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 used to find doing these DIY jobs scary. Not really sure why. Lack of confidence.

But they're easy. It's just confidence really, following a YouTube video.

And the prices for trades are absolutely bonkers. a ten minute job - £100 please. Trades are the biggest scam going. You have people with all As and masters degrees calling out people with far lower GCSEs (that isn't meant disrespectfully, but it is broadly factual, although obvo they have the trade qualifications) and paying them vastly more for their time than they get paid.

DIY op. Each time you do it, it gets a bit easier than the last.

Tried to post a video but it wouldn't work.

But no renters will! Why can’t you just say “renters.” Why go on about it being council people?

She has at the end of page 1. It's a bit blurry though

you can't reattach the thing - but can you put a bit of string around it to lift it up and retreat the flush?

Have you tried flushing it with your hand though? You have to reach down to the bottom of the cistern and pull it up yourself since the metal hook is not attached. Even if you can’t reattach it, you can flush it with your own hand.
It’s much easier than using a bucket every time while you order a new part or wait for the plumber.

OP why cant you yank the metal clip up??

Better

Because when I pull it up the whole thing comes out

Id call the council on Monday and also state that not being able to flush your loo is an issue. 3 weeks for a repair is far to long

im assuming the call out plumber is a contractor firm that have the contract with the council to make the repairs - if they are taking 3 weeks then this isn't acceptable and id Laos contact your MP

To be fair I wouldn’t say it’s an emergency and 3 weeks isn’t a crazy timescale, especially this time of year. We had plumbing issues on boxing day last year and called a plumber and the first slot they had was 20th January so you’d be unlikely to get anything sooner even if paying.

What whole thing comes out?

Well, in that case, take the lid off and pull the thing it connects to yourself

Hrm in that case it probably needs the whole diaphragm then. I think it can all be replaced from within but it would take someone who knows how to do it 10 minutes whereas you would spend hours on it. I'd just wait for the cooncil and flush with a bucket in the meantime.

None of this is true or relevant.

The toilet is not an emergency repair because it can still be used, isn’t leaking and isn’t a danger.
3 weeks is not too long to wait for a non-emergent repair. Even if OP was going to pay herself, she would still be waiting for a plumber to fit her in.

Her MP will do nothing because the council haven’t done or said anything wrong or unreasonable.

if you are using a bucket of water method to flush the loo

it maybe better to get bin liners and pop toilet paper int he bin instead of down the loo - that way you'll probably need less water to flush

So that black bobble there - if you pull that up like a sports cap it will flush. If the hook is broken find somethi g else to hook through it for now. If the hole the hook goes through is what is broken you could tie some string round it perhaps instead.

This comes out

But yours will flush using the bucket method. Non-flushing would mean that the water wouldn't disappear and the bowl would fill and fill until it overflowed.

Take lid off and post a picture. Someone may be able to talk you through a simple repair.

Do the council even know its taking 3 weeks for a repair? is this contracted out?

I contacted a plumber on 18th December and he was here on Sunday 22nd. I sent him a video of the problem and he came with the parts

The metal bar on tge black thing lifts a flap to allow water down the pipe to flush. Lift it using the black thing. When finished, let the flap back down. Water will come in, until it’s deep enough to lift the float on the L, once that happens a valve will close and water will stop coming in.

You broke it - you fix it?

🙄

Don't be daft

Thomas Dudley Ltd Adjustable Siphon 237mm - Screwfix

Needs one of these. But let the council fit one rather than mess about yourself.