Garden pool at a family home, ready for pool repairs by a local engineer

Free for you · Pool repairs

Swimming Pool Repairs by Vetted Local Engineers

Last reviewed October 2026

Pump stopped, heater cold or liner torn? Pool repairs start with one short request. Tell us what’s wrong with your pool pump, filter, heater or liner, and we’ll pass it to up to 2 vetted local technicians. They quote you directly, and you choose. Our service is free for you.

Free quote · Step 1 of 2

Get your free quotes

    Pool or hot tub?

    One-off or regular?

    Free. Up to 2 quotes. No obligation.

    Up to 2 local engineers quote

    Free for homeowners

    No obligation to book

    Key facts (checked October 2026)

    • Call-outs we found ran from £60 (PoolPro, including 30 minutes’ labour, near Biggin Hill) to £165 to £270 (Revive Pools; VAT not stated). Checked October 2026.
    • A pump that won’t prime usually has an air leak in front of the pump, says SPATA’s homeowner handbook.
    • A liner tear can often be patched rather than replaced, says Leak Sleuth.
    • We cover Surrey, Kent, Essex and Hertfordshire.

    What do common pool faults mean?

    A guide to safe checks. Anything electrical, gas or refrigerant is for a qualified engineer.

    Common pool faults and safe first steps
    SymptomLikely causeSafe checkCall a technician
    Pump humming but won't turnNot something to diagnose yourselfSwitch it off at the isolator. Don't keep restarting it.Yes, call an engineer
    Pump won't primeAir leak in front of the pump (SPATA's homeowner handbook)Pool full, strainer lid sealed, unions tight, gasket in placeIf it still won't prime
    Pump keeps tripping the RCDNot something to diagnose yourselfSwitch off. Don't keep resetting it.Yes, an electrician or pool engineer
    Loud or grinding noiseNeeds an engineer to checkSwitch offYes
    Filter pressure 10 psi above your clean readingDirty filter (Pool & Spa Centre)Backwash or clean, pump off when moving the valveIf it doesn't drop
    Filter pressure at least 5 psi below your clean readingBlockage before the filter (Pool & Spa Centre)Check skimmer and strainer basketsIf it stays low
    Sand in the poolBroken lateral or standpipe (Pool & Spa Centre)NoneYes
    Heat pump not heatingOn Hayward heat pumps, E03 means no water flowPump running, valves open, filter clearIf it persists
    Gas heater not firingNeeds a Gas Safe registered engineerIf you smell gas, leave and call the National Gas Emergency ServiceYes, Gas Safe only
    Pump or plumbing leakingFind it first with pool leak detectionNote where it dripsYes, to fix the pump, valve or plant
    Liner tear, cover stuck or light outVariesPhotos helpYes

    Losing water? That is a leak job: see pool leak detection.

    What do pool repairs cover?

    Swimming pool repairs fix the equipment and surfaces that keep a pool running: pump, filter and valves, heater or heat pump, liner, cover, tiles, coping and lights. The work is usually done by a pool engineer, who diagnoses the fault, then quotes for parts and labour.

    For hot tubs, see hot tub repairs instead. For hotels, gyms and other commercial venues, see commercial pool maintenance.

    How our matching works

    1. Describe the fault and add photos if you can.
    2. We pass your request to up to 2 local technicians.
    3. They quote you directly, and you compare and book.

    Read more about how our matching works.

    Pool worker at the side of a pool

    Why is my pool pump or filter not working?

    SPATA’s homeowner handbook says a pump that won’t prime probably has an air leak in front of it (SPATA handbook via Covers4Pools). For filters, Pool & Spa Centre says to compare the pressure gauge with your clean reading. A big change either way tells you where to look.

    What to do when a pool pump won't prime?

    SPATA’s homeowner handbook (via Covers4Pools) lists the usual checks. Make sure the pool is full. Check the strainer lid is sealed, the unions are tight and no gasket is missing. Never run the pump with the wet end dry, as it can cause costly damage. If those checks don’t help, pool pump repair is a job for your technician.

    Pump humming or tripping

    Switch it off at the isolator and call an engineer. Don’t keep restarting it, and don’t keep resetting the trip switch. A humming or tripping pump needs a qualified look, often as part of a pool pump repair visit.

    Why is the pressure so high on my pool filter?

    Pool & Spa Centre says to record your pressure when the filter is clean (Pool & Spa Centre). About 10 psi above that means it’s time to backwash or clean. At least 5 psi below points to a blockage before the filter. Sand in the pool suggests a broken lateral or standpipe, which needs a sand filter repair. AES says never move the multiport handle while the pump runs (AES).

    Pressure gauge on pipework, like the gauge used to check a pool filter

    Why is my pool heat pump running but not heating?

    Hayward says that on its heat pumps, E03 means water is no longer circulating through the unit, and shows whenever the filtration pump stops (Hayward). Check the pump is running, the valves are open and the filter and skimmer are clear. Other brands use different codes.

    Hayward adds that testing the flow switch needs electrical knowledge, so leave that to an engineer. If a heat pump ices up, keeps cycling or just under-performs, ask for a pool heater repair visit.

    Gas heaters are different. If you smell gas, leave the area and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. Any gas work must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. For yearly heat pump servicing, see regular pool maintenance.

    Outdoor heat pump unit, the type that may need a pool heater repair

    Can a pool liner or cover be repaired?

    Often, yes. Leak Sleuth says a liner leak doesn’t mean a new liner if the hole can be found and patched (Leak Sleuth). Chemsol lists underwater repairs with no drain-down required (Chemsol), so some patches can be done with the pool full.

    If your liner is losing water, start with pool leak detection. For a full new liner, see pool refurbishment. Pool liner repair for a small tear stays a repair job.

