At 11pm on a Sunday, your lights have gone out in the kitchen. Is this an emergency? Should you call an out-of-hours electrician? Or can it wait until Monday morning?

This is the question many homeowners face, and getting it right matters — both for your safety and your wallet. Genuine electrical emergencies should never wait. But calling an out-of-hours electrician for a problem that can safely wait will cost significantly more than a weekday appointment.

This guide sets out clearly which electrical situations need an immediate call, which can wait, and what you should do in the meantime.

Call an Emergency Electrician Immediately If...

You can smell burning from your electrics

A burning or melting smell from a socket, switch, consumer unit, or light fitting is one of the most serious warning signs. It typically indicates overheating, which can lead to an electrical fire. Turn off the main switch at your consumer unit if it is safe to reach, leave the property, and call an emergency electrician immediately. Do not wait to see if the smell goes away.

You can see sparks from a socket or fitting

Visible sparks from a socket, switch, or light fitting are a fire and shock hazard. Do not use the outlet. If you can safely isolate the circuit at your consumer unit, do so. Call an emergency electrician.

Someone has received an electric shock

If anyone has received a shock from an appliance, socket, or wiring — even a mild tingle — the installation needs professional inspection before it is used again. For a serious shock involving loss of consciousness or burns, call 999 immediately before contacting an electrician.

Water has entered your electrical installation

Flooding, a burst pipe, or water penetrating a roof can put water in contact with electrical installations. Do not restore power to flood-affected circuits until they have been inspected and confirmed safe by a qualified electrician. This is not something to rush back on.

You have a total loss of power across the whole property

If all circuits have lost power, first check your consumer unit for tripped breakers or a tripped main switch. If nothing is tripped and you have no power, call your District Network Operator (DNO) first — it may be a power cut. If your neighbours have power and you do not, it may be a supply fault outside your control. But if the DNO confirms the supply is live and you still have no power, you need an emergency electrician.

Can Usually Wait Until Morning

Not every electrical problem needs an emergency response. These situations are frustrating, but they are generally safe to wait:

One socket is not working

A single dead socket is inconvenient but not dangerous. Use another socket, note the location, and book a planned appointment to investigate.

One light has stopped working

If a single light fixture has stopped working, first check the bulb. If it is not the bulb, the problem may be a tripped MCB or a loose connection — both can be investigated during a daytime appointment.

Outdoor lighting has failed

External lighting failure is annoying but not an emergency in most cases. Book a planned appointment.

An appliance is not working but nothing else is affected

If a specific appliance has stopped working but sockets and circuits are otherwise functioning, the fault is likely with the appliance, not your installation. Try the appliance in a different socket first.

Situations That Seem Minor But Are Actually Dangerous

These situations are often dismissed but are worth treating seriously:

Lights flickering throughout the property

Occasional flickering when a large appliance (like a fridge or washing machine) kicks in can be normal. But persistent flickering across multiple circuits may indicate a loose neutral connection at the consumer unit or incoming supply — which is a potential fire risk. If you are unsure, get it inspected.

RCD that trips repeatedly but resets

If your RCD trips and resets, trips and resets, it is tempting to just keep resetting it and assume it is a nuisance. It is not — there is a fault on a circuit that is causing the RCD to trip for a reason. Repeated tripping of an RCD indicates an earth fault that needs professional diagnosis. The RCD is doing its job, but the underlying cause needs finding.

Sockets or switches that feel warm to the touch

Sockets and switches should not be warm. Warmth indicates resistance in the connection — typically a loose terminal or overloaded circuit. This is a fire risk. Stop using the socket or switch and arrange an inspection.

Discolouration around sockets or switches

Brown or black discolouration (scorching) around a socket, switch, or light fitting indicates overheating that has already occurred. Stop using it immediately and arrange an inspection.

What to Do While Waiting for the Emergency Electrician

If you have confirmed this is a genuine emergency and an engineer is on their way, here is what to do in the meantime:

1
Assess whether it is safe to remain in the property
For burning smells, visible scorch marks, or smoke, leave the property. For other emergencies (such as total power loss without a burning smell), staying in the property is generally fine.
2
Turn off the main switch if it is safe to do so
If you can safely reach your consumer unit and you suspect a wiring fault, turning off the main switch removes the risk. Make sure you have a torch or your phone for light.
3
Unplug appliances on affected circuits
If the fault appears to be appliance-related (RCD tripping), unplug appliances on the affected circuit while you wait.
4
Do not attempt DIY repairs
Working on live electrical circuits without the proper training and tools is dangerous and illegal without the relevant qualifications. Leave the work to the engineer.
5
Charge your phone before it runs out
If you turn the main switch off, make sure your phone is charged enough to communicate with the engineer when they arrive.
6
Note which circuits are affected
Write down which rooms have lost power and any other observations — this helps the engineer diagnose the problem faster.

How Much Does an Emergency Electrician Cost in Exeter?

Emergency callouts in Exeter typically cost between £93 and £180 for the callout itself, depending on the time of day, the nature of the fault, and the electrician. Weeknight and weekend rates are generally higher.

Most electricians charge a first-hour rate (typically £80–£120) and then an hourly rate on top if the job overruns. Parts are additional. Get a clear understanding of the rates when you call.

Compared to a planned appointment (where labour rates are lower), an emergency callout might cost two to three times more. This is why it is important to correctly identify genuine emergencies — calling an engineer out at midnight for a problem that could have waited until 8am will be significantly more expensive than necessary.

But for genuine electrical emergencies — burning smells, sparks, electric shocks — the cost of an out-of-hours callout is trivial compared to the potential consequences of ignoring the problem.

When to Call an Emergency Electrician — And When It Can Wait