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Electricity is the silent heartbeat of every modern home and business. From the moment you switch on a morning kettle to late-night phone charging, we rarely think about the wiring, circuits and consumer units that make it all possible. But when something goes wrong — a flickering light, a dead socket or a tripping fuse board — you realise just how much you depend on safe, reliable electrics.
Whether you’re a homeowner in Highgate, a landlord in Hampstead or a shop owner in Camden, finding a trusted Electrician in London can feel overwhelming. That’s why we at RCD Electrical have put together this guide to the six most common electrical services we carry out every week. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to expect — and when to pick up the phone.
⚡ 1. Electrical Installations — From a single socket to full home extensions
New builds, loft conversions, kitchen refits or garden offices — any change to your property’s layout requires professional electrical installation. It’s not just about adding a few switches; it’s about designing a circuit that’s safe, efficient and fit for modern life.
Our team installs everything from elegant pendant lights to complete wiring for home extensions. We follow the 18th Edition UK wiring regulations (BS 7671) to the letter, ensuring your new installation doesn’t just work beautifully but also passes any future inspection with flying colours.
Common signs you need an installation service: you’re extending your home, you’ve moved into a newly built property with unfinished electrics, or your existing circuits can’t handle modern appliances.
🔍 2. Fault Finding and Repairs — The electrical detective work
Nothing is more frustrating than a circuit that keeps tripping for no obvious reason, or a light that flickers every time the washing machine comes on. These aren't just annoyances — they're warnings. Electrical faults are responsible for over half of all domestic fires in the UK.
We use professional diagnostic tools (insulation testers, multi-meters, thermal imaging) to trace faults quickly. It could be a loose connection inside a socket, a damaged cable under the floorboards, or an ageing RCD. Once identified, we repair it safely and test everything before we leave.
Tip: If you smell burning plastic or hear buzzing from a socket, turn off the power at the consumer unit and call a professional immediately. For urgent cases, you might need London Emergency Electricians who arrive within the hour.
🔄 3. Rewiring — Bringing old homes into the 21st century
Many Victorian and Edwardian houses across North London still have original wiring from the 1960s or 1970s. Rubber cables, no earth wires in lighting circuits, and fuse boxes with rewirable fuses — these are ticking time bombs.
A full house rewire removes every old cable, installs new circuits, adds enough sockets for today’s gadgets (no more extension leads everywhere!) and brings the entire system up to current safety standards. Partial rewires are also possible if you’ve already had some work done.
How do you know if you need a rewire? Your sockets feel warm, lights dim when you use a hairdryer, you have round-pin sockets, or an electrician told you your insulation resistance is dangerously low. If any of this sounds familiar, reach out to London Electricians like us for a free site assessment.
📦 4. Consumer Unit Upgrades — Your new fuse box saves lives
The consumer unit (often called the fuse box) is the command centre of your entire electrical system. Older models have no RCD protection, which means if a fault occurs, you might not be disconnected quickly enough to prevent a serious electric shock.
Modern consumer units come with dual RCD protection or even RCBOs (each circuit has its own RCD). This means when something trips, only that one circuit goes off — not your whole house. We also fit surge protection devices (SPD) to safeguard expensive electronics like TVs, computers and smart home hubs.
An upgrade typically takes 4–6 hours and will instantly make your home far safer. Landlords should note: from 2020, all rented properties must have a consumer unit with RCD protection as part of the EICR requirements.
📋 5. Electrical Testing and Inspections (EICR) — The MOT for your wiring
Most homeowners don’t realise that electrical installations degrade over time. Connections loosen, insulation becomes brittle, and moisture finds its way into junction boxes. An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is the only way to uncover these hidden dangers.
We carry out full periodic inspections for homeowners, landlords and businesses. The process involves switching off circuits and testing earth loop impedance, insulation resistance, polarity and RCD trip times. At the end, you receive a detailed report with a ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’ outcome.
Legal note for landlords: Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, you must have a valid EICR every 5 years and provide a copy to your tenants. Failures can result in fines up to £30,000.
💡 6. Lighting Design and Installation — More than just a bulb
Lighting can transform a gloomy hallway into a warm, welcoming space. We don’t just fit a light where an old one used to be — we design layered schemes using dimmable LEDs, under-cabinet lights, wall washers and smart controls.
Popular projects include: kitchen task lighting, cosy bedroom dimmers, garden floodlights with PIR sensors, and office lighting that reduces eye strain. We also install smart lighting systems (Philips Hue, Loxone) that you can control from your phone or voice assistant.
Energy efficiency is always a priority: LEDs use up to 80% less energy than halogen and last 15 times longer. Over a year, that can save a typical family £100–£200 on electricity bills.
✅ Why local homeowners and businesses choose RCD Electrical
We’re not just another Electrician in London — we’re a team that treats every home like our own. All our work is fully guaranteed, we’re Gas Safe registered (for any combined gas/electrical jobs) and we hold full public liability insurance. More importantly, we turn up on time, clean up after ourselves, and explain everything in plain English.
Whether you need an Electrical Fault Finding London specialist, a full rewire, or a landlord EICR certificate, we’ve done it hundreds of times. We serve the whole of North London including Islington, Hackney, Haringey, Camden, Barnet and Enfield.
👉 Returning customers get 10% off any future service — because we believe in building long-term relationships, not one-off fixes.
⚠️ When to call for emergency electrical help
Most electrical jobs can wait for a normal appointment. But some situations need a same-day response:
- Burning smell from any socket, switch or consumer unit.
- Visible scorch marks or melted plastic.
- Electric shocks (even mild tingling) when touching appliances.
- Total power loss on multiple circuits with no reset possible.
- Water ingress into an electrical fitting (leaking ceiling onto a light, for example).
For these, call London Emergency Electricians immediately. We’re on standby 24/7 for genuine emergencies and will isolate the danger, repair the fault and make your property safe before we leave.
Final thought: Don’t wait for a small flicker to become a full-blown house fire. A quick inspection or service call today could save thousands of pounds in damage — and more importantly, protect the people you love.
📞 Need a reliable electrician in London? Call RCD Electrical on 02034882928 for a free consultation or to book your EICR, rewire or fault-finding visit.