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?

And it will be repaired, just not as quick as the OP would like.

yes take a look at a you tube video to fix a cistern. generally a simple cost effective fix. unless you have a physical disability that hinders you from pouring water down the toilet wait for the appointment

To answer this, since much of the thread has devolved into bickering…

A non-flushing toilet is a toilet that is completely blocked and unable to be used. Your toilet is not blocked and is able to be flushed manually or with a bucket of water, so that rule doesn’t apply here because you are not being left without bathroom facilities.

Quick fix is cable ties, wire, etc..

Open cistern/toilet lid. Find the bit that pulls the ballcock/big roundish thing so that the toilet flushes and empties. Find the bit attached to the handle that goes up and down and attacjh it to to the bit that pulls the ballcock/round thing.

It might take a couple of goes to find the right way of attaching, by flushing. I've actually kept my toilet of 10 years operational by this method.

Replacement is on my extensive list of DIY/improvements. Before I owned this toilet I was an HA tenant and wouldn't be surprised, nor expect, the HA to fix my flushing problems before the end of Jan.

When I pull it the end just comes straight out.

leave the lower hook in place so it lifts the piece of plastic under it.

Is it a pull flush over head cistern or a handle on the cistern/tank attached to the toilet?

Can you take a photo of what you mean the end comes straight out?

Does the metal Snot attach to both the black plastic lever and a loop/something else at the other end?

Ballcock

Go on YouTube. Type in faulty toilet flush. There is a plumber who talks you through exactly what to do. I did this the 1st time I changed a syphon, fiddly but basic DIY.

I disagree, the op has said she can't or won't repair it. I imagine she would find a way if she had to foot the bill for a call out charge.

If one rents privately usually the managing agents will have local plumbers, or the landlord will pop.round. when DS and DIL rented in London their rent was £1750 for a one bed flat and that was a few years ago. I wonder if the op is paying that?

When our boiler broke during the beast from the East in 2018, despite a maintenance contract with a reliable firm, we had to wait 9 days - without heating and hot water.

If the op wishes to expend no effort to try to effect a repair, then she needs to use a bucket to flush until the council can get a plumber out.

If that's the case you probably just need to replace the flusher valve with something like for like - which will be about £20 on amazon, if that. You'll need to turn the water off (or turn an isolator, if you have one), disconnect the feed and swap out the flusher. It's not hard, but if you aren't confident I'd get a plumber in for an hour's labour.

Or you can use a bucket and wait 3 weeks to save the money. Personally I would just do that.

No such thing as an hours labour in plumbing. Will be fixed price for a repair, call out or not.

So, if the metal hooky bit is the part which has detached from the actual flap that lets the water into the toilet bowl, then you have to put your hand into the water, to the bottom of the cistern and pull the flap/plunger/stopper up yourself and the water will be let out of the cistern into the bowl. It will then refill. You just don’t have a flusher.

Look at how it should be attached and you may be able to do a temp fix with a cable tie (that’s what I used).

Do you always look down your nose at people or is it just council tenants who you reserve your distaste for?

Well, there is, because that's exactly how I just paid my plumber and another couple I've used.

Things are different in different parts of the country or indeed in different countries. Shocking, i know.

@SamBoner of course a plumber is a qualified trade - my son has just done a three year apprenticeship in it - you have to do plumbing before you can do your gas. But maybe that's why there is a shortage of them if it's not an actual trade!

One of the rudest and snootiest things I've heard on MN and that's saying something. Council tenants aren't all pondlife and wasters you know and they are more than capable of paying their way.

Yep this. If you stick your hand in there down to the white thing at the bottom there will probably be a bobble on top of it a bit like on a sports bottle where you pull it up to drink out of and push it down to close it. If you pull that bobble up the toilet will flush. You could also get a coat hanger hook or something similar and pull it up with that.

The HA is the OPs landlord.

This is the problem I just can't reattach it.

@prestatynprlck
Ignore the haters, there will always be someone to put you down.
Unfortunately if it’s not classed as an emergency you can’t do much about it.
If you are unable to afford a plumber keep trying with the bucket flushing. If it doesn’t do the job your toilet is going to become blocked and then it may well be an emergency.

can you add a photograph on here of the cistern without the lid?

@neilyoungismyhero

One of the rudest and snootiest things I've heard on MN and that's saying something. Council tenants aren't all pondlife and wasters you know and they are more than capable of paying their way.

I didn't think it was snooty at all. Council tenants would not have insurance to cover broken toilets because it's the landlord's responsibility.

Stop projecting. Its you using those terms.

Go knock on 10 council house doors and they wont have any home insurance.