Call a Plumber

I have 2 toilets that are continually running into the bowl. One is in the en suit of the soon to move in housemate, so that was the primary focus. Nobody had been living in the room for quite a few years, so I had just turned the refill tap off a long time ago and forgot about it. The main toilet downstairs had been running, just ever so slightly, for around 6 months, so we had been wasting water on that one for a long time.

I tried to pull the upstairs toilet apart, but I just couldn't see how it came apart. It seemed to be securely fixed.

So, I came downstairs and pulled the downstairs toilet apart. I got the mechanism part out and I could see the washer that needed to be replaced. But, I couldn't see how to get the mechanism itself apart, so I could get the old washer off, without seemingly breaking the mechanism. It had plastic clips that needed to be removed, but they weren't moving anywhere. No matter how I looked at it, it seemed like I'd fumble about in ignorance and break something. So, I called a plumber.

He came in an hour. He fixed the toilet upstairs in minutes, but the downstairs cistern has to be replaced. He's coming back next week.

I was somewhat disappointed in myself, as I am sure it isn't that hard to do these things. I used to watch my dad when I was young do all of these things, so I, kind of, know how to do them in theory, even if I don't know how to do them in practice.  Still, one toilet is fixed and one will has to be replaced at the beginning of next week. Sam said we should be able to replace a toilet cistern, and he is probably right, there are just two pipes to connect, essentially, but the plumber is going to do it none the less.