A leak in the flat: what to do in the first 15 minutes

Kitchen tap and plumbing tools arranged on a dry counter

Water is running. At that moment it makes no difference what a plumber charges — what matters is what you do in the next fifteen minutes. This article is about exactly those minutes: the order of actions that saves the ceiling of the neighbour below you and half of the bill still to come.

The first five minutes

1. Shut the water off. In the panel blocks of Burgas the main stopcock is usually in the toilet or in the cupboard above the pan; in newer buildings it is in the pipe shaft by the entrance. If you do not know where yours is, find it now, without waiting for an emergency: it is a five-minute job that will one day save you thousands.

2. Switch off the electricity in the wet room. If water is running down a wall with sockets in it, or towards a light fitting, drop the relevant circuit breaker in the consumer unit.

3. Switch the water heater off. If the leak is coming from the water heater, deal with the electricity first and the water to it second.

4. Mop the water up. Towels along the edge of the spill, so that it does not travel into the next room or out into the communal hallway.

The next ten minutes

Warn the neighbours below. Not to apologise, but so that the two of you can look together at whether there is any damage. A damp patch that comes to light three days later costs more than one you saw straight away — and it is harder to prove.

Photograph everything. Where the leak is, the patches, the level of the water, the time. You will need the photos both for the tradesperson and for any conversation with the neighbours or with the building's owners' association.

Check whether it is only your flat. If the water is coming from above, the problem is not yours. The same applies if it only leaks when someone on the floor above runs the shower.

Write the problem up for the request. Three sentences: what is leaking, since when, what you have already done. That is the difference between an accurate quote and "we'll see when we get there".

Your pipe or a shared one

This is the most common argument in a panel block, and it decides who pays.

Common parts are the vertical risers — the pipes that run through every floor. If the riser is leaking, the repair belongs to the building's owners' association and not to you alone. The building manager has to be told.

Your responsibility starts after the stopcock on the branch into the flat: the internal pipework, the mixers, the traps, the flexible hoses, the water heater.

If you are not sure, the plumber will say after an inspection — and it is worth having it in writing if a conversation with the neighbours is coming.

Which leaks are urgent and which can wait

Urgent, today:

An active leak that does not stop with the stopcock closed.
Water reaching the neighbours below.
A leak around electrical wiring.
A burst flexible hose or a split washing-machine hose.

Can wait a day or two, provided the water is off:

A dripping mixer or cistern.
A slow-draining sink.
Damp in the cupboard under the sink with no visible water.

The difference matters, because an emergency call-out almost always costs more.

What it might be and what it usually turns out to be

The flexible hoses under the sink — the most common cause of a sudden leak. They last a few years and cost next to nothing.
The trap — a loose nut or a split concertina pipe. A quick repair.
The seal in the cistern — leaks slowly, given away by the damp behind the pan.
The water heater — a leaking safety valve or a perforated tank; the second one means a replacement.
The seals in the bathroom — not a leak at all, but water passing through cracked silicone. It looks like an emergency and is half an hour's work.
The riser in the wall — the worst of them, because it means opening up the shaft.

What to have ready for the plumber

Access to the bathroom and to the shaft, if there is one.
The make and model of the water heater or mixer, if that is where the problem is.
When the pipework was last worked on.
A decision on who buys the parts — you or the tradesperson.

The better prepared the address, the shorter the visit — and when you are paying by the hour, that shows up directly on the bill.

Common questions

Where is the main stopcock in a flat? In the panel blocks of Burgas it is usually in the toilet or in the cupboard above the cistern; in newer buildings, in the pipe shaft by the entrance. Find yours now, before there is an emergency.

Who pays for the repair, me or the building? The vertical risers are common property, so their repair is on the building. Everything after the stopcock on the branch into your flat — the pipework, taps, traps, flexible hoses, the water heater — is yours. If in doubt, the plumber will say after an inspection; get it in writing if you expect a conversation with the neighbours.

Which leaks are urgent? An active leak that does not stop with the tap closed, water reaching the flat below, a leak near electrical wiring, a burst flexible hose or washing-machine hose. A dripping tap, a slow drain or damp in the cupboard can wait a day or two once the water is off — an emergency call-out is almost always dearer.

Should I warn the neighbours below? Yes, straight away, so you can check together whether there is damage. A wet patch found three days later costs more and is harder to prove. Photograph the leak, the stains and the time.

How fast does a plumber come through Helply? Describe the problem in three sentences and mark it urgent if the water is still running. The first offers usually arrive within 5–15 minutes, and you agree the time directly with the plumber you choose.

How to book a plumber

Describe the problem and flag it as urgent if the water is still running — the first offers usually arrive within 5–15 minutes:

What the individual jobs cost and what the price depends on is covered in how much a plumber costs. If the leak leaves a wet wall or a stain on the ceiling behind it, you will also need a painter and decorator.