When a socket, switch or fused spur fails

What this usually means

A failed accessory usually means one local point on an existing circuit has worn out, loosened, overheated or been damaged behind the plate. That often keeps the job in tidy small-repair territory rather than a whole-house problem, but the right first check still depends on what is found when the point is opened and tested.

Typical solutions

• Check whether the fault is the accessory itself, the connections behind it, or loss of supply from elsewhere on the circuit.
• Replace the failed socket, switch, fused spur, pull cord or similar accessory where the local wiring and location are suitable.
• Test the repaired point and explain clearly whether it stays a local fix or points to wider fault finding.

Basic information

• If the faceplate is hot, blackened, cracked, buzzing, loose or smells burnt, stop using it until it has been checked.
• One failed point is often local. Repeated tripping, more than one dead point, or signs of damage nearby can mean the issue is wider than the accessory itself.