That a three week wait to fix a broken toilet isn't acceptable?

[prestatynprlck]

I am in council owned housing and last night the handle on my toilet has broken and will no longer flush, I have lifted the lid and tried to fix it myself but no luck. I rang the emergency repairs number and they said that it is not an emergency as I can flush it with buckets of water and the next available appointment for repair is the 22nd of January. Am I being unreasonable that I shouldn't have to pour buckets of water down my loo every time I use it for the next three weeks? The woman on the phone this morning said that if it was her she would just call a plumber herself which I am probably going to end up doing but it sticks in my throat. I could probably manage for a few days but three weeks with no working toilet, really?

I would just get a plumbers. However, if the plumber says you need a new toilet would you be able to claim back the cost.

Try a local plumber and see if you can sort it quicker yourself.

Can you not pull up the thing in the cistern that causes the water to flow into the toilet bowl ?

I have tried to manually flush it but I can't.

You'll be able to flush it by pushing down the lever in the cistern, I've done that many times when waiting for mine to be sorted

What has broken? Just the handle- google how to fix it and buy a new fitting- a few ££s and 10 minutes work

It’s not an emergency so three weeks isn’t that long tbh . You could fix it yourself.

Just sort it out yourself if you can't cope with manually flushing. If it's just a handle you could just buy the parts and do it.

That's the cost of cheap rent unfortunately. You can flush from inside the cistern, or as they say, use a bucket. It isn't an emergency.

Many housing associations etc are struggling to find plumbers at the mo, we own a drainage firm and are often asked to step in outside of our usual remit.

I would suggest looking online at Screwfix or plumbfix, as chances are the part you need is dirt cheap, then a YouTube video or two and chances are you'll be fine. If not, then call a plumber.

For wees perhaps point shower head down loo if it is a free one like that, save the bucket for #2s.

I don't know what's broken because I'm not a plumber, the handle is just loose and the thing that it connects to in the toilet has come off.

An emergency would be a leak that cannot be controlled, or a blockage that backs up etc so that the toilet doesn't serve its function of removing waste, or is a hazard. Yours isn't at this stage, annoying as that may be.

I would just keep using the buckets of water and wait until 22nd. I don’t think it’s unreasonable.

If you can’t wait that long, call a plumber, but they’ll also be very busy in the New Year.

Lift the lid and look. Chances are it is the cable that goes from the inside of the handle, to the bit that releases the water into the bowl itself. Toilets are very simple contraptions really, I'm not technically minded but would be able to do this.

I've fixed my own previously- cost about fifteen quid from B&Q for a new flushing mechanism and I borrowed an adjustable wrench.

Or you keep a mop bucket in the bathroom and chuck half a mop bucket full of water down the loo when needed, less for wees.

It may even have just come off the inside and need re-attaching.

YouTube has helped me many times in similar DIY situations, might help with a temporary fix?

When mine broke a few years ago, it was a bit of wire that joined the handle to the plunger bit inside the cistern that had snapped.

I bodged it up with a bit of a wire coat hanger that I cut to size with pliers, and it worked perfectly for a couple of weeks until I could afford to get a plumber to do a proper fix.

Some internet research will help you fix this yourself.

Lift the lid and take a photo and identify the type of flush system you have.

Well it isn't an emergency is it? A blocked toilet us an emergency, this is a minor irritation. You should be able to flush it just by reaching into the cistern.

Then hook it back on and tighten the handle if you need to

Can you afford a plumber?

You might find it's just a case of hooking it back together then - might take you a few seconds to sort yourself. YouTube it or take a pic for us and I bet we can help.

Post on your local FB group to see if anyone can do it cheap or free but it's not a difficult job and could be done in about 10 mins yourself with a YouTube video

Post some pictures and we can help more?
Almost everyone has had to repair a cistern at some point in their lives