Signs an electrical problem is urgent

Urgent signs share a theme: heat, smoke, shocks or water. A burning smell, scorch marks, a socket or switch that feels hot, sparks or crackling, a tingle or shock from an appliance or fitting, water reaching electrics, or a board that buzzes and feels warm all mean switching off and keeping people away until checked.

Safety and decision guides are advice for the reader. They describe practice, not a service level.

Less urgent problems — a dead socket, a light that will not work, an RCD that tripped once and reset — can usually wait for a planned visit, provided nothing is hot or smelling. When in doubt, switch the circuit off.