Socket Not Working in Arundel - What to Check First

Published September 2026 | Socket not working what to check first

Finding that a socket has stopped working - especially when you are mid-task and relying on it - can feel like the start of something much bigger than it probably is. If this is the first time you have dealt with an electrical fault at home, it is completely natural to feel unsure about what to investigate and what to leave alone. The reassuring thing is that a large proportion of socket faults have entirely safe, self-diagnosable causes, and by the end of this guide you will know exactly where you stand.

What Is Actually Happening - The Basics Explained Simply

A socket stops working when the electrical circuit it sits on loses power. That sounds obvious, but understanding why it happens helps you work out what to do next.

In a UK home, your electricity arrives through the consumer unit - what most people call the fuse box. Inside that box are MCBs (Miniature Circuit Breakers) and RCDs (Residual Current Devices). MCBs protect individual circuits from overload. RCDs detect dangerous current leaks and cut the power automatically to prevent electric shock. When either of these trips, anything on that circuit loses power - including sockets.

Your sockets are typically wired on ring final circuits. A standard home has two or three of these, covering different zones such as upstairs, downstairs, or the kitchen. If one MCB trips, only the sockets on that circuit go dead, not the whole house. This is why one room might have working sockets while another does not.

There are other causes too: a faulty socket outlet itself, a loose or damaged wiring connection behind the face plate, or a problem triggered by a faulty appliance. Our engineers regularly find that the socket is completely fine but the circuit has tripped because of a misbehaving kettle or tumble dryer plugged into it.

Understanding this frames what to check first - and it means that before anyone opens a socket or touches wiring, there are safe checks you can carry out yourself with no electrical knowledge at all.

Is This an Emergency or Can It Wait?

Not every electrical fault needs a same-day call-out. Knowing the difference saves you money and helps you stay calm.

Call an electrician urgently if you notice any of the following:

• A burning smell or scorch marks around the socket or plug
• Sparking when you plug something in
• A buzzing or crackling sound coming from the socket
• The socket face feeling warm to the touch
• Melted plastic on the socket face or on a plug
• Multiple circuits going dead at once alongside a burning smell

These signs indicate active electrical damage or overheating, which can be a fire risk. Stop using the socket immediately and do not attempt to investigate further yourself.

You can afford to wait and book at your convenience if:

• A single socket has stopped working with no visible damage
• Your consumer unit shows a tripped breaker that you cannot reset
• A few sockets in one room are dead but everything else in the house is fine

In those situations, there is no need for an expensive emergency call-out. Most electricians covering Arundel and the wider West Sussex area can typically see non-urgent faults within a few days of first contact.

What You Can Safely Check Yourself (With Zero Experience)

The following steps involve no tools, no wiring, and no risk. Work through them in order before picking up the phone.

Step 1 - Test the appliance, not the socket. Plug something you know works into the problem socket. A lamp is ideal because it gives an immediate, clear result. If the lamp works, the socket is fine and the appliance you were using is the issue. Plug the original appliance into a working socket elsewhere to confirm it has failed.

Step 2 - Check other sockets in the same area. If the test lamp does not work either, try it in the nearest neighbouring socket. If that one works, you likely have a fault in that specific outlet. If neither works, the whole circuit is probably down.

Step 3 - Head to your consumer unit. Your consumer unit is typically located in the hallway, kitchen, or under the stairs. Open the cover and look at the switches inside. Any switch pointing downward or sitting in a middle position has tripped. Push it firmly to the off position first, then back to on. If it immediately trips back off, there is a fault on that circuit - do not keep trying to force it back on.

Step 4 - Unplug everything before you reset. Before attempting to reset a tripped breaker, go back and unplug every appliance on the affected circuit. One of them may have caused the trip. Once everything is unplugged, try resetting the breaker. If it stays on, plug appliances back in one at a time to identify which one is causing the problem.

Step 5 - Check for a fused spur. Some sockets in UK homes are wired as spurs - they branch off another socket rather than running directly on the ring circuit. If your property has any fused connection units (these look like a socket with a small rectangular fuse holder in the face plate), check whether the fuse inside has blown. Standard 3A or 13A fuses are available from any hardware shop and are safe to replace yourself.

If you have worked through all five steps and the socket is still dead, it is time to call a professional. At that point, our engineers would typically run a circuit diagnostic - using tools including the Voltrade GoFIX check - to pinpoint exactly where the fault sits before opening anything up.

How to Find a Trustworthy Electrician in Arundel

Finding a reliable electrician in Arundel is easier than it once was, but a few checks before you book will save you problems later.

Verify NICEIC or NAPIT registration. These are the two main accreditation bodies for electricians in England and Wales. Registered electricians are regularly assessed and can self-certify their work under Part P of the Building Regulations - which matters when it comes to selling your property. You can check registration on the NICEIC or NAPIT websites using a postcode search. Do not take a contractor's word for it; look them up.

Read reviews but look for specifics. A five-star rating tells you very little on its own. What matters is whether reviewers describe jobs similar to yours, how clearly the electrician communicated, and whether pricing and timing matched what was agreed. Arundel is a relatively small town, and local tradespeople tend to have a community reputation that shows up in their reviews over time.

Ask about coverage and travel charges upfront. Some West Sussex electricians list Arundel in their coverage area but apply a travel surcharge on top of their standard rates. Ask about this when you first make contact - it can make a meaningful difference to the final bill.

Get two quotes for non-urgent work. If the job is not an emergency, there is nothing wrong with contacting two or three electricians. A significant gap in pricing between them is worth questioning.

