Electrical Safety

It is illegal and extremely dangerous to tamper with the electricity supply to your home or the electric meter.

You should never work on the electrics in your home. You should always report faults to us. Where you have requested to carry out an alteration that requires work on your electrics, for example changing light fittings, you must obtain our permission before these works proceed and we will insist that a qualified electrician carries out the works. There may also be a requirement to provide a copy of certificates which must be signed by the electrician.

  • Switch off all appliances when not in use;
  • Never take an electrical appliance into the bathroom;
  • Ensure you have the correct rated fuse on plugs for your appliances incase you have to change them;
  • Check flexes for wear and tear and do not run them under carpets.

One of the common causes of losing power in your home is where an appliance is faulty. As a safety precaution your consumer unit (fuse box) will “trip”. Generally, by checking your consumer unit you will see one of the switches in the “off or down” position. To restore your power quickly, you should switch off all your appliances such as your kettle, fridge, toaster, microwave, washing machine, iron etc. and then push the switch on your consumer back “on or up”. If your power stays on and remains on then it is a good indication that you have a faulty appliance. You will normally find this out when you switch them all back on again if the power goes off again. 

Should this not rectify the issue then please call us and we can send out an electrician. You should be aware though that we may charge you for the costs if the electrician determines that the fault was caused by an appliance.

Five-Year Electrical Safety Inspections

By law, we must inspect the electrical system in your home every five years. This helps ensure your wiring, sockets, and consumer unit are safe and compliant.

  • You’ll be contacted in advance to arrange access.
  • If access is repeatedly denied, we may be forced to gain entry to complete the inspection. You may be recharged for this.
  • Please ensure any pre-payment meters are in credit at the time of inspection.

Tampering with Electricity Meters

Tampering with your electricity meter is dangerous and illegal. It can lead to electric shock, fire, and prosecution.

  • Our staff and contractors are required to report any signs of tampering.
  • Tenants found to have tampered with a meter will be in breach of their tenancy agreement.
  • Cloch may begin legal action to repossess the property on Health and Safety grounds.
  • You may also face criminal charges, as we will report the matter to the Police and your utility provider.
  • Any costs incurred to make the property safe will be recharged to you.

Reporting Concerns

If you suspect someone has tampered with their electricity meter, please report it to us confidentially. You can contact our office directly or speak to your Housing Officer. All reports will be handled sensitively and investigated appropriately to ensure the safety of everyone in the building.