Who upgrades old fuse boxes in Leeds?Martin Day Electricians: RCD protection fitted, tested and certified in a day
You end the day with an RCD-protected consumer unit that cuts power in milliseconds when a fault develops, plus the certificate and Building Regulations notification to prove it.
Reviewed by Martin Day, NICEIC Approved Contractor, 30+ years in Leeds. Updated 18 August 2026.
The short answer
A consumer unit upgrade usually takes one day, with your power off only while the changeover happens. We fit a new RCD-protected unit, move every circuit across, test the full installation and issue your certificate. As an NICEIC Approved Contractor working across Leeds for over 30 years, we give you a written estimate before work starts.
- NICEIC Approved Contractor
- Part P registered
- JIB Approved
- On the Register of Electricians
- £5,000,000 public liability
How do I know I need this?
An old fuse box with rewireable fuses or no RCD protection cannot cut the power fast when a fault develops, so a trip, scorch mark or burning smell near the box keeps getting worse instead of switching off in milliseconds. It is also one of the most common reasons a Leeds home fails its EICR with a C2 or C3.
You notice
- Rewireable wire fuses or a black bakelite casing
- Scorch marks or a burning smell near the box
- Circuits that trip again and again
- No RCD protection anywhere on the board
It's costing you
- Faults that worsen instead of switching off
- A likely C2 or C3 on any EICR
- Shock and fire protection your home is missing
And if you leave it
- An EICR fail when you sell or let the property
- A fault with no fast cut-off when it finally comes
- A bigger job if tired circuits are left alongside it
How the job is done
The same sequence on every job, so you know what happens and when.
We study your photographs, then estimate
We give a written estimate after studying the photographs and information you send us about the existing board and circuits. It is our best assessment, not a fixed price. If we find a hidden fault, we tell you what it means for the price before carrying on.
We fit a correctly rated modern unit
RCD or RCBO protection on every circuit, so a fault cuts the power in milliseconds rather than minutes.
We move every circuit across safely
Each circuit reconnected in the new board, with your power off only while the changeover itself happens. Most homes are finished within a day.
We test the lot and issue the paperwork
The full installation is tested, not just the new unit, then you get an Electrical Installation Certificate plus a Building Regulations notification where required.
You send the details, we estimate, you decide.
Electrician, handyman or national chain?
What you get from each, side by side.
| What you get | Martin Day Electricians | Local handyman | National chain |
|---|---|---|---|
| NICEIC-certified electrical work | Approved Contractor, certificate issued | Rarely certified | Depends on the subcontractor sent |
| Part P notification where required | Handled for you | Usually not possible | Often a chargeable extra |
| What gets tested afterwards | Full installation, every circuit | The new board only | Whatever the checklist says |
| Building Regulations notification | Included where required | Not registered to notify | Head-office paperwork, slower |
| Who turns up | Martin's own local team | One person, no cover | Whoever is allocated |
| Written estimate | Before any work starts | Often verbal | Varies |
| Insured and guaranteed | £5,000,000 public liability, guaranteed | Check case by case | Via head office |
More about consumer unit upgradesWhat the job involves, the regulations that apply and related work
What a consumer unit upgrade involves
A consumer unit, still often called a fuse box, is the point where every circuit in your home meets the mains supply. Upgrading it replaces an old board of rewireable fuses or basic breakers with a modern unit, then proves the whole installation is safe. On the day we:
- Fit a new, correctly rated consumer unit - with RCD (residual current device) or RCBO protection on every circuit, so a fault cuts the power in milliseconds rather than minutes.
- Move every circuit across safely - each one reconnected in the new board.
- Test the full installation - not just the new unit, the circuits it feeds too.
- Issue the paperwork - an Electrical Installation Certificate, plus a Building Regulations notification where the work requires it.
If the existing wiring or circuits need attention at the same time, we tell you before work starts, not after.
How long does the work take?
Most jobs in a typical Leeds home are finished within a day. Your power is off only while the changeover itself happens.
What if your EICR flagged the fuse board?
An old fuse board with no RCD protection is a textbook C2 or C3 observation, and the single most common reason an EICR comes back with remedial work attached. If that is why yours failed, upgrading the consumer unit is usually the fastest route to a pass, and we can estimate for both together in one visit.
It is also worth checking before a full house rewire, since a rewire almost always includes a new consumer unit as standard.
Why Martin Day Electricians
Consumer unit changeovers are routine work for us, part of the roughly 400 jobs we carry out across Leeds each year, and every upgrade starts with a written estimate. You can read what Leeds customers say on our reviews page.
Worried about your fuse box, or had a fail on an EICR? Get in touch for an estimate, or read our full guide to consumer unit and fuse box upgrade costs if you want the detail first.
Related
- EICR testing in Leeds - the certificate most likely to flag an old fuse box as a fail point.
- Full house rewires - a rewire always includes a new consumer unit.
- Consumer unit and fuse box upgrade cost guide - what affects the price, and the warning signs to watch for.
- Electrician costs in Leeds - what drives the price across every service we offer, and how we estimate it.
- We also cover Morley, where older mill-town housing stock often still has an original fuse board.
What Leeds customers say
Read all 268 reviewsRated 5 out of 5
Martin fitted a new fusebox, upgraded a second and sorted the lights out at my daughter's rental in Kirkstall. We highly recommend him as he is very knowledgable in his profession and did a brilliant job. Thanks again Martin.
Rated 5 out of 5
Completed the EICR and remedial work to a great standard, leaving the property safe and tidy. Would happily use again and recommend.
Questions about consumer unit upgrades
The questions we are asked most on the phone. Not covered here?
Ask Martin: 0113 347 3743What are the signs my fuse box needs replacing?
Look for rewireable wire fuses or breakers with no RCD protection, scorch marks or a burning smell near the box, circuits that trip often or an old black bakelite casing. Any one of these is worth having checked before it becomes a bigger problem.
How long does a consumer unit upgrade take?
Most domestic upgrades are completed within a single day, including testing and certification. Your power is off for part of that time, so we plan the work around when it suits you.
Is an old fuse box dangerous?
An old fuse box is not automatically dangerous, but most lack the RCD protection modern units use to cut power fast in a fault and reduce the risk of shock or fire. Upgrading closes that gap.
How much does a consumer unit upgrade cost?
We give a written estimate after studying the photographs and information you send us. An estimate is not a fixed price, and if we find a hidden fault we tell you what it means for the price before carrying on. Our cost guide covers what typically affects the price for a Leeds home.
Do I need a new consumer unit for an EICR to pass?
An old-style fuse box without RCD protection is one of the most common reasons a property fails an EICR, usually coded C2 or C3. Upgrading it is often the single biggest factor in getting a pass.
Get an estimate for consumer unit upgrades
Tell us what is happening and where, and send photographs if you can. We come back with a written estimate, and a certificate at the end where the work needs one.
Martin Day
Owner, NICEIC Approved Contractor
Or Martin's mobile: 0780 847 7707
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