No Electricity in the House? What to Check and Who to Call

Why your house has no electricity

The power in a house goes off for one of three reasons: a switch in the fuse box has tripped, a piece of equipment has failed, or there is a problem with the power grid. Work through the checks below in order. You can put a tripped switch right yourself, and the other checks show whether the call goes to 105, your energy supplier or landlord, or an electrician.

Check the fuse box for a tripped switch

Go to your consumer unit, the box of switches also called the fuse box. Before you touch a switch, check for a burning smell, sparks or buzzing, because any of them means calling an electrician instead of carrying on with the checks.

If there are none of those signs, look along the row of switches. A tripped switch points down, in the off position, so push it back up and see whether the power comes back.

If it trips again, the circuit may be overloaded. Unplug some appliances or move them to another circuit, then push the switch back up.

A switch that still trips, or will not stay on at all, points to a problem such as faulty wiring or a tripping RCD. Your checks stop there, because electrics that keep tripping need a registered electrician to find the cause.

Some sockets or lights not working

A tripped switch cuts the power only to the circuits it protects, so a few sockets or a set of lights can go dead while the rest of the house works. Look for a switch pointing down in the same way. If every switch is up and the power is only partly working, call an electrician.

Check whether it is a power cut

If nothing has tripped, look at the houses around you. If the neighbours’ lights are off too, the problem is with the power grid, not your home, and you report a power cut and get updates by dialling 105 in England, Wales and Scotland, or on the National Grid website.

If their lights are on and only your home is dark, the problem is at your property. Rule out a prepayment meter if you have one, then call an electrician.

What to do during a power cut

While the power is off:

• Call the emergency services if there is danger
• Switch off your appliances, leaving one light on so you know when the power returns
• Avoid heating the home with gas appliances or paraffin heaters
• Use a torch rather than candles
• Keep the fridge and freezer doors shut, because the National Grid says an unopened freezer can stay cold for up to 12 hours

When the power comes back, test your security and smoke alarms.

Check your prepayment meter

If your electricity runs on a prepayment meter that has been topped up but still gives no power, the meter may be faulty. Contact your energy supplier, or your landlord if you rent. If the supply was cut off over an unpaid bill, Citizens Advice can often help.

Who to call when the power is off

What your checks turn up decides who puts the power back on. An electrician is the call when only your home is affected, the fuse box keeps tripping, the power is only partly working or you notice a burning smell, sparks or buzzing.

What you find	What to do
A switch in the fuse box pointing down	Push it back up yourself
The switch trips again	Unplug some appliances or move them to another circuit, then push it back up
It still trips, or will not stay on	Call an electrician
Nothing has tripped and the neighbours’ lights are off too	Report a power cut on 105 or the National Grid website
A topped-up prepayment meter gives no power	Contact your energy supplier or landlord
The supply was cut off over an unpaid bill	Ask Citizens Advice, which can often help
Nothing has tripped, and only your home or part of it has no power	Call an electrician
A burning smell, sparks or buzzing	Call an electrician, or the emergency services if there is danger

Calling out an electrician

Among the Nottingham electricians who take emergency call-outs, Urgent Electrical Services in the city centre is available 24/7 with a stated 60 to 90 minute response and no call-out fees, Central Electrical Contractors on Carlton Road runs a 24-hour emergency call-out, and Legacy Electrical in Beechdale takes emergency call-outs too.

When you ring, give the result of each check rather than only saying the power is off. What has gone dead, which switch tripped, whether it stays up and whether the neighbours have power tell the electrician whether the fault is in your home at all.

On Checkatrade’s figures an electrician charges around £50 an hour, usually £45 to £60, while an emergency electrician costs around £90 an hour, nearly double. Many electricians also charge a minimum call-out fee, especially for small jobs, so ask about it before anyone sets off.