Skip to content

PLUMBING PROBLEM GUIDES

Toilets & Cisterns

Running toilets, flushing problems, cistern faults, leaks and blockages.

Start with the symptom: a toilet that will not flush, a cistern that does not refill, water escaping or a change in how the bowl empties. Choose the guide that matches what you can see or hear.

Find your problem

Toilet cistern not fillingA toilet cistern that stays empty may have a supply or inlet problem. Check the refill cycle, tell no water from slow filling, and choose a safe next step.Read the guide →Toilet constantly runningUnderstand why a toilet keeps running, check for a cistern leak safely, identify possible parts and compare UK repair costs before deciding when to call a plumber.Read the guide →Toilet filling slowlyToilet refill slower than usual? Distinguish delayed filling from weak flow, compare supply clues and find exact-model support for the next steps.Read the guide →Weak toilet flushWeak toilet flush? Compare flush selection, cistern and drainage clues, learn what to check safely and recognise when to stop flushing.Read the guide →Toilet keeps blockingToilet keeps blocking after it clears? Explore possible causes, recognise urgent warning signs and know what to tell a plumber about recurring blockages.Read the guide →Toilet leaking between cistern and bowlWater leaking between the cistern and toilet bowl? Understand possible seals and joints, check where water appears and know when to stop using it.Read the guide →Toilet leaking from the baseWater around the toilet base? Compare leaks after flushing, water running from higher joints and condensation, with UK repair cost examples and next steps.Read the guide →Toilet making a noiseToilet hissing, whistling, banging or gurgling? Use the timing and water behaviour to explore possible causes and decide what to check next.Read the guide →Toilet overflowingToilet water rising or spilling? Stop flushing, distinguish bowl backflow from cistern overflow and find damage-limitation steps and help.Read the guide →Toilet water level too high or too lowLearn what the bowl’s resting water does, how it differs from the cistern level, which changes need the overflow guide, and what to record before getting help.Read the guide →Toilet won’t flushA toilet that will not flush may have a loose control, an empty cistern or a blocked bowl. Use the signs to tell these problems apart and decide what to do next.Read the guide →

Choose by symptom

Each guide explains its scope, useful checks and next steps. A filling problem, a flush-control fault and a bowl that does not empty need different investigations; follow the symptom choices before buying parts.

Common questions

Which guide should I use if my toilet keeps filling?

Start with Toilet constantly running if water continues into the bowl or filling repeatedly restarts. An empty cistern or a slower-than-usual refill has a different guide.

Is a weak flush the same as a blocked toilet?

Choose by what the bowl does: a weak flush, water that will not drain, and blockages that return after clearing are separate journeys. Use observations you already have rather than flushing to test it.

Where should I start if the water is rising or spilling?

Use Toilet overflowing first. It separates rising bowl water from cistern overflow and explains urgent stop-use and damage-limitation boundaries.

Toilet overflowing

Browse all plumbing categories →