you can still hear it, you may have a leak and you should contact a qualified plumber to come and check your property.
Locating your leak
Before you report a leak, you will need to work out what section of pipework it is on to find out who is responsible for fixing it. Learn more about leakage responsibility.
To locate it, you will have to find and turn off your stop tap and check your water meter.
If the meter dial stops turning
This means you may have a leak inside your property, and you will have to contact a qualified plumber to fix it. Don’t forget to check your household insurance policy to see if leaks are covered under your policy.
If the meter dial continues turning
This means you may have a leak on your private supply pipe – we can fix this for you. Please report the leak to us and we will come and investigate it as soon as possible.
Fixing leaks on private supply pipes
We aim to fix leaks on your private supply pipe free of charge, usually within ten working days or sooner.
Find out more about how we fix leaks on private supply pipes.
Leakage allowance
If you have a leak and it has increased your bill, we normally give a full allowance for water and sewerage charges once the leak has been repaired.
Check your toilets for leaks
A leaky loo could be wasting 400 litres of water per day, costing you around £50 a month if you’re on a water meter.