Can't Operate Stopcock

[Michael_SE49]

I've moved into a new flat and struggling to shut the water off at the stop cock - it has no handle and the shaft is smooth and cylindrical so I can't get any grip with an adjustable wrench. Any suggestions on how to work it?

Weirdly the end of it is smooth so can't work out if there was a handle on it that's broken off somewhere. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

IMG_9353

• Michael_SE49
• 19 Mar 2021

IMG_9350

• Michael_SE49
• 19 Mar 2021

 

[cross thread]

Head has snapped off, may move with some grips but would have a back up plan on how to turn the mains off in case it goes wrong

 

[HERTS P&D]

The head has snapped off, you would need to have the incoming main turned off and fit a new stop tap fitted further down the pipe.

How many flats are in the block.

Andy

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Are you renting? Landlord's problem, if you're leasehold or paying any sort of service charge then check your lease, might still be down to ll.
Mole grips might shift it but I wouldn't chance it without finding the next stoptap up the line first...that top has sheared for a reason!

 

[Michael_SE49]

Thanks for the replies - was hoping it wasn't snapped off. By the state of the flat when I moved in I'm not surprised that it's snapped off and no one did anything about it.

The head has snapped off, you would need to have the incoming main turned off and fit a new stop tap fitted further down the pipe.

How many flats are in the block.

Andy

There are 20 flats in the block in total across 4 floors - I'm on the top so I'm presuming the larger service pipe to the right provides water to the 3 flats below me (4 if it also does the ground floor). Annoyingly just below where the stopcock is the pipe splits, one side goes to the toilet & sink and the other to the bath, kitchen, and boiler, not much room to alter it.

Are you renting? Landlord's problem, if you're leasehold or paying any sort of service charge then check your lease, might still be down to ll.
Mole grips might shift it but I wouldn't chance it without finding the next stoptap up the line first...that top has sheared for a reason!

Yeah I won't be risking trying to use it myself. I own the flat, the stopcock is just outside my flat through a flap in the bathroom wall but I've checked the lease and it says that anything that's for the sole use of any one flat is the owners responsibility. It's an ex-council flat so the freeholder is the council's housing association which will probably make sorting this even more of a difficulty!

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Oh well, at least its not ambiguous. Yes it needs replacing, have a chat with your neighbours, see if any of them have fiddled access to the service duct (there will probably be a stoptap for each floor). Failing that, try the housing association (be nice to start with & do it all in writing (email is favourite), if they're sluggish tell them you have a major tap fail, stoptap is knacked so can't fix it, approx 100 litres/hour going to waste, they need to isolate supply so you can fix it. This assumes you aren't on metered water...)