A closed tap is not the only water user
Toilets, appliances, tanks and automatic equipment may use water at other times. A shared meter may also record more than one property. These possibilities need consideration before a moving dial is attributed to a buried pipe leak.
Follow your water supplier’s advice
Your supplier can explain its meter and any safe checks it recommends. Do not enter unsafe meter chambers or interfere with supplier equipment. You do not need to perform a home leak test to request specialist help.
Describe the supply arrangement
Tell us about a shared supply, earlier leak notification or known pipe route. Suitable isolation and checks can help distinguish internal consumption or leakage from a loss on the private incoming supply.
Use the result to focus tracing
Meter observations do not give an exact leak position. Where the findings support a supply leak, acoustic listening or tracer gas may help narrow the search before required access and repair are planned.
What to tell us when you enquire
Tell us if the supply is shared, crosses neighbouring land or runs beneath a finished drive. Any known valve positions and previous repairs are useful, but you do not have to locate them yourself.
Related reading
Help with this problem
Mains water leak detection
Investigating unexpected water loss on a private incoming supply.