London is full of electricians — and not all of them should be let into your home. Choosing the wrong one can cost you significantly more in remedial work, and in serious cases it can be dangerous. Here's a straightforward guide to finding someone trustworthy.
Qualifications — what actually matters
The most widely recognised qualification for electricians in the UK is City & Guilds, specifically the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations (BS 7671) and the Level 3 Diploma in Electrotechnical Technology. These are the standard apprenticeship-route qualifications.
Many qualified electricians also hold an 18th Edition certification, which is the current edition of the UK Wiring Regulations. If someone is doing installation work without this, they shouldn't be.
Don't confuse qualifications with scheme membership. Voluntary trade schemes aren't qualifications in themselves — they're audit schemes that check members meet standards and submit completion certificates. Membership can be useful, but the underlying qualifications and hands-on experience matter more. Always check your electrician is City & Guilds qualified and fully insured.
Questions to ask before you book
- "Are you City & Guilds qualified?" — A yes should be provable. Ask to see the card or certificate.
- "Are you fully insured?" — Public liability insurance protects you if something goes wrong. Ask for the insurer and policy number if in doubt.
- "Will you provide a certificate?" — Any new installation or significant alteration must come with a Minor Works or Installation Certificate. If they say it's "not needed," that's a red flag.
- "Can you give me a written quote?" — Verbal quotes that inflate on the day are a common issue. A good electrician will give you a fixed-price written quote for defined work.
- "How long have you been trading?" — Experience matters. A business with years of local reviews is far less risky than a sole trader who registered last month.
Red flags to watch out for
- Quotes that are dramatically lower than all others — often a sign of either inexperience or an intention to add costs once work starts
- No fixed address — local, established businesses are far easier to hold accountable
- Pressure to start immediately without a proper assessment
- Reluctance to provide a written quote or a completion certificate
- No Google reviews — or only a handful of very recent ones
- Asking to be paid entirely in cash upfront
How to check Google reviews properly
Google reviews are the most useful signal — they're public, verified by Google accounts, and very hard to fake at scale. When reading them, look at the overall pattern rather than any single review. A consistent stream of reviews over 2–3 years with responses from the business is a strong positive signal. A cluster of reviews all posted within one week is suspicious.
Also look at the responses to any negative reviews. How a business handles complaints tells you a lot about how they'll handle problems with your job.
Get multiple quotes — but not too many
For larger jobs (rewires, consumer unit upgrades, EV charger installations), it makes sense to get 2–3 quotes. But be wary of the lowest quote — electrical work is heavily labour-intensive and there's a floor on what a proper job costs. A quote that's 40% below the others either cuts corners or will have unexpected additions.
For smaller jobs (a socket, a light fitting, testing), getting three quotes often isn't worth the hassle. Find someone local with good reviews and call them.
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Not for all work. Minor tasks like changing a like-for-like plug socket or replacing a light switch can be done by a competent DIYer. But any new circuit, consumer unit change, or work in a bathroom must be done by a qualified electrician and notified to Building Control (or self-notified by a scheme member). Getting it wrong can invalidate your home insurance and cause problems when you sell.
For a new circuit or significant alteration: an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC). For minor work (adding a socket to an existing circuit): a Minor Works Certificate. For a full new installation: an EIC covering the whole installation. If an electrician won't provide one, walk away — it's a legal requirement.
Simply ask to see their Public Liability Insurance certificate. Reputable electricians will have this readily available. It should show the insurer name, policy number, coverage amount (at least £1 million is standard), and expiry date. If they can't produce it, they're uninsured.