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?

Personally I would say this is an "Urgent" repair, which my local HA would do in 5 working days, even a routine would be done in 10 working days. However this is by the 13/01 so perhaps the 22/01 isn't as bad as it initially sounds. (But it is not good)

If you're good at learning 'how to' from youtube vids that is cheap and easy to do...

But not if that isn't your skillset or or aren't good at fiddly jobs.

If you can get the replacement part and ask on a local fb group for a plumber you may well find one who will do it for next to nothing as for them it is a very quick job.

Just seen this post of yours.
OK, so it’s not the handle that’s broken. It’s the stem inside the unit. That stem has a spring around it inside the siphon box part and pulls up the flapper thing at the bottom of the box. It’s become detached from the inside so that’s not happening and not flushing.

Couple of options. There are loads and loads of great YouTube videos showing you how to remove the whole siphon unit from your cistern. It’s very easy so don’t worry about doing that. You can then get at the unit feom
the bottom, remove the flapper bit and you’ll find the loose spring. You can then reattach that black stem, may need super glue or something (just for a temporary fix). Pop the spring back over the stem, put it all back into the unit and the black thing will stick out the top again for you to reattach the metal hook. The just install the whole unit back into your cistern. That will give you a temporary fix.

You can also just order a new siphon unit for about £30. You’ll have it in a day or two and can just change the units over. Very easy to do.

Or wait for the council to send someone.

And you don't get to police my posts. She has sanitation.

I am merely asking the folk on here not to bother their MPs with such trivia so they can do their actual jobs and ensure real issues are dealt with properly.

I can assure you if anyone tried to get an MP to take this up they will get a standard response from their assistant explaining this does not fall within the remit of the MP.

Have a good day.

I live in a mixed SH/ownership small block, main door security door failed and eventually new install 8 months later, 4 call outs for repair in one month. Twice included the door would not open, reported and told 2 weeks as not an emergency for a door that would not open - there was another door but not impressed.

Seems fine to me. I do that out of choice using our waterbutt in the downstairs loo in winter ti save water

Another idiotic post. This is not pipes and full on plumbing work where you really don’t know what the underlying cause is or have to trace pipes and see a whole load of issues.

It’s a broken siphon flush unit. It’s a very very simply job which maybe many homeowners have probably encountered.

I'm sorry, how does this make it OK? You are now sitting in a home you don't actually need so you can save to buy? Blocking some one else that does actually need the property who isn't lucky enough to be sat saving? On top of which your moaning about your loo not being fixed the second you click your finger? Jesus christ op, check your privelege will you.

Yes, this and a bloke called Derek on YouTube

No one should leave social housing until they can move to another secure form of housing. At the moment, she would have to move to private rented which is not secure.
She currently has a secure tenancy for life and is doing absolutely nothing wrong by staying there while she saves for her own home. That’s exactly what these homes are designed for. It’s idiotic to suggest she moves from secure affordable accommodation before she has the money to secure her own owned home. It is absolutely not her fault the our government have sold off the housing stock and didn’t replace it. She should not suffer for that; nor should she have to give up her home before she is ready because you deem her unworthy of having it.

Oh give it a bloody rest. There's more shit in this post than down the OP's broken loo.

She's classed herself unworthy of having it, what a treat it would be to be able to sit in cheap accommodation and save at everyone else's expense.

It shouldn’t be a treat. And it wouldn’t be if the government hadn’t sold off social housing.

It is also not at any one else’s expense. She pays rents. She doesn’t cost anyone anything.

She has not classed herself as unworthy. There is no such thing as unworthy. Social housing should be for anyone, for as long as they want it. She got it when in a less fortunate position. She is still not in a position to buy her own home. Therefore, she should not be leaving it.

Keep your jealousy and snobbery in check. She has done nothing wrong. Our government taking our social housing and selling it off for short term gains are the ones who caused all the issues with shortages and waiting lists.

The University of YouTube is usually very helpful, an alternative is if you use your local pub then ask in there, I've had many a thing fixed through pub recommendations!

No she hasn't classed herself as unworthy, she acknowledges that her circumstances have changed and she is now making plans for the future.

Anyway, just because she has a masters degree and is a professional doesn't mean that she is earning £££.

I think there’s some confusion about a repair being urgent, as urgent does not mean emergency. 3 weeks for an urgent repair is pretty standard, as opposed to a non-urgent repair which could take months to fix.

Take a photo of the issue and go to your nearest plumbing supplier. The fix is just a few £, likely a replacement lever or wire hook. Look on youtube for how to fit it

Well, that's a shit HA then. A non-urgent repair should be being fixed within 4-6 weeks. Thank goodness some of these appalling HA will be brought to task by the Housing Ombudsman.

I'm not a DIYer but toilets are about the simplest things in your home to fix yourself.
Try YouTube, you should find a step by step video.
If you can't fix it you can flush by pushing down the ball inside the cistern. Leave the cistern lid off until they come to fix it. Easier than buckets of water

Honestly it's not a big deal! Just don't flush when you wee, but use the bucket when you do anything else.
3 weeks will fly by.

a non flushing loo is classed as an emergency repair if you only have one loo

No it is NOT! not for any HA/Council I have ever worked with has never classed a broken toilet handle an emergency!

What does the OP tenancy agreement say?

I simply don’t get the issue around this, you get a bucket/pot and fill it with water, pour down the toilet!

it does the exact same job as using a handle!

Really what exactly is the issue!