Electrical guides & advice
Straight answers to the questions we get asked most — EICRs, rewiring, fuse boxes, EV chargers and more. No jargon, no sales pitch.
EICR & safety
Do I need an EICR?
If you let property in England, yes — a satisfactory EICR is a legal requirement every five years and at the start of each new tenancy. If you own and live in your home it isn't compulsory, but it's strongly recommended when you're buying or selling, after major electrical work, or if the property is older and hasn't been checked in years.
Read guide →EICR codes explained — C1, C2, C3 and FI
An EICR grades each issue it finds with a code. C1 means danger is present and needs fixing immediately; C2 means potentially dangerous and needs attention soon; C3 is an improvement recommendation that doesn't fail the report; and FI means an item needs further investigation. Any C1, C2 or FI makes the overall report 'unsatisfactory'.
Read guide →EICR when buying or selling a house
When you're buying, an EICR tells you the real condition of the fixed wiring — something a standard homebuyer's survey doesn't test — so there are no nasty surprises after completion. When you're selling, a recent satisfactory EICR reassures buyers and helps the sale run smoothly. It isn't legally required for an owner-occupied sale, but it's increasingly expected.
Read guide →How often do you need an EICR?
It depends on the property. Privately rented homes in England need a satisfactory EICR at least every five years and at the start of each new tenancy. Owner-occupied homes have no legal interval — around every ten years (or when you buy) is the common recommendation. Commercial premises are typically every five years, more often for higher-risk environments. The report itself always recommends the next inspection date.
Read guide →My EICR came back unsatisfactory — what now?
'Unsatisfactory' means the report found at least one C1, C2 or FI item. The fix is straightforward: the listed remedial work is carried out, then the electrician reissues the report (or a confirmation) as satisfactory. For rented homes, this must be done within 28 days. C3 items are recommendations and don't need fixing to pass.
Read guide →Rewiring
Signs your house needs rewiring
The clearest signs are old cabling (rubber, fabric or lead-sheathed insulation), a fuse box with rewireable fuses, fuses or breakers that trip often, scorch marks or a burning smell at sockets and switches, sockets that feel warm, and simply not having enough sockets for modern life. If your home hasn't been rewired in 30+ years, an EICR is the sensible first step.
Read guide →How long does a house rewire take?
As a rough guide, a typical three-bed house takes around four to five working days for a full rewire — a day or two of first-fix (running new cables), time for plastering to make good, then second-fix (fitting sockets, switches and the consumer unit) and testing. Partial rewires are quicker; larger, occupied or harder-access homes take longer.
Read guide →What affects the cost of a house rewire?
There's no single price for a rewire — it's shaped by the size of the property and number of circuits, whether it's a full or partial rewire, how easy the access is (empty vs occupied, liftable floors vs solid), the specification you choose (number of sockets, lighting, extras like EV or smart wiring) and whether plastering and making-good are included. The only accurate figure is a fixed-price quote after a quick look.
Read guide →Full vs partial rewire — which do you need?
A full rewire replaces all the wiring in the property; a partial rewire replaces only the circuits that have reached the end of their life while keeping the sound ones. Which is right comes down to the age and condition of the existing wiring — and an EICR is the best way to find out. A partial rewire is quicker and cheaper, but only if the rest is genuinely in good order.
Read guide →Rewiring a period or listed property
Rewiring an older or listed home is about achieving modern safety without wrecking the character. That means minimum-disruption routing — lifting floorboards and using existing voids rather than chasing every wall — retaining original features and socket positions where the regulations allow, and, for listed buildings, checking whether listed-building consent is needed before work starts.
Read guide →Consumer units
Fuse box vs consumer unit — and signs you may need an upgrade
They're the same thing — 'fuse box' is the old term and 'consumer unit' is the modern one. What really matters is age and type: if yours still uses rewireable fuses, has only one or two RCDs covering everything, or sits in a wooden or old painted-metal enclosure, it's likely behind current standards and a good candidate for an upgrade.
Read guide →RCD vs RCBO vs MCB — what’s the difference?
An MCB protects a circuit from overload and short-circuit. An RCD protects against earth leakage — the kind of fault that causes electric shock — but usually covers a whole group of circuits at once. An RCBO combines both functions in a single device, per circuit, so a fault only trips that one circuit. Modern consumer units are built around RCBOs.
Read guide →Surge protection (SPD) — do you need one?
An SPD (surge protection device) guards your installation and the electronics plugged into it against sudden voltage spikes — from grid switching or nearby lightning. The current wiring regulations (18th Edition) expect an SPD in most installations unless a risk assessment justifies leaving it out, which is why modern consumer units include one. It's especially worth having if you have valuable electronics, solar, or an EV charger.
Read guide →EV charging
EV charger at home — grants, eligibility and what to know
Most homes with off-street parking can have a dedicated EV charge point fitted to the consumer unit. Government grants still exist — but now mainly for renters and flat owners/landlords with eligible parking, rather than all homeowners. Before you install, it's worth checking your consumer unit's spare capacity, where the car parks, and that a smart charger suits your electricity tariff.