    Pool with a retractable enclosure; covers and enclosures can jam or tear

    Pool cover repair

    Manual and automatic covers can jam or tear. Send a photo.

    Stone coping and tiles at the pool edge

    Tiles, coping and cracks

    Loose tiles, cracked coping stones and small cracks are common repair jobs. Photos help your technician quote.

    Pool lights in a tiled pool at night

    Pool light repair

    A light that won’t work involves electrics underwater, so leave it to a technician.—

    How much do pool repairs cost?

    Call-outs we found ran from £60 (PoolPro, including 30 minutes’ labour, near Biggin Hill) to £165 to £270 (Revive Pools; VAT not stated). Checked October 2026. Parts and any further work are quoted on top. These are estimates, not our prices.

    Published call-out prices (estimates, not our prices)
    SourceItemPriceArea
    PoolPro ServicesCall-out including half an hour's labour£60Kent, near Biggin Hill
    Revive PoolsPool call-out for faults, diagnosis and repairs£165 to £270 (VAT not stated)Not stated here
    Revive PoolsLabour£36.25 per 15 minutes (£145 per hour)Not stated here

    These are estimates from public price lists, not our prices. Checked October 2026.

    What changes the price

    The fault itself, and the parts it needs. How easy the plant room is to reach. Out of hours visits and travel distance also change the quote.

    Is it worth repairing pool equipment, or should you replace it?

    It depends on the age of the kit, how often it fails and whether parts are still available. If equipment is near the end of its life and keeps going wrong, ask your technician to quote for both a repair and a replacement. Then you can compare like for like.

    Ask about parts, any guarantee on the work and running costs before you decide.

    Pipework gauges like those in a pool plant room

    What should you have ready before an engineer visits?

    A few details help your engineer find the fault and quote accurately. Have the make, model and any error code ready, plus photos or a sound clip. Note your filter pressure, when the problem started and any recent work, and make sure the plant room is easy to reach.

    • Make, model and any error code
    • Photo, video or a clip of the noise
    • Filter pressure: clean reading and now
    • When the problem started
    • Any recent work
    • Clear plant room access
    Pool worker at the side of a pool

    How we vet engineers

    Before a technician gets any requests, we check they have public liability insurance of at least £1 million. We also check for an active Companies House record, or at least 5 genuine reviews on Google or Checkatrade. We don’t carry out DBS or criminal record checks, so please make your own checks too.

    Where can you get pool repairs near you?

    The Pool Cleaning matches homeowners in Surrey, Kent, Essex and Hertfordshire with up to 2 vetted local technicians. Tell us the fault and your postcode, and each one quotes you directly. You compare and choose, with no obligation. Our service is free for you.

    If you searched for pool repairs near me, local engineers cover:

    Surrey

    Kent

    Essex

    Hertfordshire

    We cover Surrey, Kent, Essex and Hertfordshire. Requests from elsewhere are welcome; we’ll email if we can’t match you.

    Find engineers in my area

      Pool or hot tub?

      One-off or regular?

      Free to use. Up to 2 local engineers. No obligation.

      Pool repairs FAQs

      ?

      Switch it off at the isolator and call an engineer. Don’t keep restarting it. A pump that hums without turning needs a qualified person to find the cause, and repeated restarts can make things worse. Tell your technician what you hear and when it started, and send a short sound clip if you can.

      Stop and leave it switched off. Don’t keep resetting the trip switch, because the fault needs finding before the pump runs again. Call an electrician or a pool engineer to check it safely. Note when it trips, for example at start up or after a while, as that helps them.

      SPATA’s homeowner handbook (via Covers4Pools) suggests two safe checks: make sure the pool is full and the strainer lid is sealed. If the pump still stops, switch it off and call an engineer rather than restarting it again and again. Don’t open the motor or test the electrics yourself.

      SPATA’s homeowner handbook (via Covers4Pools) says to try priming for up to three minutes, then switch off. The pool must be full. Never run the pump with the wet end dry, because it will more than likely cause costly damage. If it won’t prime, check for an air leak in front of the pump.

      Often a pump can be repaired, but it depends on the fault, the pump’s age and whether parts are still available. The fairest way to decide is to ask your technician to quote for both a repair and a new pump. Then compare the cost, any guarantee and the expected running costs.

      Sometimes. Chemsol lists underwater repairs with no drain-down required, so some jobs, such as small liner patches, can be done with the pool full. Not every repair can be done this way. Your technician will look at the fault and confirm whether your pool needs draining before they quote for the work.

      It depends entirely on your policy. Cover for pools and pool equipment varies a lot between insurers and policy types, so check your own policy wording and ask your insurer before you book the work. Your technician can give you a written quote and report to support a claim if you make one.

      You can’t safely confirm it yourself. If the pump won’t run, hums, trips the electrics or makes a grinding noise, switch it off at the isolator and don’t test the electrics. An engineer can diagnose it properly and tell you whether a repair or a replacement makes more sense.

      Revive Pools describes the work as fault diagnosis and repairs to swimming pools and the plant room equipment that runs them. In practice, a pool engineer finds and fixes faults in pumps, filters, valves, heaters and heat pumps, liners, covers and lights. They then explain the fault and quote for parts and labour.

      Tell The Pool Cleaning about your fault once, and we’ll pass it to up to 2 vetted local technicians in Surrey, Kent, Essex or Hertfordshire. Our service is free for you. You can also look on SPATA’s website, which has a find a member search for pool businesses.

      How do you get matched with a local pool engineer?

      Get free quotes for pool repairs from up to 2 local technicians. Our service is free for you. Prefer to ask first? Use the form, email info@thepoolcleaning.co.uk, contact us, or message us on WhatsApp on +44 7348 232538.