Electrical problem guide
Some sockets or lights are dead but others work in London
Some sockets or lights are dead but others work? Here's what it usually means — and how we help across London.
Some sockets or lights are dead but others work: London EICR electrician
Same-day bookings are usually possible, subject to availability. When arranging the visit, describe which rooms have lost power and whether anything has tripped. The immediate priority is identifying the affected circuit and making it safe before tracing the fault.
Perhaps there's no power upstairs. Or your lights work but the sockets don't. Sometimes it's just one room, with no obvious trip at the board. Those details help, but they don't tell you what's gone wrong.
East London and North London have converted flats, terraced houses and purpose-built blocks with different wiring histories. Older conversions can contain mixed-age wiring and consumer units with rewireable fuses. Our EICR London work regularly involves this kind of stock, where circuits may have been altered over decades.
What it might mean
A tripped MCB or blown fuse may have disconnected that circuit. But if the sockets stopped working and nothing appears to have tripped, a failed connection is another possibility.
A termination at a socket, junction box or other accessory could have worked loose over time. Recent building work might also have disturbed a connection. If that connection sits partway along the circuit, it could explain why some points work and others don't.
A broken ring final circuit leg could leave part of the circuit dead or overloaded. Cable damage from drilling, rodents or corrosion is another possibility, though the symptoms alone can't establish that. We need to test before choosing a repair.
How urgent is it?
Treat unexplained partial power loss as a same-day problem. It usually points to a failed or failing connection, and failed connections are where arcing and heat damage can start.
If a breaker re-trips immediately, leave it off and call now. Don't keep trying it. Persistent dead sockets also need investigation today, even if the rest of your home still has electricity.
A failed joint may be arcing before it fails completely. And remaining sockets on a broken ring can be quietly overloaded. Don't wait days just because you've found another working socket.
What you can safely check
Start by looking at the consumer unit for a tripped breaker or dropped fuse. Keep protective covers in place; this is a visual check, not an invitation to open the board.
Unplug appliances in the dead area in case an appliance caused the trip. If a breaker immediately trips again, keep it switched off and arrange professional help.
Don't remove socket fronts, tighten connections or attempt cable repairs yourself. Working lights don't establish that the socket circuit is safe.
What we check
We identify the affected circuit and its route from the board. Then we test for supply at each dead point to narrow down where the break could be.
The last live and first dead accessories are useful places to investigate. With the relevant circuit safely isolated, we inspect and test their terminations for a failed connection. That gives us evidence for the repair instead of guessing which socket needs replacing.
How it's fixed
Once we've traced the break, the repair may involve a failed connection or a damaged cable section. An urgent visit can begin with isolation to make the installation safe, followed by tracing the fault through fi investigations & fault finding.
After repairing the connection or cable, we re-test the whole circuit, including ring continuity where applicable. Getting power back is only part of the job.
If an electrical installation condition report has flagged related coded defects, we can quote for certificated repairs. EICR testing and remedial work are separate; we provide a free, no-obligation quote for those repairs.
Call now if a breaker trips again
Leave it off and ask about a visit today, with timing confirmed against availability. Persistent partial power loss needs attention even without tripping: a failing joint may be arcing.
Need an EICR visit for dead sockets?
Call to book an EICR in London, explain what's stopped working and ask about today's appointments, which depend on availability. A West London conversion may have circuits altered over decades, so don't assume a breaker that looks normal rules out a failed connection. We'll email your report as a PDF; any necessary repair is quoted separately from the fixed installation inspection.
Get your partial power loss investigated
Arrange EICR testing for your South East London property today, making the interrupted supply clear when booking; same-day appointments are often available, depending on the diary. Your EICR is carried out by a NICEIC-registered engineer, and the completed inspection report comes directly by email. Keep any immediately re-tripping breaker off; repeated resets aren't a safe way to restore your sockets.