Emergency Leak Response, Glasgow, Stirling & Edinburgh

Active water leak? You're in the right place.

Call us now, or follow the five-minute action guide below to protect your property while you wait.

Urgent attendance available across the Central Belt.
Response within 15 minutes during operating hours.

Typical urgent attendance: same day or next morning across Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Stirling

Diagnostic
Technical cross-section diagram showing hidden pipe leak within a wall cavity

Non-invasive leak tracing · No unnecessary damage

Written findings with photos
Non-invasive methods
Homeowners & commercial
Central Belt · Call or request online
Quick Navigation

I have…

Water coming through ceiling

Water coming through my ceiling

What to do right now
⚠ Danger
Water near electrical fittings

Water near electrical fittings

Safety checks
Boiler hammering or making loud noises

Boiler hammering or making loud noises

Heating system emergency
🚨 Urgent
Burst pipe with water flowing fast

A burst pipe and water is flowing fast

Isolate the water supply
Commercial property leak affecting trading
Commercial

A commercial property leak affecting trading

Commercial emergency

Select your situation above to jump to the right advice

High Priority — Read Before Taking Any Action

Safety First

Before you do anything else. Safety checks

If water is near electrical fittings, sockets, lights, or the consumer unit, do not attempt to investigate it yourself. Leave the affected area and switch off at the mains only if you can do so safely. If you are unsure, call a qualified electrician. This safety wording is required anywhere emergency leak guidance covers electrics.

If water is near electrical fittings, sockets, or the consumer unit

  • Do not touch any switches, sockets, appliances, or wet surfaces in the affected area.
  • Leave the room immediately.
  • Do not go back in until the electricity to the affected area has been isolated safely.
  • If you cannot isolate the power safely, call 105 or, if there is an immediate danger to life, 999.

⚡ Water and electricity together can be life-threatening. Do not take risks with it.

If you smell gas or a gas appliance is behaving unusually

  • Do not use switches or electrical equipment.
  • Open windows and doors.
  • Leave the property.
  • Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

🔥 Do not call us until the gas situation has been made safe.

If there is no electrical or gas risk

Continue to the action plan below.

If you suspect an active leak, act immediately. Do not wait for visible damage.

What to do right now — your 5-minute action plan

Follow these steps in order. Keep it simple. The first few minutes matter most.

  1. Turn off the water supply at the stopcock

    In many Scottish homes, the stopcock is usually:

    - under the kitchen sink
    - in a utility room
    - in an airing cupboard
    - near the front door
    - in a communal area in some tenement buildings

    Turn it clockwise until it stops.

    If you live in a tenement flat and cannot access the stopcock because it is in a shared area, call your factor straight away. If you do not have a factor, call us and describe the situation. In shared buildings, the first job is often establishing where the source is and who controls access.

  2. Turn off the heating system if the source is unclear

    If the leak may involve heating pipework, underfloor heating, or a boiler that is rapidly losing pressure:

    - turn the boiler off at the programmer or thermostat
    - do not keep topping the system up
    - do not drain the system unless you know exactly how to bring it back into service safely

    A pressurised heating system can continue pushing water into the structure even when you cannot see where it is going.

  3. Turn off electricity to the affected area if it is safe

    Only do this if you can reach the consumer unit without stepping into water or entering an unsafe area.

    If the water has already reached the consumer unit, do not touch it. Leave the area and call 105.

  4. Protect the area and move what matters most

    Start with:

    - documents
    - electronics
    - valuables
    - soft furnishings
    - anything directly beneath the leak

    Use towels or sheets to slow the spread across the floor.

    Place bowls or buckets under active drips.

    If a ceiling is visibly bulging with water, avoid standing beneath it. Move valuables out of the way and call immediately. A bulging ceiling is an urgent situation and should always be treated as such.

  5. Photograph everything before cleaning up

    Take clear photos of:

    - the visible leak or water ingress
    - wet ceilings, walls, floors, or belongings
    - any staining or damp patches
    - the route the water appears to be taking
    - your meter reading if the property is on a metered supply

    These first images are often the clearest record of what happened.

  6. Decide who to call first

    If water is actively escaping and damage is ongoing, call us first.

    If the situation is stable and you already know your insurer will want the claim logged straight away, call your insurer first and get a claim reference, then call us.

    Not sure which way round to do it? Call us. We can tell you the most sensible next step based on what you are seeing.

  7. Call 01786 619 110

    Urgent attendance across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, and the wider Central Belt.

    Written findings, photos, and trace and access reporting where required.

Ready to book a leak detection survey?

Our engineers operate across Scotland. No call-out fee for confirmed bookings.

