What to Do If a Pipe Bursts or Leaks in Your London Home

First actions to take

A burst pipe can release a large amount of water quickly. Your priority is to protect people, isolate the supply and reduce damage rather than diagnose the entire fault.

• Turn off the internal stopcock, normally found under the kitchen sink, beneath the stairs or near the point where the mains enters the property.
• If water is close to sockets, lights or appliances, keep clear. Switch off power at the consumer unit only when it is safe and dry to do so.
• Open cold taps after isolating the supply to relieve pressure. Collect water with towels, buckets or a wet vacuum if available.
• Move furniture and valuables away from the affected area and photograph visible damage for your records.

When to call an emergency plumber

Call immediately when water cannot be isolated, the leak is inside a wall or ceiling, a ceiling is bulging, the property is flooding, or the fault affects a communal supply. In a flat, also contact the building manager or concierge because the stop valve may serve more than one property.

Tell the plumber your postcode, where the water is coming from, whether the stopcock works and whether electricity is affected. Clear information helps the engineer prepare before travelling.

What not to do

Do not use tape or sealant as a permanent repair, puncture a bulging ceiling while standing underneath it, or work near wet electrical equipment. A temporary isolation may make the property safe, but the damaged pipe and surrounding materials still need inspection.