Power cut or electrical fault? How to tell

If there is no power in your house, first check whether your neighbours and the street lights are also off. If they are, it is almost certainly a power cut on the network, so call 105, the free national power cut number. If they still have power, check your consumer unit for a tripped main switch, RCD or circuit breaker, and check your prepayment meter has credit if you have one. If everything is switched on and you have credit, the problem may be your main fuse, which belongs to the network operator, so call 105. If only part of your home is off, or a switch will not reset, call an electrician.

Step 1: Is it just your home?

Look outside. Are the street lights on? Can you see lights in your neighbours' windows? In daylight, knock next door or send a message to ask. You can also check the network operator's live power cut map. In London, the East and the South East that is UK Power Networks, which lists current and planned power cuts by postcode.

If your whole street or area is off, the problem is on the network, not in your home, and an electrician cannot fix it. Call 105 or check the map for updates.

Step 2: Power cut or tripped switch? Check your consumer unit

If your neighbours have power and you do not, go to your consumer unit (fuse board), as long as it is safe to reach and dry. Look for any switch that has dropped to the off position:

• A single circuit breaker is off: only one area will be dead, such as the upstairs lights or the kitchen sockets. Reset it once. If it trips again straight away, leave it off.
• One or more RCDs are off: an RCD (the switch with a test button) cuts power to a group of circuits. Unplug appliances on the affected circuits and reset it once. If it trips again, our guide to why a fuse board keeps tripping explains how to find the cause.
• The main switch is off: on some older boards the main switch is itself an RCD and can trip. Reset it once. If it will not stay on, leave it off and call an electrician.
• Everything is on but there is no power: move on to step 3.

Never open the consumer unit cover or touch anything inside it. Resetting a switch once is fine. Repeatedly resetting a switch that keeps tripping is not, because it means there is a fault that needs finding.

Step 3: Check your meter and main fuse

If you have a prepayment meter, check the display for credit. When credit runs out, the supply switches off. Most prepayment meters offer emergency credit, and your energy supplier can help if you cannot top up. With a smart prepayment meter, check the in-home display or your supplier's app.

If you have credit, or a standard credit meter, and everything at the consumer unit is switched on, the problem may be the main fuse (also called the cut-out or service head). This is the sealed unit where the supply cable enters your property, normally next to the meter. It belongs to the network operator, and only they should work on it. Call 105 and they will send an engineer.

Calling 105

105 is the free power cut number for England, Scotland and Wales. It puts you through to the network operator that runs the cables and substations in your area, whichever company you pay your electricity bill to. In London and the East this is UK Power Networks. They can tell you whether there is a known fault and when power is expected back, and send an engineer if the problem is with your supply.

You can also call 105 to report damaged overhead lines, substations or street cables. Stay well away from them and keep others away. If there is an immediate danger to life, call 999.

What to do while you wait

• Switch off appliances that could be dangerous if the power comes back while nobody is watching, such as heaters, irons, hair straighteners and the cooker
• Leave one light switched on so you know when the power returns
• Keep fridge and freezer doors closed to keep food cold for as long as possible
• Use torches rather than candles to reduce the risk of fire
• Keep your mobile phone charged if you can, as many home phones, including most digital landline services, will not work without power
• Check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours
• If anyone at home relies on powered medical equipment, tell the operator when you call 105. It is also worth joining the Priority Services Register, which your energy supplier or network operator can set up for you.

When to call an electrician

Call an electrician rather than 105 if:

• Your neighbours have power, your meter has credit, and a switch on your consumer unit will not reset
• Only part of your home has power
• The power came back after a cut, but one circuit or an RCD keeps tripping
• You notice a burning smell, scorching, crackling or heat at a socket, switch or the consumer unit. Our guide to a burning smell from a plug socket covers what to do.
• Lights flicker, dim or brighten across the whole house, or appliances behave strangely. This can be a supply fault or a fault in your installation, so report it to 105 and have your installation checked.
• Appliances stopped working or were damaged when the power came back on

Our emergency electrician service covers Buckhurst Hill, Loughton, Chigwell, Woodford, Chingford and the surrounding areas. For anything that looks dangerous, such as sparks, smoke or water in electrics, follow our guide on what to do in an electrical emergency first.

If there is no power in your house, your neighbours are fine and you cannot get the switches to stay on, call 07973 781349.