Electrical Maintenance for Tenants
Electrical maintenance for tenants usually comes down to small, everyday problems. A blown plug fuse, a tripped switch or a dead bulb can leave you without power or light, but they are usually quick to fix. The videos below walk you through the simple checks step by step. This guide explains when a quick fix is the right move, and when it is time to stop and let us take over.
Trying the basics first can save you hours of waiting. It also helps us. When you do need to report a fault, you can tell us exactly what you have already checked.
Electrical Maintenance for Tenants - Safe checks you can do yourself
- Plug fuses: If an appliance has stopped working, the fuse in its 3-pin plug is the first thing to check. Unplug it before opening the plug. Fuses come in different ratings, so check the label or manual and replace like with like. Never use foil or wire as a substitute.
- Light bulbs: Switch the light off at the wall and let the bulb cool. Match the fitting (bayonet or screw-in) and do not exceed the maximum wattage printed on the light fitting.
- Tripped RCD or consumer unit: If the power has gone off, check whether the switch on your fuse box has dropped. Unplug appliances first, then flip it back up. If it stays on, plug things back in one at a time to find the culprit. A faulty kettle, toaster or heater is a common cause.
- Smoke alarms: Test them regularly, at least once a month, and replace batteries as soon as an alarm chirps. Some alarms are mains-powered with a battery backup, and some have sealed batteries. If you are unsure which yours is, ask us.
Here are some short "how-to" videos to help you sort common electrical maintenance issues in minutes - before you need to raise a maintenance request.
Changing a 3-pin plug fuse
How to reset a tripped RCD/fuse box (no power in the flat)
We often get reports informing us that there is no power to a property.
There could be many reasons for this.
Please check the following:
1. Do your neighbours have power?
2. If your neighbour has power, have you paid your power bill? Often, with top-up electric meters, it’s easy to run out of credit.
3. Check the RCD. It may be as simple as resetting the RCD.
4. Has an appliance tripped a curcuit?
Here are a few troubleshooting videos to help identify the potential problem.
How to reset a tripped circuit vs when it's an emergency
Changing smoke alarm batteries
Testing smoke alarms
How to change a light bulb - bayonette & screw-in bulbs
Electrical maintenance for Tenants - When to stop and report it
A quick reset is fine. Repeated resets are not. If any of the following happen, stop and report the fault to us straight away:
- The RCD or a circuit trips again immediately, or will not stay on
- You notice a burning smell, or scorch marks around a socket, switch or appliance
- Sockets or switches feel hot, look cracked, or make a buzzing or crackling sound
- Lights flicker or dim across the property for no clear reason
- A cable or plug is frayed or damaged
- Water has got near any electrical fitting, such as after a leak
What you should never do
Some jobs are only for qualified electricians. Please do not:
- Open the consumer unit or remove the cover from any socket, switch or light fitting
- Attempt any wiring, however small the job looks
- Overload sockets with multiple extension leads or adaptors
- Remove, cover or disable a smoke alarm, even if it keeps going off
- Use an appliance you suspect is faulty
These rules protect you, your neighbours and the property.
For more on electrical safety in the home, see Electrical Safety First.
Electrical maintenance for Tenants - What to Do in an Emergency
If you see sparks or smoke, or you think anyone is at risk, leave the property and call 999. Do not try to fix the problem yourself. If the power is off across your whole street, it may be a local supply fault. You can call the free power cut helpline on 105.
How to report an electrical fault
You can report any maintenance issue through our online maintenance portal.
The more detail you give, the faster we can arrange the right tradesperson. Please include:
- What happened and when it started
- Which room or appliance is affected
- What you have already tried, such as resetting the RCD
- Photos or a short video, where it is safe to take one
