Help required - tracing & fixing a leak

[JohnnyEnglish]

I live in an old maison de village, and for some years now we have had a persistent but intermittent water leak which is staining an internal wall. I have done everything I can think of to trace it, and I'm still not clear whether it's rain getting in from outside, or an internal leak from pipework.
So I don't really know where to turn for help. A plumber? A builder?

Has anyone else had a similar experience with (I hope!) a happy outcome?

[martyn94]

I live in an old maison de village, and for some years now we have had a persistent but intermittent water leak which is staining an internal wall. I have done everything I can think of to trace it, and I'm still not clear whether it's rain getting in from outside, or an internal leak from pipework.
So I don't really know where to turn for help. A plumber? A builder?

Has anyone else had a similar experience with (I hope!) a happy outcome?

If the house is on more than one floor, what floor is it on? Is it correlated with rain? Is it on a joining wall which might make it your neighbours' fault? When you say it's a leak, is there visible water, or just stains? Is it likely that theres's pipework nearby, or above? Can you turn the water off, and release the pressure at the taps, and see what happens?

If it's at the top of the house, and on my limited experience, I would look first at the roof.

[Gus Morris]

Agree with remarks by M94. I too own an MDV parts of which are many hundreds of years old. If it's a residence secondaire and the problem develops when you are absent then it is very difficult problem to trace. These old houses are porous! Might be an idea to see if the water meter moves when everything is closed off. If you cut off the water and drain the system before you leave, and there is evidence of a leak when you return, it may eliminate the mains plumbing.

Bon chance

Gus

[martyn94]

Given that a few weeks have passed, did you get anywhere?