Electricians

For electrical work, ask which registered competent person scheme the electrician belongs to, and look them up at www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk. We don't do this for you yet.

What to put in your job description

• What you want: new sockets or lights, a new fuse board, a rewire, an outside socket, an EV charger.
• How many rooms or points, and where they are.
• How old the wiring and the fuse board are, if you know.
• Anything wrong now, such as a fuse that keeps tripping. If you see sparks or smell burning, switch off at the fuse board first.
• Whether walls can be opened up, or the cables should run on the surface.

Don't put your name, phone number or address in the description: every trade who covers your area reads it. Your name, phone, email and address go only to the trades who take the job (3 at most).

Questions to ask before you hire

• Which registered competent person scheme are you in?
• Will I get an Electrical Installation Certificate, or a Minor Works Certificate, when you finish?
• If the work is notifiable, will you tell building control, and will I get the certificate?
• Is making good the walls and ceilings in the price?
• Do you have public liability insurance?

Registers and schemes to check

In England, a lot of home electrical work, such as a new circuit, a new fuse board or new work near a bath or shower, must meet Part P of the Building Regulations. The simplest way is an electrician registered with a competent person scheme, who can sign the work off. Look them up at electricalcompetentperson.co.uk. We don't check this for you yet.

What the job usually involves

• Small jobs: an extra socket, a new light fitting, a faulty switch, an outside light.
• Larger jobs: a new consumer unit (fuse board), a new circuit, a rewire, an EV charger, wiring for an extension or a new kitchen.
• Finding faults: a fuse or RCD that keeps tripping, lights that flicker, a burning smell.
• Testing the installation and filling in a certificate: an Electrical Installation Certificate for new circuits, a Minor Works Certificate for small additions.
• Telling building control about notifiable work, which a registered electrician can do for you.

How quotes and visits work

Small jobs are often priced on the spot. For a rewire or a new fuse board, expect the electrician to visit, look at the existing wiring and the board, and then give a written quote. Ask whether making good (filling and plastering where cables go in) is in the price, or left for a plasterer.

Ask for a written quote (a fixed price) rather than an estimate (a guess that can change), and for what it includes. If you agree a job in your home, you usually have 14 days to cancel under the Consumer Contracts Regulations; if you want work to start sooner, you may have to pay for what has been done.

Safety

• If you see sparks, smell burning or a socket is hot, switch off at the fuse board and don't use it until it has been looked at.
• Test your RCD (the switch marked T or Test on the fuse board) as its label says.
• Landlords in England must have the electrics inspected and tested at least every 5 years.

Insurance and TrustMark

Ask for public liability insurance before work starts. It covers damage or injury caused by the trade to you, your home or someone else. Ask for the insurer's name and the cover's end date; you can ask to see the certificate.

TrustMark is the government-endorsed quality scheme for work in and around the home. Its registered businesses agree to its code of practice, and you can look them up on trustmark.org.uk.

Guides for homeowners

• Electrical safety at home
• Planning permission and Building Regulations: the difference
• How to compare quotes from local trades

We take jobs from anywhere in the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Trades choose the postcode districts they cover.

Electricians by town and city

England

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland