Electrical safety precautions

This content applies to England only.

Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland

The UK has quite a good record of electrical safety. However, each year there are over 30 deaths and nearly 4,000 injuries from accidents in the home. There are also nearly 8,000 electrical fires in homes across the UK each year. Take these important steps to keep your home safe. If you're renting your home, many of these are your landlord's responsibility.

Use our safety checklist to make sure you are as safe as you can be.

What are the dangers?

Be aware of electrical dangers, for example:

contact with live parts at 230 volts which can cause shock or burns and, in severe cases, death
faults in appliances and installations which can cause fires.

What are the danger signs?

Damaged plugs, sockets and flexible cables can cause electric shocks, burns and fires. Follow these simple rules to avoid problems:

Check plugs and sockets for burn marks, sounds of arcing (buzzing or crackling), fuses blowing, circuit-breakers tripping or if they feel hot.
Remove plugs from sockets carefully. Pulling out a plug by the cable puts a strain on it, and could damage the contact between the plug and socket. This could result in: overheating, wires becoming loose, or an electric shock (if the earth wire is disconnected).
Use plugs with the British Standard safety mark – they have live and neutral pins with insulating sleeves that allow you to put them in and pull them out of sockets safely. (Nowadays, electrical equipment comes fitted with a plug.)
Look to see that the shutter mechanism in the sockets closes when removing the plug.
Always replace damaged cables immediately. Touching live wires may give you an electrical shock or you could even die.

If you are concerned about any part of the electrical installation or appliances in your home, speak to your landlord or call in an electrician immediately.

How can I reduce the risks?

There are many things you can do to minimise risks of electrical shocks or fires in your home. For example:

have your electrics checked regularly (at least every 10 years)
use an Residual Current Device when using electrical equipment outdoors
use a registered electrician to carry out electrical work in your home
regularly check the condition of plugs, cables and extension leads
be careful when using hand-held electrical appliances and ensure that they are switched off and unplugged when you have finished using them
check that any adaptor used complies with British Standards and is adequately rated for the connected load
have your electric blanket tested every three years (as recommended by Trading Standards Institute)
have smoke alarms fitted and ensure that they are all in working order
make sure you can access the fuse box and meter easily. Keep a torch nearby, so you can see what you're doing if the lights go out
plan what to do in case of fire, be aware of all escape routes and make that exit routes are always kept clear.

Don’t…

bring mains powered portable appliances into the bathroom.
overload adaptors, particularly with high current appliances such as kettles, irons and heaters.
use adaptors plugged into other adaptors.
trail cables from electrical appliances (including extension cables) underneath carpets or rugs.
use any electrical equipment or switches with wet hands.
wrap flexible cables around any equipment when it is still warm.
clean an appliance such as a kettle whilst it is still plugged in.
retrieve toast stuck in a toaster whilst it is plugged in, and especially not with a metal knife – there are often live parts inside!
fill a kettle or steam iron whilst it is plugged in.
exceed the recommended bulb wattage for light fittings.

The Electrical Safety Council website has lots more useful information on electrical safety in the home and garden.

What does an electrical inspection involve?

The Electrical Safety Council recommends that you get your home inspected by a registered electrician every ten years, and that landlords should get rental properties inspected before they are let out.

During the inspection, the electrician will:

identify any defective electrical work
check for potential electrical shock risks
check for electrical fire hazards
make sure your electrical circuits and equipment are not overloaded
make sure all the wiring is safe.

Appliances will not normally be tested as part of an inspection, but if the electrician suspects that they are potentially dangerous they would bring this to your attention.

If the inspection report highlights any urgent problems, they should be fixed as soon as possible. All repair and installation work must be carried out properly. Always use an electrician registered with one of the Government-approved schemes. Registered electricians will work to the UK national standard BS 7671 (Requirements for Electrical Installations), and will issue you with a safety certificate to confirm that their work has been designed, built, inspected and tested in line with that standard. They will also arrange for you to receive a certificate that confirms the work meets the Building Regulations.

A searchable list of registered electricians can be found by visiting the Competent Persons Register.

What if I'm injured by a faulty electrical supply or appliance?

If you are injured by a faulty electrical supply or appliance (for example, if you receive a bad electric shock or the faulty appliance starts a fire), you may be able to take legal action against your landlord, or anyone directly responsible for negligent work.

Bear in mind that there are time limits - for example, if you want to sue your landlord for negligence, you must start the action within three years of the being injured. Talk to an adviser at Citizens Advice or a solicitor at a law centre or independent firm if you're considering this course of action.