Emergency plumber in West Hampstead

West Hampstead was a hamlet until the railways arrived. Between the 1850s and 1879, three lines were built through it, and within a few decades fields gave way to streets of red-brick houses and mansion blocks. Much of that housing survives, and most of it is now divided into flats. Its drains and pipes were built for a different century.

When the sewers overflow

West Hampstead was among the worst-hit parts of Camden in the flash flood of 12 July 2021. West End Lane near the fire station turned into a river, drains blocked, and residents reported sewage coming up through their toilets. Many blamed Victorian sewers that cannot take that much water at once. An earlier storm, in 2002, led to a large storage sewer being built under Sumatra Road, but heavy downpours can still overwhelm the system.

If water or sewage is coming back up into your home, stop using taps, toilets and the washing machine until the rain eases, and call us. Afterwards, ask us about a non-return valve, which lets your drain empty into the sewer but stops the sewer emptying into your flat.

Flats in houses built for one family

Most streets off West End Lane, such as Hillfield Road, Lymington Road and Dennington Park Road, are lined with late Victorian and Edwardian terraces that have been split into two, three or four flats. That brings three common emergencies: a leak from the flat above, a blocked drain that several households share, and a supply pipe that feeds the whole building. We fix the immediate problem, then explain whose pipe or drain it was, so you know who to talk to next.

Mansion blocks and conservation

Red-brick mansion blocks such as Marlborough Mansions on Cannon Hill sit among the houses. Around West End Green, the West End Green Conservation Area, designated in 1993, protects a remarkably consistent run of Victorian and Edwardian buildings. Repairs inside are rarely affected. Changes to the outside, such as a new flue on a front wall, can need permission, so we check with you first.

From Fortune Green to Broadhurst Gardens, call 07862 142953 or WhatsApp us a photo. Read what to do about a blocked toilet or drain while you wait.