How much does it cost to fix a loss of power in Gloucester?
Lost power to part or all of your home? Post the job for free and choose the emergency option, and we text local electricians who cover your area straight away.
Free to post, and only the tradesperson who takes your job on gets your details. Read our privacy notice.
First checks
Start by finding out whether it’s just your home. Look out of the window or ask a neighbour. If your neighbours have lost power too, it’s likely a fault on the network rather than a problem in your home. Call 105. It’s free, works across England, Scotland and Wales, and puts you through to your local network operator, who deals with power cuts. An electrician can’t fix a network fault.
If it’s only your home, go to the consumer unit. Check whether the main switch or an RCD has tripped. If one has, switch everything off at the individual breakers, reset the tripped switch, then turn the breakers back on one by one. If one circuit trips everything again, leave that circuit off and use the rest of the house until an electrician has checked it.
If you’re on a prepayment meter, check you have credit. If nothing has tripped and the meter shows no power at all, the problem may be at the incoming supply, so call 105 anyway.
Don’t take the cover off the consumer unit or touch the meter or the main fuse. Those are for the network operator or your supplier. If you smell burning, see scorch marks or hear buzzing, keep the power off to that area and choose the emergency option when you post.
What to include when you post
The more the electrician knows, the quicker they can decide whether it’s urgent.
- Whether it’s the whole house or only some rooms or circuits.
- Whether your neighbours have power, and whether you’ve called 105.
- A photo of the consumer unit showing which switches are up or down.
- What happens when you reset it: nothing, or it trips again straight away.
- Anything that happened just before, such as an appliance going bang, heavy rain or recent building work.
- Any burning smell, scorch marks or water near fittings.
- Whether anyone at home relies on powered medical equipment.
What to ask
When the power is off, you’ll want someone quickly, but it’s still worth a couple of questions on the phone.
- How the call-out and diagnosis are charged, and whether evenings or weekends cost more.
- Whether small parts are included in the visit.
- Whether they will make things safe and restore power where they can, then quote for any bigger repair separately.
- What record or certificate you’ll get for the work.
If the repair turns into a new consumer unit or a new circuit, that’s notifiable work, so ask whether they’re registered with a competent person scheme. Don’t feel you have to agree to a large job on the spot. Once the house is safe, you can take time to get a proper written quote.
Not quite the right job?
See every job on our Electrician page, or post it anyway and describe it in your own words.
Before a tradesperson starts work
Registrations
Some work must be done by a registered professional. Work on a gas boiler, cooker or fire must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, which you can check on the Gas Safe Register.
Our business check
Limited companies are checked with Companies House and sole traders upload their insurance certificate. Trade registrations are confirmed by the tradesperson when they sign up.
Get the price in writing
Ask for a written quote that sets out the work and the price before anything starts. Your contract for the work is with the tradesperson.
Questions
What people tend to ask before booking this job. For anything specific to your home, ask the tradesperson who takes it on when they get in touch.
If your neighbours have lost power too, call 105. It's the free power cut number for England, Scotland and Wales, and it connects you to your local network operator.
No. If it trips again immediately, there is a fault. Leave it off and have it checked.
Often one RCD has tripped, which takes several circuits off together. Try the reset steps with the breakers off. If it won't stay on, leave that side off and call an electrician.
No. The meter belongs to your energy supplier and the main fuse and incoming cable belong to the network operator. Call 105 for the supply and your energy supplier for the meter. Don't touch either.
Keep the doors closed as much as you can so they stay cold for longer. If only some circuits are off, you may be able to run them from a circuit that's still working, using a suitable extension lead.