Emergency · London · 24/7
No Water Coming Out of Your Taps in London? Here's Why
Total loss of water is either the network, the stopcock, or a freeze, and each has a different right answer.
Two minutes of checks usually says which, and saves a callout when it's the water company's problem, not yours.
Do this now, while you wait
- Ask a neighbourIf they're dry too, it's the network, check your water company's incident map and report it. No plumber required.
- Check both stopcocksThe internal one (make sure it hasn't been knocked closed) and the outside meter valve, water company work sometimes leaves them half-shut.
- In freezing weather, suspect a freezeCold water only, upstairs only, one bathroom only, partial loss patterns point at a frozen run, not the mains.
- If you hear water you can't see, stopcock offNo supply at the taps plus the sound of running water can mean the supply pipe has burst underground. Close the stopcock and call.
Why it happens in London
The usual causes
- 01Network outage or mains work
The water company's problem, and their compensation scheme, worth knowing about.
- 02Closed or failed stopcock
Stopcocks get knocked, seize half-open, or fail internally, the gate drops off old gate valves silently.
- 03Frozen supply pipe
The run from the boundary to the house freezes where it's shallow or exposed.
- 04Burst supply pipe
A soggy patch on the path or a hissing meter with dry taps, the leak is between the boundary and your kitchen.
Straight answers
No water at all, your questions
Whose pipe is it?
From the boundary stopcock into the house is yours; from the main to the boundary is the water company's. A leak on their side is free to you; on your side, some water companies offer one subsidised supply-pipe repair, ask before commissioning anyone, including us.
You said check the incident map, where?
Every UK water company runs a live incidents page (Thames Water and United Utilities for our two cities). If your postcode shows an incident, the fix and the timeline are theirs.
My neighbours have water and I don't, what will you do?
Trace the loss: stopcock function, freeze check in winter, then pressure-test the supply pipe. If it's burst underground we locate it before any digging, a moling repair often avoids trenching the path at all.
What does a supply pipe repair cost?
Locating is part of the fixed quote; repairs range widely with depth and surface (£300–£1,500). You get the number, in writing, before a spade touches the ground.
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