Power Problem May Be Outside Your Home? We'll Check the Supply and Advise in Solihull

Where the fault could be

Electricity reaches a home through the distribution network and service connection before entering the property's meter and installation. An interruption on the street or network side may affect multiple homes, while a damaged service cable or meter-side issue can affect one address. A problem after the meter may belong to the household installation. The boundary depends on the equipment and arrangement at the property, so an electrician needs to check rather than assume that every outage is an in-home fault.

Compare what is happening nearby

If safe, ask a neighbour whether their power is also out or whether lights are dimming. A street-wide outage, damaged overhead line or reported network incident points toward an external problem, but neighbouring homes can be supplied differently and may not share the same fault. Note when the interruption started and whether it followed weather, roadworks or a loud bang outside. Do not approach damaged cables, poles, substations or fallen wires. Keep a safe distance and contact the electricity network operator for a dangerous external hazard.

Checking the meter and incoming supply

The engineer can check whether supply is present at the meter and consumer unit using appropriate test equipment, and inspect accessible equipment for signs of damage or overheating. They also establish whether the consumer unit or a circuit inside the property is responsible. If the meter display is blank, that alone does not prove the network is at fault; meters and their connections can fail too. The checks help determine which party should act. The electrician will explain the result and avoid carrying out work on network equipment that is outside their remit.

What happens if the network is at fault

If the evidence points to an outage before the property's installation, the electricity network operator is responsible for investigating and restoring the distribution supply. The homeowner should report the incident through the operator's outage or emergency contact route, particularly if a cable is damaged or unsafe. The electrician can explain what their checks found, but cannot repair the street network or promise when power will return. If only the service connection to one property is affected, the engineer can explain whether the operator or another responsible party should be contacted.

If the fault is on your side

When the supply is present at the meter but the property has no power, investigation continues through the consumer unit and circuits. The cause could be a main switch, protective device, internal connection or wiring fault. The electrician isolates and tests as appropriate, then explains the repair and cost before starting. If a warning sign such as burning smell, heat or crackling is present, keep clear of the affected equipment and do not repeatedly reset switches. Any work is limited to the property-side installation the electrician is equipped to repair.

Keep information for the follow-up

Record the time of the outage, whether nearby homes were affected, and any message from the network operator. If power returns and then drops again, report the new time and pattern. Do not open the meter cabinet or handle seals, service cables or exposed conductors. If there is damage outside, keep others away. Clear observations help the right team distinguish a local service issue from a wider incident without putting you at risk.

Arrange a supply check

If the cause of the outage is unclear, an electrician can check the property side and advise on the next contact. Same-day and emergency appointments may be available. The booking fee is paid when you book; labour is charged hourly at a rate depending on how soon you need the visit. Any work cost is quoted in full and approved before it begins.