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THE PROBLEM GUIDE · TAPS & SINKS

Tap won’t turn off

If water keeps flowing after the control is set to off, start with the supply you can safely identify - not a guess at the part inside.

An example single-lever mixer: 1 handle/lever, 2 internal valve area, 3 spout outlet and 4 tap-to-sink base.

THE SHORT ANSWER

Is the spout still flowing with the control off?

If water continues to leave the spout while the normal control is off, treat that as a control problem rather than a brief after-use drip. First check from a dry, safe position whether water is reaching the sink drain or escaping onto the floor. A known private inside stop tap may limit incoming mains, but stored hot-water supplies can continue; do not force a handle or dismantle the tap while it is flowing.

Choose the flow route Limit water safely Know when to call

Before you startWater running onto the floor, at risk of overflowing, spreading or near wet electrics? Keep clear and seek urgent plumbing help. Do not touch wet electrical equipment, reach through water, force the tap control or enter a wet cabinet. A main stop tap may not stop a stored hot-water supply. Check the safe stop-tap boundary

Jump to a section
01 / Choose the route

Is water still flowing after the control is off?

This guide is for water that continues from the spout when the ordinary tap control is set to off. A few remaining drops just after use are different. Before approaching any valve, note whether the water is going into a clear sink or bath waste, or escaping and pooling elsewhere.

What you already observeWhat it may meanNext step
A steady stream or continuing flow leaves the spout while the control is at off.The control is not stopping the water. The symptom does not identify which internal part or supply is involved.If it is safely draining, arrange prompt repair. If escaping, pooling, at risk of overflow or near wet electrics, keep clear and seek urgent help.
A small amount drips immediately after normal use, then stops within a few seconds.Some taps can drain residual water from the spout after shutoff.Do not treat that brief pattern alone as a tap that will not turn off; see the dripping-tap guide if drops persist.
The control already feels stiff, loose, spins freely or is detached, and the flow continues.Handle feel is an observation only; it does not prove whether a handle connection, valve, cartridge or another part has failed.Do not force, remove or test the handle while water is flowing. Record what you noticed and tell the plumber.
Water appears around the tap base/handle or beneath the sink, rather than leaving the spout.That is a different leak location and may involve another seal or connection.Do not reach into a wet cabinet or tighten an unidentified fitting; use the matching leak guide when available.
The tap flow continues after a known mains stop tap is closed, especially from a hot tap.Stored water or a different supply arrangement may still be feeding it; mains shutoff alone does not identify or isolate that system.Stop experimenting. Do not operate tank, cylinder or heating valves from this guide; seek prompt plumbing help.
You cannot tell whether water is flowing from the spout or elsewhere.The symptom alone does not locate the leak or identify the supply.Do not dismantle or recreate it. Keep clear if water is spreading and get help to identify it.

The control problem comes first

If water continues with the control at off, do not use a washer or cartridge guide as a diagnosis. The dripping-tap guide covers a brief or persistent drip after ordinary shutoff and contains a separate, exact-model repair example.

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02 / What to do now

How can you limit the water safely?

If the spout flow is safely draining into a clear basin or bath waste with no pooling, the immediate property risk may be lower, but the tap still needs prompt attention and wastes water. Do not block the waste. If water is escaping onto the floor, likely to overflow, spreading or near electrical equipment, stay clear and get urgent help.

  1. Keep clear of immediate hazards

    If water is reaching electrical equipment, pooling on the floor, or creating an unsafe route, do not approach a valve through it. Keep others clear and seek urgent plumbing help.

  2. Identify the correct private valve before touching it

    Use only a positively identified conventional private inside stop tap that is dry and safely reachable. Do not use a shared, external, unfamiliar, wet or stiff valve, and do not use tools to force it.

  3. Close it normally by hand

    Turn the known conventional inside stop tap clockwise by hand until it closes normally. If it resists, leaks, or you are uncertain it is the private mains stop tap, leave it alone and get prompt plumbing help.

  4. Check from a dry position whether the flow stops

    Observe the spout without touching the water. The stop tap limits incoming mains only; a stored hot-water supply may continue. If flow remains, do not search for or operate tank/cylinder/heating valves or drain the system - stop experimenting and call a plumber. If the flow stops, leave the stop tap closed until the fault has been dealt with; this is damage limitation, not a repair.

Do not work on the tap while it is flowing

Do not remove a handle, force the control, loosen a cartridge or try to change a washer while water is running. This guide has no generic repair procedure for an unidentified tap.

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03 / Control clues

What can the control movement tell you?

