Hotpoint washing machine F05 error code
What F05 means on a Hotpoint washing machine
Drain fault, the machine cannot empty.
Meaning checked by NAC's engineers, 9 November 2026.
What our engineers say
On a Hotpoint washing machine, the F05 code is a drain fault: the machine cannot empty. You will usually notice it because the washer is not draining, and water may be left sitting in the drum.
Engineers sometimes find a blockage in the drain pump, such as a hair band, a shoelace or other small debris caught around it. Sometimes clothing or other debris has collected in the sump or its hose, sometimes the drain filter is clogged with debris or scale, and sometimes the drain hose is blocked. Now and then the drain hose has been squashed flat because the machine was pushed too far back against the wall.
An engineer will typically check the drain filter, the pump, the sump hose and the drain hose to find where the water is being held up. Often the fix is simply clearing the blockage and running a rinse and drain to confirm the machine empties properly and the door opens. If the drain hose has been damaged, a new one may need to be ordered and fitted at a second visit, and the machine set back so the hoses are not crushed.
Written by our engineers from NAC's own jobs.
Faults this code turns up with
What our engineers found and fixed for each, from NAC's own repair records, with Hotpoint's own figures where we have enough of them.
What our engineers found and fixed
These figures come from NAC's own repair records: 84 washing machine jobs our engineers attended where the appliance showed this code in the last 12 months. Here is what they found, what fixed it and what it typically cost.
- Jobs attended
- 84
- in the last 12 months
- Confirmed repairs
- 61
- This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
- Fixed at the first appointment
- 87%
- about 9 in 10 of our repairs
- Typical total paid by customers
- £98 to £102
- including parts and VAT, from 60 repairs
No single cause has enough confirmed repairs behind it yet to show for this code.
About the price. £98 to £102 is the typical total paid by customers, including parts and VAT: the middle half of what customers paid on 60 of these repairs. Repairs paid for by manufacturers and insurers aren't counted, because that work is charged at contract rates. It's a guide, not a quote. Your engineer confirms a fixed price before any work starts.
Before you check anything yourself
- Switch the washing machine off and unplug it, or turn it off at the isolator switch, before you touch anything. Our guide to safely isolating an appliance walks you through it.
- An error code tells you where to look, not that it's safe to take the washing machine apart. Don't remove panels or covers to get at the parts it points to: that's an engineer's job.
- If it involves the mains supply, sealed parts, or you're not confident at any point, stop and book a qualified engineer rather than risk injury or further damage.
Rather leave it to us?
- Fixed-price quote before any work starts
- Same or next-day visits where available
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