What to do right now
If you face any of the following, we’ll help you act safely and quickly: 1. Burning smell or scorching: switch off power if safe and move away. 2. Whole street dark: check with neighbours and report a likely network outage. 3. Water near electrics: keep clear and don’t touch switches or sockets. 4. Someone has had a shock: call 999 immediately and don’t touch them until the supply is isolated. We can then advise you on the safest next step and arrange an emergency electrician where needed.
If you can smell burning or see scorching
A burning smell, scorch marks or a hot socket can signal a serious electrical fault: switch off the consumer unit only if it’s safe to do so, don’t touch damaged wiring or use the affected circuit, and call our 24-hour emergency line straight away.
If there’s smoke, flames, crackling, or the smell is worsening, leave the property, keep others away and call 999. Don’t investigate behind sockets, remove covers, spray water, or plug anything back in. Smell detection matters: note where the odour is strongest from a safe distance, but don’t rely on sight alone. Scorched sockets, discolouration or melted plastic may indicate overheating in the wiring or connections. We’ll attend, isolate the danger, test the circuit and explain what’s needed to make your home safe tonight.
If the whole street is dark
When the whole street is dark, it’s likely a wider power cut rather than a fault inside your home. Check whether neighbours’ lights, streetlights and nearby properties are affected, but don’t go outside to inspect cables, cabinets or a Street transformer.
Keep your consumer unit untouched unless you know the outage is limited to your property. Use torches rather than candles, unplug sensitive equipment if safe to do so, and keep fridge and freezer doors closed. Avoid lifts, electric gates and any unnecessary travel until power returns.
Report the Neighbourhood outage to your electricity network operator, who can confirm known faults and restoration information. If only your home remains without supply after power is restored nearby, call us on the 24-hour emergency line. We’ll assess whether your installation needs urgent attention.
If water has reached the electrics
Water reaching sockets, wiring or your consumer unit creates an immediate electric-shock and fire risk. Don’t touch damp fittings, switches, appliances or standing water. Keep everyone away, especially children and pets, and move only through dry areas.
If it’s safe to reach the consumer unit without crossing water or touching wet surfaces, switch off the main switch for electrical isolation. If there’s any doubt, leave it alone. Don’t reset tripped circuits, use electrical equipment, or try to dry sockets with heaters or towels.
Call our 24-hour emergency line so we can assess the water ingress and make the installation safe tonight. We’ll isolate affected circuits, test for damage and advise what must remain off until repairs are complete. If flooding continues, contact your insurer and emergency services where necessary.
If someone has had a shock
If someone has had an electric shock, don’t touch them until the electricity is switched off at the consumer unit or unplugged safely at the source. Call 999 immediately if they are unconscious, have chest pain, breathing difficulty, burns, seizures or persistent pain. Once the supply is isolated, give first aid only if it is safe and within your training; follow the emergency operator’s instructions and use CPR if directed.
Even a person who seems well needs medical assessment, as heart rhythm problems and other long term effects may not be obvious. Don’t switch the circuit back on, handle damaged cables or use the appliance involved. At work, follow workplace guidance, preserve the area and report the incident. We can isolate, test and make the installation safe, helping you address liability concerns before power is restored.
How fast we get to Tonbridge
We can reach most Tonbridge addresses from our Pipers Business Centre base in TN9 within 30 minutes at a call‑out fee of £75.
We operate a 24‑hour emergency line and will take the details of the fault, confirm your address and give a realistic arrival estimate before setting off.
We cover TN9 and nearby Hildenborough, Hadlow, East Peckham, Tudeley and Cage Green. If there’s smoke, burning smells, exposed live wiring, repeated tripping or loss of essential power, tell us immediately so we can prioritise safe attendance. While you wait, keep people away from the affected area and don’t reset a tripping consumer unit repeatedly. We’ll arrive prepared to isolate danger, test the installation and make your home safe tonight.
What an emergency call-out costs
For out-of-hours emergencies in Tonbridge we charge £120 per hour with a one-hour minimum, and we’ll confirm a fixed price in writing before work starts. Our emergency service covers rapid attendance, overnight staffing and safe, methodical work when you need it most.
| Job | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Out-of-hours labour | £120 per hour | VAT, parts, labour, testing and certificate |
| Minimum charge | One hour | Applies to initial attendance |
| Price protection | Fixed quote in writing | Bill will not exceed the agreed quote |
Not included: plaster or decoration repairs, asbestos removal, DNO supply-upgrade charges, or scaffold/access equipment.
Faults we attend most often
- Your consumer unit (fuse box) keeps tripping and cutting power to parts of the house.
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Usually means an overloaded or faulty circuit that needs isolating and repair.
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You can smell something burning or notice a hot smell from sockets or switches.
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Often indicates overheating wiring or a cage-green connection that’s a fire risk.
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A socket or switch sparks, crackles or feels warm when you plug something in.
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Typically caused by a cage-green or damaged connection that needs replacing.
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Your lights dim or flicker when big appliances (kettle, cooker, washer) switch on.
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Usually a sign of an overloaded circuit or poor connection under load.
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Power keeps cutting out repeatedly from the same circuit.
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Often a persistent fault on that circuit that shouldn’t be reset without inspection.
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You find wet or damp sockets, switches or trailing cables after a leak or flood.
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Water ingress can short circuits and corrode wiring, creating an immediate danger.
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Older plugs, switches or cables look cracked, brittle or have exposed wiring.
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Common in homes with ageing rubber-insulated or aluminium wiring that can deteriorate over time.
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You notice discoloured or stained switch plates and sockets (brown marks or burn marks).
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Usually caused by overheating at the connection, which needs urgent attention.
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In older or period properties, some lights or sockets work oddly or unpredictably.
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Hidden or outdated wiring methods may be present and need a careful inspection.
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A particular circuit trips every time you use a specific appliance.
- That appliance may be faulty or the circuit may be unable to handle its load and needs testing.
What we can usually fix on the first visit
When it’s safe to do so, we can usually diagnose and repair common emergency faults on the first visit, including tripping circuits, damaged sockets or switches, cage-green connections, failed light fittings and straightforward appliance-related faults. We’ll isolate the affected circuit, test the installation and explain clearly what has failed before work begins.
Fuse replacement and Socket repair can often be completed immediately where the fault is contained and suitable parts are available. We can also replace damaged accessories, secure unsafe connections and restore lighting where testing confirms the circuit is sound. If an appliance is causing the trip, we’ll help identify it and leave the installation safe.
Where a permanent repair needs specialist parts or further investigation, we won’t take risks. We’ll make the danger safe, provide a fixed price in writing, and arrange the necessary follow-up work.
Areas we reach fastest
From our Pipers Business Centre base, we can usually reach emergencies in TN9 quickly, including central Tonbridge, Hadlow, Hildenborough, East Peckham, Tudeley and Cage Green. We’ll prioritise situations involving burning smells, repeated tripping, exposed wiring, water near electrics or loss of essential power, and make the installation safe on arrival.
If you’re in a Victorian terrace, a listed home, a business premises, countryside farms or responsible for alleyway streetlights, tell us exactly what’s happening and whether anyone is at risk.
Keep clear of damaged electrical equipment, don’t touch wet electrics, and switch off power only if it’s safe to do so.