05 / 09 Electrical services
Emergency Electrician
A burning smell from a socket, sparks from a switch or water dripping into a light fitting can quickly lead to a fire or an electric shock. When you need an urgent electrician, the first job is to make the installation safe; the second is to find and repair the cause properly. Our emergency electrical repairs cover burning smells and scorch marks, sparking, exposed or damaged wiring, water in electrics, loss of power and circuits that will not stay on.
Emergency electrical work is part of our electrician services.
If there is a fire, smoke you cannot account for, or someone has had a serious shock, call 999 first. For everything else, the steps are below.
- Part ofElectrician Services
- On this page10 topics covered
- Answered here6 common questions
- FreeSurvey & itemised quote
01Make it safe
How to Make It Safe at the Consumer Unit
The Main Switch
The consumer unit (fuse box) is usually under the stairs, in a hallway cupboard, in a garage or near the front door. The main switch, usually the largest, turns off every circuit. Switch it off if there is a burning smell, sparking or water in the electrics, as long as you can reach it safely.
Individual Circuits
Each circuit has its own circuit breaker or RCBO, ideally labelled. If you know which circuit the problem is on, switch off just that one. If you are not sure, use the main switch.
When Not to Touch It
- If the consumer unit itself is hot, smoking, scorched or wet, do not touch it. Keep everyone away and call us.
- If you would have to stand in water to reach it, do not.
- If someone is in contact with a live cable or appliance, do not touch them. Switch off at the consumer unit if you safely can, or push them clear with something dry and non-conductive, such as a wooden broom handle, and call 999.
Never remove the cover of the consumer unit, and do not touch the electricity company's sealed cut-out or meter.
02Burning smell
What to Do If You Smell Burning from a Socket
- 1
Do not touch the socket or the plug if the faceplate is hot, discoloured or melted.
- 2
Switch off that circuit, or the main switch, at the consumer unit.
- 3
Unplug the appliance once the power is off, if the plug is cool enough to handle.
- 4
Take photos of any scorch marks on the socket, plug or wall.
- 5
Leave the circuit off and call us. Do not switch it back on to test it.
A burning or fishy smell usually means something is overheating: a loose connection, a damaged socket, an overloaded extension lead or a faulty appliance. It does not go away on its own.
03Water
Water Getting into Electrics
If water is coming through a ceiling near a light fitting, or onto sockets or the consumer unit, switch off at the main switch if it is dry and safe to reach, and do not use switches in that area. Then stop the water at the stopcock, as our emergency plumbing page explains. Wet circuits must be dried out and tested before use, even if they seem to work.
04Power cut
Who Do I Call in a Power Cut?
- 1
Check your consumer unit. If the main switch or a circuit breaker has tripped, the problem is inside your home.
- 2
Check your neighbours and the street lights. If they are also off, the cut is on the network.
- 3
Call 105. This free number puts you through to your network operator, UK Power Networks across London.
- 4
On a prepayment meter, check you have credit.
- 5
If only your home is off and nothing has tripped, or the main switch will not stay on, call us. If the electricity company's cut-out or meter looks damaged, call 105.
If you rely on power for medical equipment, ask your network operator about its Priority Services Register.
05Tripping
Is It Safe to Reset a Tripped Switch?
Once, yes. Unplug everything on that circuit and reset the breaker or RCD. If it trips when one appliance goes back in, that appliance is probably faulty. If it trips straight away with nothing plugged in, leave it off: there is a fault in the wiring or a fixed appliance, and repeated resetting can make it worse. A circuit that trips now and then, but can wait for a booked visit, is a job for our electrical repair services.
06What counts
What Counts as an Electrical Emergency?
| Emergency: call now | Urgent, but not an emergency | Different service |
|---|---|---|
| Burning smell, smoke or scorch marks at a socket, switch or consumer unit | A circuit that trips occasionally | Power cut affecting the street: call 105 |
| Sparking or crackling from sockets, switches or fittings | A dead socket or light on one circuit | Fire or a serious shock: call 999 |
| Water in sockets, light fittings or the consumer unit | Flickering lights with no smell or heat | Leak causing the problem: emergency plumbing |
| Exposed or damaged live wiring | A cracked socket faceplate | A failed inspection: electrical maintenance services |
| No power in your home only, and the main switch will not stay on | A beeping smoke alarm: fire alarm installation and maintenance |
If you smell gas, do not use switches or flames, and do not turn the consumer unit on or off. Leave the building and call the National Gas Emergency number on 0800 111 999.
07After
What We Do When We Arrive
- 1
Make safe: isolate the affected circuit or the whole installation.
- 2
Find the cause: we test the circuit to trace the burnt connection, damaged cable, failed accessory or faulty appliance.
- 3
Repair: we replace the damaged accessory, connection or section of cable. If the fault needs a new circuit or consumer unit, that work is notifiable and certified through one of the routes the building regulations allow, through our domestic electrical installation service.
- 4
Test: before the circuit is switched back on, it is tested to make sure it is safe.
- 5
Report: we give you a written note of what we found for your landlord or insurer, and recommend a full inspection if the installation is old.
Because we are also builders and decorators, we can make good afterwards, including repairing holes in walls where cables were reached.
08Cost
How Much Does an Emergency Electrician Cost?
It depends on the time of day, the cause, how easy the fault is to trace and reach, and the parts needed. We tell you how the visit will be charged, including any call-out charge, before we set off, and explain the cost of the repair before we carry it out. If a leak or storm caused the damage, check your home insurance and keep photos and our report.
Every factor is priced line by line after your free survey — no guesswork, staged payments.
Call 020 0000 000009Areas
Emergency Electrical Services Across London
We provide emergency electrical services across London, with a focus on east and south-east London. Find out more on our pages for emergency electrical services in London, emergency electrical services in Ilford, emergency electrical services in Barking, emergency electrical services in Dagenham, emergency electrical services in East Ham and emergency electrical services in Orpington.
10FAQs
Emergency Electrician FAQs
What counts as an electrical emergency?
A burning smell, scorch marks, sparking, water in electrics, exposed live wiring, or no power when the main switch will not stay on. An occasional trip or a dead socket can usually wait.
How much does an emergency electrician cost?
It depends on the time of day, the cause, the fault-finding and the parts. We tell you how the visit will be charged, including any call-out charge, before we set off.
What should I do if I smell burning from a socket?
Do not touch it. Switch off that circuit or the main switch, unplug the appliance once the power is off, leave the circuit off and call an electrician.
Who do I call in a power cut?
Check your consumer unit first. If nothing has tripped and your neighbours are also off, call 105, the free power cut number. If only your home is affected, call an electrician.
Is it safe to reset a tripped switch?
Once, after unplugging everything on that circuit. If it trips again straight away, leave it off and call an electrician, as there is a fault that resetting will not fix.
Is water dripping from a light fitting dangerous?
Yes. Switch off at the main switch if it is dry and safe to reach, stop the water at the stopcock, and keep away until the circuit has been dried out and tested.
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Next step
Call Us About Your Electrical Problem
Make it safe first, then call us or send photos on WhatsApp. We will tell you what happens next and how the visit will be charged.
For non-urgent work, use our contact form.
- Free survey
- Itemised written quote
- One project manager