If we confirm that you have a leak on your private water supply pipe - which is the homeowner's responsibility - we may be able to help in a number of different ways:

Subsidising the replacement or repair of your pipe

If your water supply pipe serves just your property, we offer domestic customers a subsidy of £215 to fully replace the supply pipe between the edge of the public highway and the inside stop valve, or £95 for a single repair.

The subsidy only applies if this is the first time you have had a leak. So, if you choose to only repair the leak rather than replace the pipe, we will not offer you a further subsidy if you experience another leak in the future.

If your water supply pipe is shared between a number of domestic properties, the subsidy would be shared between the property owners.

Commercial customers (including landlords) do not qualify for the subsidy.

Helping you to find a qualified plumber

If you have a leak, you will need to make your own arrangements for the pipe to be repaired or replaced.

Please use one of the following options:

Check your insurance policy

You may have a specific water supply pipe policy (e.g. with HomeServe). Alternatively, some building insurance policies also cover supply pipes.

• Find out more about HomeServe's insurance policies and home emergency cover

Find a Water Regulations approved plumber

We vet each member of our Approved Plumbers Scheme to make sure they are qualified and have the required Water Regulations knowledge. Each member is also audited every year and must produce evidence of public and employers' liability insurance.

To find a plumber in your area that may be able to help see our approved plumbers list.

• Find a Water Regulations approved plumber

Find your own plumber

Alternatively, you can choose your own plumber, but please check that any contractor you appoint is qualified to carry out the required work in accordance with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999.

Adjusting part of your bill if you are on a water meter

If you have an external water meter, a leak could mean an increase to your bill. In some cases we may give you a 'leak allowance', reducing your bill.

This leak allowance does not apply to commercial customers (including landlords).

If you think you may be eligible, please call our Customer Centre on 0845 9200 888 (Textphone: 0845 7200 899).

Our lines are open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, from 8am to 1pm on Saturday and closed on Sunday and bank holidays.

Helping those that may not be able to pay for repairs

If you are going to have difficulty paying for this work because your household is in receipt of a government means-tested benefit, we may be able to help you.

The qualifying benefits are Full Council Tax Benefit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, the Working Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit (except families in receipt of the family element only), and Pension Credit.

Please note, you will need to provide evidence of your income and specific benefits before receiving any assistance. No other benefits will be considered.

Please call us on 0845 600 2988 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, if you would like to discuss further.

Repair or replacement?

The best solution in the long-term is for you to consider replacing the leaking pipe.

If you have a leak, it is likely that the whole of your supply pipe is in poor condition. This means that there may already other leaks on the pipe, or that they could happen in the future.

In our experience, the majority of pipes which are initially repaired, leak again.

Replacing your pipe from the outset will also minimise the number of holes that need to be dug on your property.

Often contractors are able to 'tunnel' the new pipe underground between two holes when carrying out a replacement.

However, if your pipe requires multiple repairs, they will need to dig at least one hole on each occasion.