Read guide →7kW vs 22kW EV charger — which do you need?
For almost every home, 7kW is the right choice — it runs on a standard single-phase supply and fully charges most cars overnight. 22kW needs a three-phase supply, which most homes don't have, and many cars can't accept more than 7–11kW of AC charging anyway. 22kW mainly makes sense for commercial sites, fleets, or the rare home with three-phase power.
Read guide →Do I need a smart EV charger?
In practice, yes. New home and workplace charge points in Great Britain are legally required to be 'smart' — able to schedule charging and respond to signals. Beyond compliance, a smart charger is how you actually save money: it charges your car during cheap off-peak hours and, if you have solar, can top up from surplus rather than the grid.
Read guide →Solar
Is solar + battery worth it in the North West?
For many North West homes, yes — despite the cloudier climate, modern panels still generate well in diffuse daylight, and adding a battery lets you use more of what you make rather than exporting it cheaply. Whether it pays for you depends on your roof (orientation, shading and space), how and when you use electricity, and whether you add a battery and EV charging. It's a longer-term investment, not an instant win.
Read guide →How solar PV and battery storage work together
Solar panels generate DC electricity from daylight; an inverter converts it to the AC your home uses. You use what you need in real time, and any surplus either charges a battery or is exported to the grid. The battery stores daytime surplus so you can use it in the evening — meaning you buy less from the grid. Add an EV charger and it can soak up surplus too.
Read guide →Solar export (SEG) explained
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is the scheme under which licensed energy suppliers pay you for surplus solar electricity you export to the grid. You need an export meter (a smart meter usually does the job) and an MCS-certified install. Rates and terms vary a lot between suppliers, so it's worth shopping around — and a battery changes the maths, since you might use more yourself rather than export at a low rate.
Read guide →Smart home
Data & networking
Compliance
Landlord electrical safety obligations (2020 standards)
Since 1 June 2020, landlords of privately rented homes in England must have a satisfactory EICR carried out at least every five years and at the start of each new tenancy, provide tenants (and the council on request) with a copy, and complete any C1 or C2 remedial work within 28 days. Not doing so can lead to substantial council fines.
Read guide →HMO electrical requirements explained
Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) face stricter electrical and fire-safety rules than a standard let: a satisfactory EICR (often required more frequently under licensing), an interlinked fire detection system sized to the property, emergency lighting where the fire risk assessment calls for it, and PAT testing of any appliances you supply. The exact requirements depend on the property and your council's licensing scheme.
Read guide →Fire alarm grades explained (BS 5839)
BS 5839 describes fire detection two ways: by Grade (the type of system — for example Grade A is a full panel-based system, Grade D is mains-powered interlinked alarms with battery backup) and by Category (how much of the building is covered — LD1 is everywhere, LD2 is escape routes plus higher-risk rooms, LD3 is escape routes only). The right combination for your property comes from a fire risk assessment.
Read guide →Emergency lighting requirements (BS 5266)
Most commercial and multi-occupancy buildings need emergency lighting — lighting that switches on automatically if the mains power fails, so people can see to escape safely. BS 5266 is the UK standard for it. What you need is driven by your fire risk assessment, and the system is tested briefly each month and with a full discharge test once a year.
Read guide →PAT testing explained — who needs it and how often
PAT (portable appliance testing) checks that plug-in electrical equipment — kettles, computers, power tools, extension leads — is safe to use. There's no law that says 'you must PAT test' by name, but the Electricity at Work Regulations require employers and landlords to keep electrical equipment safe, and PAT is the recognised, practical way to demonstrate that. How often depends on the equipment and environment, not a fixed legal interval.
Read guide →Commercial EICR — frequency and what’s involved
Commercial premises should have a satisfactory EICR on the fixed wiring — commonly every five years for offices and shops, and more often (for example every three years, or annually) for higher-risk environments. It's expected by most insurers and often written into your lease. The inspection is scoped to the number of circuits and usually scheduled to avoid disrupting trading.
Read guide →Part P building regulations explained
Part P of the Building Regulations covers electrical safety in dwellings in England and Wales. Certain work — broadly, installing a new circuit, replacing a consumer unit, or work in 'special locations' like a room with a bath or shower — is 'notifiable' and must either be done by a registered competent person (such as a NAPIT-registered electrician) who self-certifies it, or be signed off by building control. Smaller jobs like swapping a socket usually aren't notifiable.
Read guide →The 18th Edition wiring regs — what changed and why it matters
BS 7671 — the IET Wiring Regulations — is the standard that all fixed electrical work in the UK is designed and installed to. The current 18th Edition (with its amendments) widened the use of RCD protection, made surge protection (SPDs) the default in most installations, and recommends arc-fault detection in some cases. It's the reason modern consumer units look different from older boards, and it's what an EICR assesses your installation against.
Read guide →