Electrical · Consumer units
Consumer unit replacement in London, done and certified.
An old fuse box or a consumer unit without RCD protection is one of the most common items flagged on an EICR or a homebuyer's survey. Our registered electricians replace it with a modern unit, test every circuit, fix the faults the test finds and give you the certificate.
Consumer unit and
fuse box work.
Whether it is one item on a survey report or a whole board that keeps tripping, we price the job from an inspection, not a guess.
Fuse box replacement
Old boards with rewireable fuses, wooden backs or a mix of switches and fuse carriers replaced with a modern consumer unit in a non combustible enclosure, as the regulations now require in homes.
RCD and RCBO upgrades
Every circuit given residual current protection, either through RCDs protecting groups of circuits or individual RCBOs, so one fault does not cut power to the whole house, and the fridge and freezer keep running if a socket circuit trips.
Surge protection
Surge protection devices fitted where BS 7671 calls for them, protecting the installation and sensitive electronics from transient overvoltage.
Earthing and bonding
Main earthing and protective bonding to gas and water pipes checked and brought up to standard, which is often missing or undersized in older London houses, particularly where pipework has been altered over the years.
Fault finding
Circuits that trip a new RCD investigated and repaired, from damaged cables and water in outdoor fittings to shared neutrals between circuits.
EICR remedial work
C1 and C2 items on a landlord's EICR put right, with the paperwork your agent or local authority needs, and a new report issued where required.
From inspection
to certificate.
We look at the existing board, earthing and bonding, and test the circuits so there are no surprises on the day.
The new unit, any remedial work and the certificate itemised in writing before we start.
Power isolated, old unit removed, new consumer unit installed and circuits reconnected.
Every circuit tested, an Electrical Installation Certificate issued and the work notified under Part P.
Why consumer units are replaced.
The consumer unit is where every circuit in the house starts, and it is the part of the installation that protects you if something goes wrong. Older fuse boxes were designed to protect cables from overload, not people from electric shock. A modern consumer unit with RCD protection disconnects within a fraction of a second if current leaks to earth, which is what saves lives when a cable is drilled through or an appliance develops a fault. It also makes faults easier to find, because each circuit, or group of circuits, is clearly labelled and separately protected.
Rewireable fuses and no RCD
Boards with fuse wire carriers, cartridge fuses or old MCB boards without residual current protection are usually recorded as needing improvement on an EICR. For landlords, items coded C1 or C2 must be fixed, normally within 28 days.
Plastic consumer units
Since 2016 consumer units in homes have had to be made of non combustible material, usually steel, after fires that started in plastic units. An older plastic unit is not automatically unsafe, but it is a common reason to upgrade when other work is planned, such as a kitchen, an extension or a loft conversion that adds new circuits.
Extra circuits
Adding an electric shower, an induction hob, a heat pump or an EV charger often needs spare ways in the board and a check that the supply can cope. We check the main fuse rating and the size of the supply cable, and tell you if the network operator needs to upgrade the supply before the new load is connected.
What happens on the day of the change.
A straightforward consumer unit replacement usually takes most of a day, with the power off for much of it. We test the circuits before we start, because a new RCD will trip on faults the old fuses ignored, and it is better to know about them before the quote is agreed. We also check the main earthing conductor and the bonding to gas and water pipes, since a new board is only as safe as the earthing behind it.
Isolation and the supply
Some London properties have no isolator between the meter and the consumer unit. Where the electrician needs the supply isolated by the network operator, we arrange the timing with you. It is also a good moment to have an isolator fitted, which makes any future electrical work simpler.
Testing and certification
Each circuit is tested for continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance and RCD operation. The results go on the Electrical Installation Certificate, and the work is notified to Building Control through the electrician's registration scheme. You receive a Building Regulations compliance certificate soon after, which you will need when you sell the property.
Every circuit is labelled at the board, and we show you how to reset a tripped RCD or RCBO and how to find which circuit has the fault. A clear chart inside the door saves a call out later.
We also leave the old fuse box disposed of properly and the cupboard or meter box tidy, with cables clipped and labelled so the next electrician can see what has been done.
Consumer units for landlords and home buyers.
Many of our consumer unit jobs start with a report. Landlords receive an EICR with the board coded as unsatisfactory. Buyers receive a survey that recommends an electrical inspection. In both cases we can price the remedial work from the report, inspect to confirm, and give you a single fixed quote that covers the unit, the faults and any making good.
Arc fault detection
The current edition of the wiring regulations recommends arc fault detection devices on socket circuits and requires them in some higher risk buildings, including houses in multiple occupation. We tell you when they apply.
If the survey has also flagged damp, roofing or plastering items, we can price those at the same time, so you have one contractor and one point of contact for the lot.
For buyers, the timing matters. The best moment to change a consumer unit is before you move in, when floors are clear and the power can be off for a day without disruption. If the inspection shows the wiring itself is past its life, a full house rewire at the same time avoids paying for the board twice.
Whichever route applies, we explain the findings in plain language, separate what is dangerous from what is merely dated, and let you decide what to do now and what can wait. Nothing is added to the quote without a reason you can see on the test results.
Questions we get
asked most.
Usually most of a day, with the power off for much of it. Faults found during testing can add time.
A new RCD detects faults the old fuse box ignored, such as damaged cable insulation or shared neutrals. We test before we start so they are found and priced first.
Yes. It is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations. Our registered electricians notify it and you receive the certificate.
New consumer units in homes must be in a non combustible enclosure, which in practice means steel.
RCBOs protect each circuit individually, so one fault does not take out several circuits. They cost more but are often worth it.
Not always. If the circuits test well, a new consumer unit may be all you need. If the wiring is old, we say so.
Yes. We complete C1 and C2 remedial work and provide the paperwork for your records.
No. Consumer unit replacement is notifiable work and must be carried out and certified by a qualified electrician.
Yes, including flats in managed blocks, shops and offices, where we coordinate isolation with the managing agent.
All 32 London boroughs, with most of our work in west and south west London.
Send us the report or a photo
of the fuse box.
We will tell you what is needed and give you a fixed written quote.
Often needed
alongside this.
Areas we cover.
We take consumer unit and fuse box work across all 32 London boroughs. Most of our work is in west London, in Shepherd's Bush, Hammersmith, Fulham, Kensington, Chiswick and White City, and in south west London, in Putney, Wandsworth and Wimbledon. We also work in south east London, in Greenwich, Blackheath and Lewisham.
If your property is outside these areas, call us anyway. We travel across London and will tell you honestly if a job is too far to price properly.