Check who can authorise the work. A landlord, utility, council or emergency service may be the right first contact. This enquiry form is not an emergency dispatch service. Local reporting contacts are below; this enquiry service does not provide emergency dispatch.
Escaping water: safety first
Do this now
If safe and accessible, use your known internal stop tap to isolate the water supply. Do not enter unsafe water or reach wet electrical equipment to do it. Keep people away from an unstable ceiling or affected electrics and obtain direct appropriate help. Do not force a stuck valve or operate an unknown shared/external asset. Anglian Water publishes stop-tap guidance. This form is not emergency dispatch; uncontrolled leakage or immediate danger needs a direct route before an enquiry.
- Keep away from unsafe water, electrics and unstable material.
- Isolate only if the known internal control is safely accessible.
- Contact direct suitable help; do not wait for this form.
Sources: Anglian Water: stop tap
Visible and hidden leaks
A visible joint leak and damp appearing away from concealed pipework may need different investigations. Tell the plumber where water first appeared, whether it continues and which fittings were in use. An unexpected metered bill can prompt investigation but is not proof of one location. Detection and repair should have clearly defined scopes. Avoid opening floors or walls without assessment, especially where services or suspect materials may be present. The visible stain is not necessarily the leak’s origin.
Indoor plumbing or the private supply
Anglian Water distinguishes leaks inside the home from supply-pipe issues. Identify the actual route and responsibility before commissioning work. Ofwat says private supply pipes and shared arrangements can remain owners’ responsibility even outside an individual boundary; exceptions need checking. A meter’s position does not automatically settle every case. Use the relevant water company and property records where needed. We do not determine ownership or report a leak to the utility when you send this form.
Sources: Anglian Water: fixing a leak · Ofwat: responsibility for supply pipes
Report the right asset and safe observations
Describe where water appears, which services are affected and whether it is inside or outside the property. Do not excavate, lift covers or enter unsafe water to locate a pipe. A visible leak does not identify its ownership or source on its own.
For an Ipswich supply issue, confirm the actual water supplier and its current reporting route. The older Anglian Water leaflet provides general responsibility context, not an address-specific ruling. Sewer or highway-drainage concerns have separate reporting routes. An authorised private plumber can assess work within the agreed property scope after direct safety reporting is handled.
Sources: Anglian Water supply-pipe leaflet · Sewer pipe responsibility · Highway drainage
Repair, replacement and access
Ask why a local repair or a larger pipe replacement is proposed, and what evidence supports the scope. Access under a floor, through joinery or across ground can change both disruption and price. Define isolation, testing, retained limitations and reinstatement. A temporary repair should not be presented as a permanent resolution without explanation. Agree how unexpected conditions and extra work are authorised. If insurance or a landlord is involved, contact the relevant party through its process; this site does not approve claims.
Leak repair costs and possible allowances
Ask before authorising
Compare detection, call-out, labour, parts, excavation/access, testing, waste, VAT and reinstatement. Ask the supplier about any applicable leakage allowance or support; eligibility depends on its rules and the actual case, not merely submitting an enquiry. Keep dates, findings and repair records. A detection-only quote and a complete repair with floor restoration are different purchases. Obtain explicit agreement before costs grow beyond the assessed scope.
- What investigation and repair are included?
- What access damage is reinstated?
- What records support follow-up with the supplier or insurer?
After the water is controlled
The plumbing repair and damage recovery can need separate professionals. Have affected electrics or unstable construction assessed by the appropriate trade; do not assume drying restores safety. Ask how the repaired system was checked and retain records. Tenants should report through the landlord’s relevant repair route. For an enquiry, send postcode, leak location/history and whether it remains active. We review local requests but cannot guarantee attendance, emergency monitoring or that every hidden leak can be identified remotely.
Useful next steps