Be wary of instant fixed quotes given over the phone. A competent electrician will want to understand more about the fault before committing to a firm price. If someone quotes immediately without asking any questions, treat that as a caution signal rather than a convenience.

What a Repair Visit Looks Like (So You Know What to Expect)

If you have never had an electrician visit for a fault before, knowing what typically happens makes the whole thing much less daunting.

When our engineers arrive for a socket fault, the visit typically follows this sequence:

1. Initial conversation. The electrician will ask what happened, when it started, and what you have already tried. Be as specific as you can - it helps them narrow down the cause quickly and avoids time spent ruling out things you have already ruled out yourself.
2. Circuit test. Using a socket tester or multimeter, they will check whether power is arriving at the socket at all. This takes a couple of minutes and does not require opening anything.
3. Consumer unit check. They will inspect the consumer unit, check for tripped breakers, and identify which circuit is affected by its labelling.
4. Isolation and inspection. If the fault appears to be within the socket itself, the electrician will isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before removing the face plate to inspect the connections and wiring behind it.
5. Repair or replacement. Most single socket faults are resolved by tightening a loose connection or replacing the socket outlet, which is a quick job. Faults further along the circuit or in the wiring itself take longer to trace and repair.
6. Test and sign-off. Before leaving, the electrician will test the socket under load and confirm the circuit is working correctly. For minor repairs, a verbal confirmation is typical. For notifiable work under Part P, you should receive an Electrical Installation Certificate.

A single socket fault typically takes between 30 minutes and 90 minutes, depending on what the electrician finds once they start investigating.

Typical Costs - So You Are Not Caught Off Guard

Electrical pricing in the Arundel area broadly follows West Sussex market rates, which tend to sit slightly above the national average due to the higher cost of living across the South East.

Here is what you can typically expect to pay in 2026:

• Call-out and first hour: typically between 60 and 90 pounds for a standard daytime visit
• Additional hours: typically between 40 and 60 pounds per hour
• Single socket replacement (simple job): typically between 80 and 150 pounds all in
• Circuit fault diagnosis and repair: typically between 100 and 200 pounds depending on the complexity
• Emergency out-of-hours call-out: typically between 150 and 350 pounds, sometimes more
• Consumer unit investigation and RCD reset: often included within the first-hour rate if no parts are needed

Parts are usually a minor element of the total cost. A replacement socket outlet costs a few pounds. The labour time is where most of the expense lies.

Be cautious of quotes that fall well below these ranges. Very low pricing can sometimes mean corners are being cut on testing, documentation, or materials - none of which you will notice until a problem appears later.

Questions You Should Ask Your Electrician

Ask these when you call to book, and again when the electrician arrives at the door:

• Are you NICEIC or NAPIT registered? Can I have your registration number to verify?
• What is your call-out charge, and what exactly does it cover?
• Do you charge by the hour or a fixed price for this type of work?
• Will I receive any certification or documentation after the repair?
• If you find additional faults during the job, will you tell me before carrying out any extra work?
• Do you carry standard parts with you, or might a second visit be needed?

That last question matters more than it might seem. An electrician who carries a range of common parts - including standard socket outlets - can typically resolve the fault in a single visit. Someone who needs to order parts will require a return trip, which adds time and potentially cost to the job.

First-Timer Questions

Is it safe to keep using other sockets in the house while I wait for the electrician?

In most cases, yes. If the fault appears to be a tripped circuit rather than a physical problem with a specific socket, and there are no warning signs like burning smells, scorch marks, or warmth around any outlets, continuing to use other sockets in the house is fine. Leave the problem socket unplugged and unused until it has been inspected. Do not attempt to use it periodically "just to test" once you have identified a fault - leave it alone until a professional has looked at it.

If I am renting, does my landlord have to pay for this repair?

In most cases, yes. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords in England are legally required to maintain electrical installations in a safe working condition. If a socket has stopped working through normal use and there is no tenant-caused damage, the repair cost falls to the landlord. Report the fault in writing - email works well - and keep a record of your correspondence. If you are renting in Arundel and your landlord is slow to respond, Arun District Council's housing team can offer guidance on your options.

Will the electrician need to cut the power to my whole house?

For a typical socket fault, no. A competent electrician will isolate only the affected circuit at the consumer unit using its individual MCB switch. This means the rest of your home stays powered throughout the visit - your fridge, lights, and other circuits are not affected. In rarer cases, where the issue is at or very close to the consumer unit itself, a brief full isolation may be needed, but your electrician will tell you in advance and it usually lasts only a few minutes.

What if the same socket keeps tripping the breaker even after a repair?

A circuit that keeps tripping after the obvious fault has been fixed usually points to a second underlying issue - commonly a faulty appliance, a wiring problem further along the circuit, or a deteriorating RCD that needs replacement. Do not keep resetting the breaker. Contact your electrician and describe exactly what is happening. They may recommend a more thorough circuit inspection or an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) to identify any hidden problems across the full circuit before something more serious develops.

How do I know if old wiring is behind the problem?

Older properties in Arundel - particularly Victorian and Edwardian houses - sometimes have wiring that predates modern standards. Signs include round-pin sockets, cloth-covered cables visible in the loft or at the consumer unit, or a fuse box with rewireable fuses rather than MCBs and RCDs. If your property has any of these features, mention it when you call the electrician. It does not necessarily mean there is an immediate danger, but it gives them useful context and may change which tests they carry out during the visit.