Emergency Electrician in London — What to Do Before We Arrive (2026)

First — is it actually an emergency?

Not every electrical fault is a 999 job, but a handful genuinely are. Treat any of the following as an immediate emergency:

• Smoke or flames from a socket, switch or the consumer unit
• Burning smell of hot plastic or bakelite
• Live cable exposed by damage, a leak or a DIY accident
• Somebody has been shocked and is unwell or unresponsive
• Water dripping into an active socket, fitting or consumer unit

If someone is injured, unconscious, or you can see flames, dial 999 first, then call us on 0203 503 1240.

Immediate steps — the 60-second checklist

1. Do not touch anything metallic near the fault.
2. If it is safe, turn off the main switch at the consumer unit (usually a big red or black lever on the left).
3. Unplug anything you know is wet, damaged or overheating.
4. Ventilate the room if there is smoke — open windows, close doors.
5. Get children, pets and elderly people out of the affected room.
6. Call an emergency electrician — we cover all London postcodes 24/7.

What to do if the whole house has no power

Nine times out of ten, this is a UK Power Networks (UKPN) supply problem, not something inside your home. Quick sanity check:

• Look outside — are streetlights and neighbours' lights also off?
• Are you on a pay-as-you-go meter with a low balance?
• Has the main incoming switch at your meter tripped?

If neighbours are also off, call UKPN on 105 (free, 24 hours). If it is only you, we can be on-site fast.

What to do if the RCD keeps tripping

If your RCD or RCBO trips and will not reset:

1. Turn every MCB OFF
2. Reset the RCD — it should stay on
3. Turn each MCB back on, one at a time
4. The circuit that trips the RCD when switched on is the faulty one
5. Leave that circuit off and call an electrician

Do not hold the RCD in the ON position with tape or a stick. This is a very common cause of house fires and voids your home insurance.

What to have ready when we call ahead

The more you can tell us, the faster we fix it. Ideally:

• Your postcode and access instructions (parking, keysafe, buzzer)
• What happened and roughly when
• Any smells, noises, sparks you noticed
• Whether the consumer unit is accessible
• Whether it is a freehold house, leasehold flat, or rented property
• Your preferred payment method

Photograph the consumer unit if you can — it lets us bring the right spare parts.

The 4 mistakes that make it worse

1. Trying to reset a warm RCD or breaker again and again. Repeated tripping means the fault is still there. Every attempt heats the device and the wiring.
2. Splashing water on a smoking socket. Even if the power is off, water can bridge terminals. Use a CO₂ or dry-powder extinguisher if you have one.
3. Ignoring a burning smell because "the lights work fine". A hot joint may not trip anything until it fails. Book us the same day.
4. Booking a "cheapest quote" tradesman off Facebook Marketplace. Emergency electrics require NICEIC-registered, insured and tested engineers. A bodge job on an emergency is worse than the original fault.

Our emergency response promise

We keep two vans stocked and staffed 24/7 across South West and Central London. For genuine electrical emergencies we aim for:

• 60 – 90 minutes on-site during working hours across Zones 1 – 4
• 90 – 120 minutes overnight and weekends
• Fixed hourly rate — no surprise callout fee
• First-time-fix rate over 90 % because our vans carry Hager, MK, Wylex and Fusebox spares

Call 0203 503 1240 now, or use our contact form if the situation is stable and you can wait for a same-day slot.