How long can Thames Water leave you without water

When the water goes off, the first thing most people want to know is how long it will last. The honest answer is that it depends on what has gone wrong. A planned repair may take a few hours. A large burst main can take longer. What the law does set is a minimum standard of service, and compensation if the water company does not meet it.

The Guaranteed Standards Scheme

All water companies in England must follow the Guaranteed Standards Scheme, set out by the regulator Ofwat. Citizens Advice explains that it covers how companies must:

• make and keep appointments
• maintain the right water pressure
• deal with interruptions to the supply
• answer account queries and complaints

If a company does not meet these standards, you may be entitled to compensation.

Citizens Advice also notes that the standards do not apply in certain situations, for example where the problem is caused by severe weather, industrial action or someone else’s actions. Some companies set standards higher than the minimum.

What Thames Water says

Thames Water’s after an incident page says water and sewerage customers are entitled to guaranteed minimum standards of service, and that if it fails to return your water supply and you are eligible, it will automatically credit your water account. You do not need to make a claim. This is under its Customer Guarantee Scheme, which only applies to household customers and domestic premises.

The Customer Guarantee Scheme page sets out the time limits and payment amounts. They change from time to time, so check the current page rather than relying on a figure you have seen elsewhere.

Citizens Advice adds that some compensation is paid automatically, while in other cases you may need to claim in writing within three months of the incident. If you think you are owed a payment and have not had it, write to Thames Water.

Low pressure is covered too

The scheme also covers pressure. Citizens Advice says water companies should usually supply water at a minimum of seven metres static head. If pressure falls below that for an hour or more on at least two occasions in a 28 day period, you are entitled to a payment or credit of 25 pounds, once per financial year. That figure is from Citizens Advice’s published guidance on the scheme. Our guide to low water pressure in a flat explains how to tell whether low pressure is the water company or your own pipes.

When the outage is actually yours

The scheme only covers the water company’s network. If your street has water and you do not, the fault is probably on your side. Common causes in London homes:

Cause	Where
Stop tap or isolation valve closed	Under the sink, in a cupboard or a communal riser
Frozen pipe	Loft, outside wall, under the floor
Building pump or tank failure	Blocks and towers
Burst on your own supply pipe	Under the garden, path or floor
Airlock after a burst main	Your pipework, after the street supply is restored

For an airlock after an incident, Thames Water asks you to call 0800 316 9800 so it can send a technician. For the others, a plumber or your building’s managing agent is the right call.

Hackney flats and shared supplies

In Hackney, 60.4% of households live in purpose built flats and 15.5% in converted houses, according to the 2021 Census (Nomis, TS044). In a Stoke Newington or Clapton conversion, all the flats often share one supply pipe and one outside stop tap. If someone turns that off to fix a leak, every flat loses water, and it has nothing to do with Thames Water.

In Hackney’s estates and newer blocks around Dalston and Hackney Wick, upper floors may rely on a booster pump. If that fails, the top flats lose water while the street is fine. That is the housing provider’s or managing agent’s to fix.

Getting extra help

If someone in your home relies on water for medical reasons, has a disability, or is very young or elderly, tell Thames Water when you report the problem. Thames Water has a priority services register for customers who need extra help. It is worth signing up before anything goes wrong.

While you wait, keep a few bottles of water in the house, fill a kettle and a bath bucket if a planned outage is announced, and do not leave taps open. When the water comes back, Thames Water says it may splutter at first and pressure may take several hours to recover.

What to do now

1. Check whether neighbours and the street have water.
2. If they do not, check Thames Water’s report a problem page or call 0800 316 9800.
3. If they do, check your stop tap and valves, and in a block call the managing agent.
4. If it is still off and not the building, call a plumber. Our no water or no hot water page explains what happens next.