Your fuse board is the heart of your home’s electrics — and an old one can be a real safety risk. Here are the signs it’s time for an upgrade.
1. It uses rewireable (wire) fuses
If you replace blown fuses with fuse wire rather than flicking a breaker back on, your board is old and offers far less protection than a modern one.
2. There’s no RCD
No ‘Test’ button means no RCD protection against electric shock — a key reason boards are flagged on an EICR.
3. It’s a plastic board (pre-2016)
Older plastic consumer units can be a fire risk; current standards favour metal enclosures.
4. Buzzing, warmth or scorch marks
Any buzzing, heat or discolouration at the board needs checking immediately — it can indicate a loose or failing connection.
5. It keeps tripping
Frequent tripping can point to an ageing board or an underlying fault worth investigating.
6. No space for new circuits
Adding an EV charger, shower or extension often needs a modern board with spare ways.
7. Your EICR recommended it
If a report coded the board C2 or C3, upgrading resolves it. See our consumer unit replacement service.
Common questions
A domestic consumer unit replacement starts from £595 + VAT depending on circuits and protection. We give a fixed written price before starting.
It’s not always mandatory, but if yours has wire fuses, no RCD, or is damaged or overheating, upgrading is strongly recommended for safety and is often needed to pass an EICR.
Most are completed in a single day, including testing every circuit and issuing your Electrical Installation Certificate.
Time to upgrade your board?
Get a fixed-price quote for a modern consumer unit with full RCD protection.
Call 020 7473 7807