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Confirming loss of supply

If you are experiencing a loss of electricity supply to your property, the first steps are to check whether it is due to a loss of supply in your area, or something within your own property.

  1. Check to see if your neighbours have also lost supply. If all your neighbours still have power, then the electricity supply may not be the problem.
  2. Go to your electricity meter. This may be in an external meter box, under your stairs or even in a communal cupboard within a block of flats or apartments. If it is a newer type, does it have a display or is it lit up? There may be an ‘A’ or ‘B’ button you can press which would light up the display. If the meter lights up, then it is receiving power and the problem is likely to be within your property.
  3. If your meter is lit up and is a pre-payment meter, then check that it has enough credit on it. Most pre-payment meters will also allow some level of emergency credit to be granted to restore your supply so that you can then arrange to top it up.
  4. Next, go to the electricity fuse board in your property. Check to see if all the switches are ‘ON’, which is usually the up position. If any have tripped, then try to reset them. If they immediately turn off again then you may have a faulty appliance plugged in, or a faulty circuit. Unplug all appliances and try again. If the switch stays on, then plug in each appliance one by one until it trips again. Once you have identified which one is faulty then leaving that appliance unplugged should enable you to keep the power on. You will then need to contact a qualified electrician to repair the appliance or replace it. If the switch will not reset, then you may have a faulty circuit and will need to contact a qualified electrician to investigate the problem.

If you have followed all these steps and still believe the problem is lack of power to your property, please call us on 0800 804 8688 or the National Emergency number 105.

We also have further information available on Dealing with power cuts, until the supply is restored.

If you have signed up to our Priority Services Register then you may also have been provided with information on priority contact with us.