An example single-lever mixer: 1 handle/lever, 2 internal valve area, 3 spout outlet and 4 tap-to-sink base.
An example single-lever mixer: 1 handle/lever, 2 internal valve area, 3 spout outlet and 4 tap-to-sink base. The internal area is simplified for recognition, not shown as a removal procedure. Traditional washer taps and other mixers differ; appearance does not identify a compatible spare.

Tap controls operate different internal assemblies. Some traditional screw-down taps use a rubber washer; many lever and ceramic-disc taps use a model-specific valve or cartridge. The control moving freely, feeling stiff or failing to stop the water is not enough to identify the replacement part.

Describe, do not diagnose

Control spins or feels loose

Record that the control moved without seeming to change the flow. Do not take off the handle to look for a loose screw while the tap is running; the observation does not locate the fault.

Maker-specific evidence

Control feels stiff or will not travel normally

Do not force it. Crosswater lists possible stiffness factors on its own taps, but those possibilities do not identify the cause or repair for another brand. If the tap also will not stop the flow, follow the safe isolation route first.

Flow is the important symptom

Control seems to move normally but flow continues

The tap still needs assessment even if the handle looks intact. A washer, valve or cartridge cannot be chosen from this symptom alone.

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04 / DIY boundary

Can you repair a tap that will not turn off yourself?

First make the water safe to approach. On an unidentified tap, this guide does not give a generic handle, washer or cartridge removal recipe: tap designs differ, correct parts are model-specific, and dismantling before confirming isolation can release more water. Once the flow is safely controlled, use instructions for the exact tap model or ask a plumber.

An exact-model repair example is in the related guide

The separate dripping-tap guide contains valve replacement steps only for a positively identified Bristan MZ SNK EF Range (D8) and its exact manual. That example does not apply to a tap that only looks similar or to another model.

If you rent, notify your landlord or managing agent. Do not alter a hot-water cylinder, storage tank, boiler or associated valve to try to stop a tap; the supply arrangement may be unfamiliar.

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05 / When to get help

When should you call a plumber or landlord?

Prompt repair

Flow is controlled and draining safely

Arrange prompt plumbing assessment so the tap can be identified and repaired. Tell them whether flow stopped after the known private inside stop tap, and describe how the control already felt.

Urgent help

Water is escaping, spreading or likely to overflow

Keep people clear of wet areas and seek urgent help. Do not reach into a wet cabinet or approach an unsafe valve.

Electrical hazard

Water has reached or may reach electrics

Keep clear of wet electrical equipment and exposed wiring. Have affected equipment assessed by a suitable electrician after the immediate plumbing issue is addressed.

Give the plumber the tap location, whether the flow is hot or cold if already known, whether it is safely reaching the waste, what the handle already did, and whether the known mains stop tap changed the flow. Do not repeat tests or dismantle parts to gather more information.

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06 / Repair cost

What might it cost to fix a tap that will not turn off?

The price depends on what failed and whether the water can be safely controlled. Ask for the call-out or emergency charge, diagnostic work, labour, compatible parts and VAT to be itemised. Confirm any out-of-hours premium and whether a replacement tap or further isolation work would be charged separately.

Match a price to the diagnosed repair

If the eventual repair is a standard washer-type dripping-tap job, the related guide has a scoped survey example. That is not a quote for an uncontrollable tap or emergency attendance.

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07 / Questions

Common questions about a tap that will not turn off

Is a tap that keeps running the same as a dripping tap?

No. A few seconds of residual water or a continuing drip after ordinary shutoff is different from water continuing to flow because the control cannot stop it. Use this guide for continuing flow; use the dripping-tap guide for drops after the tap is off.

Will turning off the main stop tap stop a hot tap?

It stops incoming mains water when it is the correct private inside stop tap. Some systems also have stored water, which may continue to flow. If the spout keeps running, do not try tank, cylinder or heating valves; get prompt plumbing help.

What if the handle spins or feels stiff?

Record what you already noticed, but do not force or remove the handle. A maker’s possible explanation for its own products cannot identify the fault in another tap.

Can I replace the washer or cartridge while water runs?

No. Do not dismantle an unidentified tap or work before confirming suitable isolation. Compatible parts and repair steps depend on the exact model. The separate dripping-tap guide links one exact-model Bristan example only.

What should I do if the water is heading towards electrics?

Keep clear of wet electrical equipment and exposed wiring. Seek urgent plumbing help for the water and suitable electrical assessment for affected equipment.

How much does a plumber charge to fix it?

There is no single matched price for a tap that will not stop. The cause, access and urgency determine the work. Ask for a current itemised total; a standard dripping-tap estimate does not cover every failed control or emergency visit.

