My meter spins with the taps off — do I definitely have a leak?

Almost certainly. With every tap, appliance and toilet genuinely off, the meter should not move. Continued movement means water is escaping somewhere on your supply — often a hidden leak worth tracking down.

Can a toilet make the meter spin?

Yes — a silently leaking toilet is one of the most common causes. Water trickles from the cistern into the pan without any obvious sign. A dye or coloured-tissue test in the cistern will reveal it.

Common plumbing problems

Water meter spinning with the taps off? You've got a leak

Guidance built with working UK plumbers · Last updated July 2026

If your water meter keeps turning with every tap and appliance off, you almost certainly have a leak somewhere on your supply — often a hidden one, like a silently leaking toilet, a pipe under the floor, or the underground supply pipe. It's worth chasing down: hidden leaks quietly waste water and can cause slow, expensive damage.

Amber — not usually a flood, but water's escaping somewhere. A spinning meter with everything off is a clear sign; find the source before it does damage.

Do this now

Turn everything off. All taps and appliances, and make sure no toilet is filling.
Do a meter test. Read the meter, wait 30–60 minutes using no water, then read again. Moved = a leak.
Inside or outside? Turn off the internal stopcock. If the meter still moves, the leak is between the meter and the stopcock (the underground supply pipe). If it stops, the leak is inside the house.
Check inside. Prime suspect: a silently leaking toilet — put a little dye or coloured tissue in the cistern and see if it reaches the pan. Then check visible pipes, boiler pressure and under floors.
Underground or can't find it? Call a plumber or a leak-detection service; your water supplier may help locate a supply-pipe leak.

Likely causes

Where	Likely cause
Inside, meter stops when stopcock off	Silently leaking toilet, dripping fitting, pipe under floor
Outside, meter runs with stopcock off	Underground supply-pipe leak
Heating losing pressure too	Leak on the boiler/heating system

When to call a professional

Call a plumber or leak-detection service for an underground or hidden leak, or if you can't isolate the source. For a supply-pipe leak, check whether your water company offers a repair scheme first. LeakScan gives guidance, not a substitute for a qualified plumber.

Questions, answered straight

Do I definitely have a leak?

Almost certainly — with everything genuinely off, the meter shouldn't move. Continued movement means water is escaping somewhere.

How do I test for a hidden leak?

Read the meter, wait 30–60 minutes using no water, read again. Then use the stopcock test to tell inside from outside.

Who pays for an underground supply-pipe leak?

Usually the supply pipe from the boundary to your home is the homeowner's responsibility, but many water companies offer free or subsidised repair — check with yours first.

Can a toilet cause it?

Yes — a silently leaking toilet is one of the most common causes. A dye test in the cistern reveals it.

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