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Home electrical guides

Plain-English answers to common household electrical questions, with safety advice and a clear steer on when you need an electrician.

A closed white UK consumer unit with a row of circuit breakers, one switched down, and a hand reaching towards it

How to reset a tripped breaker or RCD

Safe steps to get the power back on, and what repeated tripping means.

A dark living room during a power cut lit only by a torch beam and a candle in a jar

Power cut: what to do and who to call

Is it just you or the whole street? Who to call (105), and staying safe.

A UK three-pin wall socket with brown scorch marks around the pin holes

Signs your plug socket is faulty

Scorch marks, buzzing, warmth and loose plugs: what they mean.

A ceiling pendant light glowing in a dim living room

Why are my lights flickering?

Bulb, dimmer or wiring? When flickering is a sign of something serious.

A dim hallway with a wisp of smoke near a closed wall cupboard and a smoke alarm on the ceiling

Electrical burning smell: what to do now

What to do right now if you smell burning from a socket, switch or fuse board.

An English garden at dusk with path spike lights and a wall lantern on brickwork

Outdoor and garden lighting: staying safe

IP ratings, RCD protection and which outdoor jobs need an electrician.

A timber garden room at dusk with warm lights inside and an outdoor wall light by the door

Power to your garden, shed or garden room

Outdoor sockets, sheds, garden rooms and EV-ready driveways.

A blank inspection form on a clipboard with a pen on a kitchen worktop

When you need Part P sign-off

Which electrical jobs must be certified, and what paperwork to expect.

An old cream metal fuse box on a wooden board in an under-stairs cupboard

Does my fuse box need replacing?

Signs your fuse board is out of date, and what an upgrade involves.

A new white UK double switched socket on a living room wall above the skirting board

Adding extra sockets at home

Spurs, new circuits and why daisy-chained extension leads are risky.

An electrician seen from behind holding a clipboard beside a closed consumer unit in a kitchen

Electrical safety checks (EICR) for homeowners

What an Electrical Installation Condition Report covers, and how often to get one.

A white round smoke alarm with a green indicator light on a landing ceiling

Smoke and heat alarms at home

Mains vs battery, interlinking, and the rules for rented homes.

House keys in the front door of a red-brick house with a blank sale board outside

Buying a house: electrical checks to make

Red flags to spot on a viewing, and paperwork to ask for.

An empty room mid-rewire with new cables in chased plaster walls, dust sheets, a step ladder and a tool bag

Does my house need rewiring?

Age, warning signs and what a rewire involves.

These guides are general information, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. If in doubt, switch off and call a registered electrician.

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