The honest answer is that plenty of people are told they need one when they do not, so it is worth knowing the real signs. Old rewireable fuses, the sort with a wire you replace by hand, are the clearest: that design cannot protect people the way a modern device does. No safety switch, meaning no RCD or RCBO protection anywhere on the board, is the second. Either one puts you well behind current standards.
Other signs are less conclusive but worth investigating. A board with no spare ways left, nuisance tripping that nobody has diagnosed properly, or scorching and heat marks around the fuse carriers all point at something. A modern consumer unit cuts the power in a fraction of a second when a fault appears, which is what protects everyone in the building rather than just the wiring.
Rewireable fuses
A wire you replace by hand means the board is decades behind what current standards require.
No safety switch
If nothing on the board is RCD or RCBO protected, a fault has nothing to cut it off quickly.
Heat marks or scorching
Any discolouration around the fuse carriers needs looking at now, not at the next inspection.
Your questions, answered
How much does a new consumer unit cost?
UK market rates are usually around £450 to £800 fitted, depending on the number of circuits and whether remedial work is needed first. We price yours after seeing it.
Will a new board fix my tripping?
Not on its own. Tripping is usually a fault on a circuit or an appliance, so we test to find the actual cause rather than selling you a board that will keep tripping.
Is it notifiable work?
Yes, and as an NICEIC Approved Contractor we handle the certification for you, to the Scottish building standards.
Ready for electrics done properly?
Competitive prices, certified work and an immaculate finish, on every single job.