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EVIDENCE & ACCOUNTABILITY

Sources and review

Prepared by Plumber.org.uk with AI assistance, using the sources listed below. These sources support the explanations; they do not endorse this website.

Source-checked guide with independent editorial review and AI-assisted research. No professional plumbing review is claimed. Initial research: 2026-09-28. Updated: 2026-09-30. This is general information, not an assessment of your installation. Prices can change; confirm compatibility and the full repair quote before buying or booking.

How we research and update guides. Spotted an error? Contact us with the page address and the detail to check. This form is for general enquiries and editorial feedback, not emergency assistance.

  1. Bristan Group Ltd (UK) - FAQ: Kitchen Taps, Bathroom Taps and Showers

    Accessed 2026-09-28. Headings “HOW CAN I STOP MY PRODUCT FROM DRIPPING?” (lines 145 - 151) and “WATER TRICKLES FROM THE TAP AFTER TURNING IT OFF” (lines 160 - 163). Bristan says water remaining in the spout may drain for a few seconds after shutoff; its brand-specific discussion separately names debris/limescale, valves and seating. Used for the distinction and a qualified Bristan-specific mechanism, not UK-wide prevalence.

  2. Bristan Group Ltd (UK) - MZ SNK EF Range (D8): Installation Instructions & User Guide

    Accessed 2026-09-28. The cover identifies “MZ SNK EF Range (D8)” (PDF page 1, lines 130 - 138); its specification shows flexible tails with isolation valves (page 1, lines 116 - 129). Page 2, heading “Maintenance - Replacing Valves”: the instructions say to isolate water first, remove handles, remove valves with a suitable 17 mm spanner, identify the replacement valve using the product code, and reverse steps to replace valves and handles (PDF text lines 251 - 262 and 316 - 317). The same page's trouble-shooting table separates normal short post-use dripping from continued dripping that may involve ceramic-disc valves/cartridge (lines 281 - 289). The manual separately describes restoring mains water and running water for a few minutes after outlet cleaning (lines 172 - 180); that is not represented as a valve-replacement leak test.

  3. Which? (UK) - How much do plumbers cost?

    Accessed 2026-09-28. Table “How much does it cost to fit and fix taps?”: the row “Fix leaky kitchen tap” describes a standard mixer tap (spindle tap with washers) dripping constantly, assumes isolation valves are present, gives £45 - £200 and one hour. The note says prices were based on a survey of 25 Which? Trusted Traders gathered November 2025, include labour and materials, exclude VAT, and are likely toward the upper end in London/South East. This guide uses the row only for that matched example.

  4. Wickes - How to fix a dripping tap

    Accessed 2026-09-28. Headings “What causes taps to drip?” and “How to fix a compression valve tap”: distinguishes a rubber washer in a full-turn compression tap from ceramic-disc taps that open within half a turn; identifies spout, handle and base as different leak locations. Steps 1 - 4 describe one generic compression-valve washer sequence, and the preparation section says isolate supply and drain excess water. The sequence is not adopted as a generic action here because the page does not resolve all fitting/valve variations, exact compatible parts and a complete post-restoration leak check for an unidentified tap.

  5. Thames Water - How to find and use your inside stop valve

    Root directly opened: lines27 - 31 shared-supply distinction;35 - 41 conventional inside stop valve closes clockwise without excessive force; residual water can remain;58 - 60 get plumber help if locating/using fails.

  6. Electrical Safety First - Electrical safety after a flood

    Current page accessed 28 Sep 2026: keep clear of exposed wiring and water-damaged electrical equipment; have affected equipment checked by an electrician.

  7. Crosswater UK - What should I do if my tap handle is stiff or won’t turn?

    Accessed 2026-09-28. Heading and lines 7 - 19: Crosswater says stiffness/incomplete closure on its products may involve mineral deposits, worn seals or corrosion around a cartridge spindle; its following steps are Crosswater-specific and involve isolation, trim removal, cleaning/lubrication and possibly cartridge replacement. Only the qualified possible causes are used.

  8. Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) - Dealing with plumbing & heating emergencies

    Accessed 2026-09-28. PDF pp.1 - 2, text lines 21 - 30: distinguishes appliance isolation valves (such as for sanitaryware) from main isolation and discusses a separate hot-water-cylinder supply. Used only to support separate isolation paths and a qualified stored-water caution; no drain-down or cylinder-valve procedure adopted.

  9. Drinking Water Inspectorate - Water Storage Tanks and Cisterns

    Accessed 2026-09-28. Heading “Do I have a water storage tank?” lines 34 - 38: some older properties have tank-fed cold taps; in newer homes, especially with unvented heating systems, hot and cold taps are likely supplied directly under mains pressure. Used to qualify system variation only.