When do I need an electrician at my block?

You’ll need an electrician to spot whether you have problems with your electrical installation, or with the light or socket fittings themselves. Common problems include faulty fuses, old light fittings at the end of their useful lives, water damage or a wiring fault.

A flashing light at the panel or – even worse – an alarm that has suddenly gone on and just won’t stop can be dealt with by an electrician. Electricians should be able to deal with most burglar alarm systems that won’t stop. 

Sudden loss of power can be very dramatic, but that doesn’t mean you have a serious problem. If you can reset your fuse box yourself, its likely that the trip was caused by a faulty appliance which should be replaced. We’ll give you tips on how to reset the fuse box. But if the fuse box switch won’t stay up, or trips repeatedly in a short period of time, you will need an electrician to diagnose what is going wrong.

Do get your light fittings and/or sockets checked out if you’re in any doubt as their safety following water damage. If there’s only been a small leak, allow a few days to elapse before checking: often the water dries out on its own. In most cases there’ll be no permanent damage, but its always best to check if you’re in any doubt.

If the electrics fail suddenly in the communal area and all of the flats, check what’s going on in neighbouring properties. If these are dark too, there’s probably been a power cut. An electrician can’t help you. Please contact your electrical supplier: whose number will be on your electricity bill. Alternatively, UK Power Networks on 0800 0280247 may be able to help.

A faulty intercom system will need to be investigated by an electrician. If more than one flat is affected, chances are the fault may lie with the panel or wiring that is a communal responsibility. If only one flat reports a problem, it is more likely that the issue involves the handset in the flat.

If any gate or barrier system fails it is a judgement call as to whether the fault lies in the barrier mechanism itself or the power supply leading up to it. If it is the former 

Unless the problem involves just changing the fittings and accessories, you now need an approved electrician to do this work.