Electrical emergency: who to call

Match the call to the danger

Do not wait for a directory enquiry if someone is in immediate danger. Electrician Shortlist is not an emergency response service.

• Call 999 for fire, serious injury or an immediate threat to life. Leave a burning property and call from a safe place.
• Call 105 for a power cut or dangerous electricity network equipment, including a fallen power line. It connects you to the local electricity network operator in Great Britain, rather than your electricity retailer.
• Contact a competent emergency electrician for faults in your property's wiring, sockets or consumer unit. Tell your landlord or managing agent too, where relevant.

Keep away from the hazard

Never touch exposed wires, fallen lines or equipment that might be live. Never enter floodwater or touch flooded electrical equipment to investigate or reach a switch. Power can return without warning.

• Do not repeatedly reset a tripping breaker or RCD, bypass protection or remove electrical covers.
• Keep other people away. Do not approach a casualty who may still be in contact with electricity; call 999 and follow the call handler's instructions.
• Flood-affected wiring and appliances need professional assessment before reuse, even after they appear dry.

Agree the callout

From a safe location, explain what happened and give the address. Ask about availability, the callout charge, diagnostic time, VAT and the price of making the fault safe. A temporary safety measure may need a separately quoted permanent repair.