If part of your house has lost power but the rest is working, the cause is almost always a tripped breaker in your consumer unit. Here is how to check and what to do next.

Step 1: Check your consumer unit

Your consumer unit (fuse box) is usually located near the front door, under the stairs, or in the garage. Open the cover and look at the switches.

If one switch is in the “down” or “off” position while the others are “up” or “on”, that circuit has tripped. The label next to it should tell you which circuit it controls (e.g. “kitchen sockets”, “upstairs lights”, “ring main”).

To reset it: Flip the switch back to the “on” position. If it stays on, the trip was likely caused by a momentary fault (a power surge, a faulty appliance being unplugged, etc.) and the problem may not recur.

If it trips again immediately: There is an active fault on that circuit. Do not keep resetting it. See “What to do if the breaker won’t stay on” below.

Step 2: Identify what is affected

Work out exactly which part of the house has lost power:

All sockets in one area (e.g. downstairs): A ring main or radial circuit has tripped
All lights on one floor: The lighting circuit for that floor has tripped
A single room: Likely a radial circuit or a spur that has failed
A specific appliance only: The appliance may have its own dedicated circuit (cooker, shower, immersion heater)

This helps narrow down the cause.

Step 3: Check for obvious causes

Recently plugged in or turned on something?

If the power went off at the same time you plugged in an appliance or turned on a light, that device may be faulty. Unplug it, reset the breaker, and see if the power stays on.

Water or moisture?

Check for any leaks, condensation, or water near sockets, light fittings, or the consumer unit. Water ingress is a common cause of RCD and MCB tripping, particularly:

After heavy rain (outdoor sockets, flat-roof extensions)
Near bathrooms (leaking shower trays, burst pipes)
Under kitchens (washing machine or dishwasher leaks)

Recent DIY or building work?

If someone has been drilling, nailing, or working on the walls or floors, a cable may have been damaged. This is a common cause of sudden power loss to a circuit.

What to do if the breaker won’t stay on

If the breaker trips immediately every time you reset it:

Switch off all appliances on the affected circuit by unplugging them at the socket
Reset the breaker with everything unplugged
If it stays on: Plug appliances back in one at a time until you find the one causing the trip. That appliance is faulty.
If it still trips with nothing plugged in: The fault is in the fixed wiring (cables, sockets, or junction boxes). You need an electrician.

When it is not the consumer unit

If all the switches in your consumer unit are in the “on” position but you still have no power to part of the house, the issue may be:

A loose connection in a socket, junction box, or light fitting on the affected circuit
A failed cable connection (a wire has come loose or broken)
A faulty socket that has failed internally

These faults do not always trip a breaker. They simply stop current flowing beyond the point of failure. An electrician can trace the circuit to find where the break has occurred.

No power at all?

If you have no power to the entire house:

Check if the main switch on your consumer unit has tripped
Check if your neighbours are also affected (if so, it is a supply issue)
Check your prepayment meter if you have one
Contact your electricity distributor if the supply fuse has blown (this is the sealed unit before your consumer unit, which you must not touch yourself)

Next steps

If you have lost power to part of your house and cannot resolve it by resetting the breaker and unplugging appliances, contact us to arrange a visit. We can trace the fault and carry out the repair, usually in a single visit.

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No Power to Part of House: What to Check