Finding that your house has suddenly lost power while your neighbours still have electricity can be confusing. It often means the problem is limited to your property or its incoming electricity supply rather than a wider power cut, but it does not automatically mean the fault is somewhere inside your home.
There are a few safe checks you can make before calling anyone. You can check whether the whole property has lost power or only certain circuits, look at the consumer unit to see whether an RCD or circuit breaker has tripped, and check whether there is a known supply problem in your area. If a breaker trips again immediately, or you notice burning smells, heat, sparking, damaged equipment or water near electrics, do not keep resetting it.
Working out whether the problem is with the electricity supply or the installation inside the property helps you know whether to contact the network operator on 105 or call an electrician. We’ll explain that distinction clearly below.
Why Does My House Have No Power When My Neighbours Do?
If your neighbours still have electricity, the problem may be limited to your property rather than affecting the whole street. Common causes include an RCD or circuit breaker tripping, a fault on one of the circuits, or a problem with the main switch or consumer unit.
However, neighbours having power does not prove the fault is inside your home. A fault with the incoming supply, meter equipment or service connection can sometimes affect just one property, which is why it is useful to check for a network problem before assuming you need an electrician.
If only part of the house has lost power, such as the sockets or lighting on one floor, that points more strongly towards an issue with an individual circuit. If the whole property is off and the consumer unit does not show an obvious trip, the incoming supply should also be considered.
First Check: Is It the Whole House or Just One Circuit?
Start by working out whether the whole property has lost power or whether only part of the house is affected. Check a few lights and sockets in different rooms rather than assuming everything is off.
If only one area has lost power, such as the upstairs lights or downstairs sockets, the problem is more likely to be linked to an individual circuit. If the entire house is off, check the consumer unit to see whether the main switch, an RCD or a circuit breaker has tripped.
Do not remove covers or touch any exposed electrical parts. If you notice burning smells, heat, sparking, buzzing, damaged equipment or signs of water near electrics, stop checking and arrange professional help.
Second Check: Look at the Consumer Unit
Check the consumer unit to see whether the main switch, an RCD or one of the circuit breakers has moved to the off or tripped position. A tripped device can explain why all or part of the property has lost power.
If there are no signs of burning, overheating, water damage or anything unusual, a clearly tripped breaker or RCD can sometimes be reset once. If it trips again immediately, leave it off rather than repeatedly trying to reset it, as there may be a fault that needs investigating. If your fuse box keeps tripping, our separate guide explains the common causes and what to do next.
If everything at the consumer unit appears to be on but the whole house still has no power, the problem could be with the incoming electricity supply rather than one of your circuits.
Third Check: Is There a Known Power Cut or Supply Fault?
Before assuming the fault is inside your home, check whether there is a known electricity supply problem in your area. Even if nearby properties still have power, a supply fault can sometimes affect only one property or a small number of homes.
In the UK, you can call 105 free of charge to report or get information about a power cut. The number connects you to the electricity network operator responsible for your area, which can help confirm whether the problem is on the network side rather than within your electrical installation.
If 105 confirms there is no known supply issue, and your consumer unit or circuits appear to be the source of the problem, that is when it makes sense to contact an electrician.
When Should You Call an Electrician?
Call an electrician if 105 confirms there is no known supply fault and the loss of power appears to be coming from your electrical installation. This is especially important if an RCD or circuit breaker keeps tripping, only certain circuits have failed, or the consumer unit appears to be the source of the problem.
You should also arrange urgent help if you notice burning smells, overheating, buzzing, sparking, damaged electrical equipment or signs of water near the electrics. Do not repeatedly reset a breaker that keeps tripping, as it may be disconnecting the supply because of an underlying fault.
If the whole property remains without power and there is no obvious trip at the consumer unit, an electrician can help determine whether the problem is within the installation or whether further investigation of the incoming supply is needed.
What Can Cause a House to Lose Power?
A loss of power can have several different causes. An RCD or circuit breaker may have tripped because of a fault on a circuit, a faulty appliance, damaged wiring or another electrical problem. In some cases, only one part of the property will be affected.
