If something feels genuinely wrong with your electrics right now — sparking, a burning smell, exposed wiring, or a total loss of power — the priority is safety first, then getting the right help quickly. Voltify Contractors provides emergency electrician call-outs across East and South-East London, alongside our standard-hours electrical services.
This page is here to help you work out whether your situation needs urgent attention, and what to do while you arrange it.
Is This Actually an Electrical Emergency?
Not every electrical problem needs an emergency call-out, and it helps to know the difference before you act.
Treat it as an emergency if you notice any of the following:
- sparking from a socket, switch, fitting or the consumer unit;
- a burning smell with no obvious other cause;
- visible scorch marks, melted plastic, or exposed live wiring;
- a total loss of power to the property that isn’t a known local supply outage;
- a circuit that trips immediately and repeatedly and won’t stay reset, especially with any of the above signs;
- any electrical situation that feels unsafe to be near.
These are usually not emergencies, even though they feel urgent:
- a single socket or light that has stopped working, with no burning smell or damage;
- a circuit that trips occasionally but resets and holds;
- a fitting that’s simply old or in need of replacement, with no safety signs present.
If you’re not sure which category your situation falls into, it’s reasonable to get in touch and describe what you’re seeing — we can help you judge whether it needs urgent attendance or a standard appointment. Our guide to what counts as an electrical emergency also walks through the warning signs, from fishy smells to hot sockets, and when a power cut is a matter for 105 instead. For independent electrical safety advice in an emergency, see Electrical Safety First.
What to Do While You Wait for an Emergency Electrician
- If it’s safe to reach, switch off the affected circuit — or the whole installation — at the consumer unit.
- Unplug or stop using anything obviously connected to the problem.
- Keep people and pets away from the affected area, particularly if there’s visible damage or exposed wiring.
- Don’t touch anything that’s sparking, scorched, or feels warm to the touch.
- Don’t attempt to open the consumer unit, test the circuit, or investigate the fault yourself.
What Happens on an Emergency Electrical Call-Out
An emergency visit is focused first on making the immediate situation safe, then identifying what’s actually wrong. Depending on what’s found, that might mean isolating a specific circuit rather than the whole property, a same-visit repair if the fault is straightforward, or agreeing a follow-up if the issue needs further investigation or parts that aren’t carried as standard. You’ll be told clearly what’s been found and what’s needed next before any further work goes ahead.
Hours and Out-of-Hours Emergency Pricing
Voltify Contractors’ standard working hours are 7am–5pm, Monday to Friday. Out-of-hours emergency call-outs are available outside these hours, at a different rate to standard-hours work. The documented minimum call-out is £80 for the first hour during standard hours; out-of-hours emergency attendance is priced differently, and the exact cost is confirmed when you get in touch, since it depends on the time of the call-out and what’s needed.
When It’s Not Urgent
If your situation matches the “usually not an emergency” list above, you don’t need to wait anxiously for an emergency slot — Electrical Fault Finding or Electrical Repairs will get the same problem sorted during standard hours, often at standard rates.
Areas We Cover for Emergency Electrician Call-Outs
Voltify Contractors provides emergency electrician call-outs across East and South-East London, including Canary Wharf & E14, Stratford & E15, Bow & E3, Canning Town & E16, Greenwich & SE10, Woolwich & SE18 and Barking & IG11. See the areas we cover for full details of your location.
