Water sitting in the drum at the end of a wash is the single most common washing machine call we get. It is also one of the cheapest faults to put right — provided it is diagnosed properly rather than guessed at.
Start with the filter and the drain hose
Before anything else our engineers check the two things that cause most blockages: the pump filter behind the kick plate at the bottom front of the machine, and the drain hose where it connects to the standpipe or spigot under the sink.
Coins, bra wires, hair grips and lint block the filter. A kinked or pushed-in hose stops water leaving at all. Both are quick to sort, and neither needs a part.
If the water is clear, it is usually the pump
When the filter is clean and the hose is clear but the machine still will not empty, the drain pump itself has usually failed — often because debris has worn the impeller. You will normally hear a hum with no water movement, or nothing at all.
A failed pump is a straightforward repair: drain the machine, replace the pump, test a full cycle. Our fixed labour fee stays the same either way, and the pump is quoted before we fit it.
Sometimes it is not a blockage at all
Two less obvious faults look identical to a blockage:
- The pressure switch — the machine thinks the drum is still full, so it refuses to spin or drain.
- The door interlock — a partially failed lock stops the cycle before the drain stage.
Both need testing with a meter rather than a parts cannon, which is exactly what a fixed-fee visit is for.
What it costs
Our labour charge is £78 whatever the fault turns out to be. If a pump, pressure switch or interlock is needed, we quote the part before fitting it — you decide. If we need to come back with the part, there is no second labour charge.
When to stop repairing
If the machine is over ten years old and the drum bearings are also noisy, a pump replacement is throwing money at a machine that is on its way out. We will tell you honestly when that is the case — it is better for you and better for our reputation.