Serving all of Scotland · CIPHE Registered · Fully Insured

Your emergency — guidance by situation

If any of the following situations apply to your property, we recommend seeking professional leak detection assessment as soon as possible.

Act promptly

Burst pipe or visible active leak

Turn off the stopcock, protect the area, and call immediately. Where repair is within scope and access allows, we may be able to complete it on the same visit.

Act promptly

Water coming through the ceiling

This is common in flats and tenements where the source may be in another flat, shared pipework, or the common roof. Source evidence usually comes before any clear responsibility answer.

Water near electrical fittings

Do not touch switches, appliances, or wet surfaces in the affected area. If you cannot isolate the power safely, call `105`. If there is immediate danger to life, call `999`.

Act promptly

Heating system emergency

If the boiler is losing pressure rapidly or making unusual noises, turn it off and do not assume the issue is minor because you cannot see water.

Act promptly

Commercial property leak affecting operations

Protect stock, records, and equipment where safe, notify the relevant building contact, and call with the property type, postcode, and impact on operations.

Landlord emergency

If a tenant has reported an active leak, ask for photos and a short description, confirm whether water is still escaping, and arrange documented attendance as quickly as possible.

Not sure which situation applies?

Our team can advise you within minutes. A brief call is all it takes to determine whether a site visit is required.

What to expect when you call and when we arrive

When you call, we will usually ask:

  1. 1. What are you seeing right now?

  2. 2. Is the water still actively escaping?

  3. 3. Is there any risk around electrics or gas?

  4. 4. What type of property is it?

  5. 5. Have you isolated the water supply?

  6. 6. Is the property insured, and if so do you already have a claim reference?

Then we will tell you the next sensible step and confirm the attendance window we can offer.

Our Process

When we arrive

A typical visit follows this order:

01

We assess the visible symptoms and the likely source zone

02

We carry out structured testing using the most suitable methods for the suspected leak

03

We explain what we have found and what access, if any, is required

04

Where the repair is within scope, we complete it or agree the next step with you

05

We provide written findings and photos after the visit

What matters about our approach

We do not start by guessing.
We test before opening up.
We work carefully to avoid unnecessary damage.
Where additional access is needed, we explain it before proceeding.
If we cannot identify an active leak, we still explain what we found, what was ruled out, and what the next step may be. The style guide explicitly requires that uncertainty be framed honestly in a diagnostic context.

Emergency pricing — what you pay and what insurance may cover

Because emergency scope varies, pricing should be discussed on the phone once we understand:
- the property type
- the visible symptoms
- whether the leak is active
- whether same-day attendance is needed
- whether the issue appears domestic, landlord, or commercial

Emergency investigation pricing starts from £750.

In some cases, home or commercial buildings insurance may include trace and access cover. That cover may contribute towards the cost of locating the leak and gaining access to it, depending on the policy wording. We can provide the documentation your insurer may need, but we cannot tell you whether a claim will be accepted and we do not handle claims on your behalf. This keeps the insurance wording within the approved compliance boundaries.

Related page: Full explanation of trace and access cover

Emergency plumber or leak detection specialist — which do you need?

If the pipe has burst visibly and you can see exactly where it is, you may only need a plumber.
If water is escaping but the source is hidden, or the same problem keeps returning, you probably need a leak detection specialist.

Your situationIncludes
Visible burst pipe, source obviousPlumber for the repair


Water escaping, source unknown		Leak detection specialist
Boiler losing pressure rapidlyLeak detection specialist
Damp patch on ceiling, source unclearLeak detection specialist
Repeated repair but same symptom returnsLeak detection specialist
You need written findings for insuranceLeak detection specialist

Not sure?
Call us and describe what you are seeing. We will tell you honestly whether this sounds like something a general plumber can deal with, or whether you are likely to need specialist detection first.

Get a Free Quote

When can you be here?

We aim to give you an honest time window when you call. Availability depends on the location, the urgency of the situation, and what is already in progress that day. Call to confirm live availability. We will give you a realistic answer, not a vague promise.

Coverage across the Central Belt

Don't see your area listed? We cover a wide range of Scottish locations —
contact us to confirm service availability in your postcode.

View full coverage area

Before you call

Emergency leak questions — quick answers

Turn off the stopcock if you know where it is and it is safe to do so. Then turn off the heating system if the source may involve heating pipework. Photograph the damage and call us.

Can't find the answer you need?

Call our team on 01786 619 110
What to do next

Active leak — call now
Urgent attendance across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, and the wider Central Belt

Our team will talk you through the immediate next step and confirm the earliest attendance we can offer.

No obligation. Available across Scotland.

SNIPEF Accredited Insurance-report ready Non-invasive methods Nationwide coverage