How to Find the Stopcock in Your Home

If a pipe bursts or your toilet starts overflowing, you’ll need to act fast — and that means knowing where your stopcock is. This often-overlooked valve could save you thousands in water damage and is one of the first things every homeowner (or tenant) should locate.

At Pleasant Plumbers, we attend dozens of emergency callouts each month across London where homeowners didn’t know where their stopcock was — costing them precious time and a much bigger mess. Here's how to find it, what it looks like, and why every home should have a labelled, accessible stopcock.

A stopcock (also called a stop valve or stop tap) is a manual tap that controls the flow of water into your property. Turn it clockwise to shut off water, and anti-clockwise to turn it back on.

Most homes have:

• An internal stopcock (inside your home)
• An external stopcock (usually on the pavement, used by water companies)

Every home is different, but the stopcock is usually located where the mains water pipe enters your property. Start your search in these common areas:

🔍 Most Common Locations:

1. Under the kitchen sink
2. In the downstairs toilet or utility room
3. In a cupboard under the stairs
4. In the garage or boiler room
5. In the hallway, behind a panel or access hatch

If you’re in a flat or maisonette, it may be:

• Inside a communal riser cupboard
• Behind a locked access hatch
• In a shared meter cupboard outside

It’s usually:

• A brass tap with a round or oval handle
• Sometimes a blue or red plastic lever
• Connected to copper or plastic pipework
• About the size of a closed fist

• Follow the cold pipe back from the kitchen tap
• Check property plans or ask the previous owner/landlord
• Call Pleasant Plumbers — we can help trace, test, and label it properly

• Emergencies: Burst pipe? Shut the stopcock fast to avoid damage
• Maintenance: You’ll need to turn it off for plumbing repairs
• Tenants: Should be told where it is during check-in
• Landlords: Required to ensure stopcock is accessible and functional

We help homeowners across London locate, label, and replace faulty or seized stopcocks with easy-to-turn levers — so you’re never caught off guard.

📲 Call or WhatsApp 0800 046 1000
📧 Email [email protected]
🌐 Visit pleasantplumbers.com

Searching 'Plumber Near Me?' Plumber London or Commercial Plumber London? We operate all across London! If you need a trusted plumber in London then get in touch with us today on 0800 046 1000 or email us on [email protected]
Pleasant Plumbers – Where Trust Flows Like Water.