Who do I call for an electrical emergency in Leeds?Martin Day Electricians: NICEIC Approved, 30+ years in Leeds
You are told when we can reach you as soon as you call, the fault found and made safe on the visit where it is safe to do so, and any further work estimated and agreed before it starts.
Reviewed by Martin Day, NICEIC Approved Contractor, 30+ years in Leeds. Updated 14 October 2026.
The short answer
Ring us and we will tell you when we can reach you. We attend genuine emergencies in working hours and aim to respond quickly. We charge for the first hour to attend, which includes up to an hour to resolve the fault. We do not offer an out-of-hours service.
- 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?
A burning smell, sparking, exposed wiring or a total loss of power are not things to put off. The most common call-out we see is a consumer unit that keeps tripping and will not stay reset, a fault that gets worse, and more dangerous, the longer it is left unresolved.
You notice
- A burning smell or scorch marks near a socket or fuse box
- Sparking or visible arcing from a socket
- A total loss of power across the house
- A consumer unit that trips and will not stay reset
It's costing you
- Food defrosting in a dead fridge and freezer
- No heating, hot water or lights until it is fixed
- Resetting the trip again and again, never knowing why
And if you leave it
- A fault that gets worse, and more dangerous, the longer it is left
- Overheating wiring turning into a fire risk
- A bigger repair than the one you started with
How the job is done
The same sequence on every job, so you know what happens and when.
We ask what you are seeing
You describe the fault and we tell you whether it needs someone out now or can safely wait for a normal booked visit.
We give you a realistic time
Based on where you are in Leeds and what is already booked that day, before you commit to anything.
We find and explain the fault
Diagnosed and explained in plain terms, then fixed there and then where it is safe to do so.
We estimate any further work
Any further work is estimated before we start. We tell you what we have found and what it means for the price before carrying on.
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 |
| Fault-finding on a tripping board | Cause traced and explained | Reset and hope it holds | Often pitched a new board first |
| Price for the visit | First hour to attend, then an estimate | Hourly, open-ended | Minimum charges and premiums |
| 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 emergency electrical workWhat the job involves, the regulations that apply and related work
What happens when you call
Every emergency call follows the same sequence:
- Describe the fault - we ask what you are seeing and tell you whether it needs someone out now or can safely wait for a normal booked visit.
- Get a realistic time - based on where you are in Leeds and what is already booked that day, before you commit to anything.
- We find and explain the fault - in plain terms, then fix what can be fixed safely there and then.
- Any further work is estimated first - we explain what we have found and what it means for the price before we carry on.
Is it an emergency or can it wait?
Call immediately if you have any of these:
- A burning smell or scorch marks near a socket or the consumer unit
- Sparking or visible arcing from a socket or the fuse box
- Exposed or damaged wiring anywhere in the property
- A total loss of power across the whole house
These can usually wait for a normal booked visit instead:
- A single dead socket
- A light that flickers occasionally
- A switch that feels stiff
If you are not sure which list you are on, call and describe what you are seeing and we will tell you which it is before anything is booked.
What does an emergency visit cost?
We charge for the first hour to attend. That hour includes up to an hour to resolve the fault, and we explain what we find and what any further work will cost before you decide.
What if the fuse box keeps tripping?
A consumer unit that keeps tripping and will not stay reset is the emergency call-out we attend most often. Often it points to a fault we can fix on the visit; sometimes the unit itself is overdue an upgrade, which our consumer unit upgrades service handles directly rather than leaving you with a second job to book.
If the issue turns out to be less urgent than it first felt, our general electrical maintenance service covers the same kind of fault-finding without the emergency price pressure. And if the fault has damaged a smoke or CO alarm circuit, our smoke alarm and fire safety service gets those alarms working again on the same visit.
What if it happens out of hours?
We do not do out-of-hours work. If something dangerous is happening outside our working hours, switch off at the consumer unit if it is safe to do so, call 999 if there is any sign of fire, and ring us when we are next open.
Why book Martin Day Electricians
Emergency fault-finding is routine work for us, diagnosed and explained before we recommend anything, as part of the roughly 400 jobs we carry out across Leeds every year. Leeds customers rate us 4.9 stars from 215 reviews, ranking 3rd of 848 UK electricians nationally - see the detail on our reviews page.
Where we cover
We cover emergency call-outs across Leeds and the surrounding areas, including Headingley and Armley. Get in touch now if something electrical feels wrong, or check our full guide to electrician costs in Leeds if you want to understand our approach to pricing before you pick up the phone.
Related
- Consumer unit upgrades - the fix behind the most common emergency call-out, a fuse board that will not stay reset.
- General electrical maintenance - the non-urgent version of the same fault-finding work, booked as a normal visit.
- Electrician FAQs - more answers on charges to attend, response times and what counts as an emergency.
- Electrician costs in Leeds - what drives the price, including how we charge for attending a fault.
What Leeds customers say
Read all 268 reviewsRated 5 out of 5
Martin came out within 24h and quickly sorted our issue. He's also done some bigger work for us in the past which was done on time and budget.
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 emergency electrical work
The questions we are asked most on the phone. Not covered here?
Ask Martin: 0113 347 3743What counts as an electrical emergency?
A burning smell, sparking or visible arcing from a socket or fuse box, a complete loss of power or any exposed or damaged wiring are all electrical emergencies. A single dead socket, a flickering light or a switch that feels stiff can usually wait for a normal booked visit rather than an emergency call-out.
Should I call an emergency electrician?
If there is a fire risk, exposed live parts or you have lost power to the whole property, call straight away. If the problem is contained to one fitting and nothing looks or smells wrong, it is safe to book a normal appointment instead.
How much does an emergency electrician charge?
We charge for the first hour to attend. That hour includes up to an hour to resolve the fault, and we explain what we find and what any further work will cost before you decide. An estimate is our best assessment of the job and not a fixed price, so if we find something that could not be seen at the start, we tell you what it means for the price before carrying on.
How long does it take for an emergency electrician to come out?
It depends on where you are in Leeds and what else we have on that day. In working hours a genuine emergency goes ahead of routine bookings, and we give you a realistic time as soon as you call, rather than a vague estimate.
Do you work out of hours?
No. We do not do out-of-hours work. We attend genuine emergencies in working hours. If something dangerous happens outside those hours, switch off at the consumer unit if it is safe to do so, call 999 if there is any sign of fire, and ring us when we are next open.
Get an estimate for emergency electrical work
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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