A fault at the consumer unit, main switch or another part of the fixed installation can also interrupt the supply to the property. These problems need proper testing rather than repeated attempts to reset the power.
The fault can also be outside the installation itself, such as an issue with the incoming electricity supply, service cable or network equipment. This is why checking with 105 can be useful before assuming the problem is definitely inside your home.
Can a Faulty Appliance Cause the Power to Trip?
Yes. A faulty appliance can cause an RCD or circuit breaker to trip and may leave part, or sometimes much of, the property without power. Common examples include appliances with damaged cables, internal faults or moisture getting into electrical components.
If the power went off immediately after switching on or plugging in a particular appliance, leave that appliance disconnected. You can then check whether the relevant protective device at the consumer unit can be safely reset once.
If the breaker trips again, or you cannot identify what caused the fault, leave the affected circuit off and arrange for it to be investigated. Repeatedly resetting a protective device without finding the cause is not a good way to deal with an electrical fault.
What If the Consumer Unit Looks Normal but There Is Still No Power?
If the main switch, RCDs and circuit breakers all appear to be on but the whole property still has no electricity, the fault may not be an obvious trip inside the consumer unit.
There could be a problem with the incoming electricity supply, metering equipment, service connection or another part of the installation that cannot be identified just by looking at the switches. Do not remove covers or interfere with the meter, service fuse or incoming cables.
At this point, checking for a supply fault through 105 is sensible. If the network operator confirms the supply to the property is available, an electrician can then carry out testing to locate the fault within the installation.
When Is a Loss of Power an Electrical Emergency?
A loss of power becomes more urgent when it is accompanied by signs that something may be overheating, damaged or unsafe. Warning signs include burning smells, smoke, unusual heat, buzzing or crackling noises, visible sparking, damaged cables or water close to electrical equipment.
If you notice any of these signs, do not keep trying to restore the power or repeatedly reset the consumer unit. Keep away from damaged electrical equipment and arrange urgent professional help. If there is an active fire or immediate danger to people, call the emergency services.
Even without obvious burning or sparking, a complete loss of power that cannot be explained by a known network outage may still need prompt investigation, particularly if the consumer unit will not reset or only parts of the installation are working.
How Does an Electrician Find the Cause of a Power Loss?
An electrician can test the installation systematically to work out where the supply is being lost. This may include checking the consumer unit, protective devices, individual circuits and the incoming supply to determine whether the fault is inside the property or further upstream.
Electrical testing can also identify problems that are not visible, such as faults in wiring, damaged accessories, insulation problems or an issue caused by a particular appliance. This is much safer and more reliable than repeatedly resetting breakers and hoping the problem clears.
Once the cause has been found, the electrician can explain what needs repairing and whether the work is urgent or can be planned. In many cases, the fault can be isolated to one circuit or component rather than requiring major work to the whole installation.
Can You Reduce the Risk of Future Power Loss?
Not every electrical fault can be prevented, but keeping the installation in good condition can reduce the likelihood of unexpected problems. Damaged accessories, recurring trips, unusual noises and signs of overheating should be investigated rather than ignored.
If an RCD or circuit breaker starts tripping repeatedly, try to identify whether a particular appliance or circuit is involved and arrange testing if the cause is not obvious. Small recurring faults can sometimes be an early warning of a problem that later causes a more significant loss of power.
Older or heavily altered installations may also benefit from periodic inspection, particularly where there is little information about previous electrical work. An electrician can advise whether any repairs or upgrades are worth considering. If you want a broader assessment of the condition of the fixed electrical installation, find out more about our EICR testing in Brighton service.
No Power in Your House in Brighton? BKA Electrical Can Help
If your property has lost power and 105 confirms there is no known supply fault, our electricians in Brighton can investigate the problem and identify whether the issue is with the consumer unit, an individual circuit or another part of the installation.
For urgent problems, find out more about our emergency electrician in Brighton service. For faults that need systematic testing, see our electrical fault finding in Brighton service.