Upgrading your electricity supply means it can power your appliances and extra devices, like a heat pump or electric car charger. You won’t need to limit how you use them, which you might if your current supply can’t cope. It also saves time later, for example, if you switch your boiler for a heat pump, as you won’t have to wait for an upgrade before it can be installed.

The upgrade will start with you sending us a photo of your main fuse and service cable. This helps us see if any work is needed. If we do need to visit, we’ll agree a time that suits you.

Main fuse upgrade:
This is usually quick and straightforward. We’ll need access to your meter cupboard and the job normally takes about an hour. Sometimes the fuse box also needs upgrading, which takes a bit longer. If that’s the case, we’ll explain what’s needed and arrange another visit.

Service cable upgrade:
Some homes share a cable with a neighbour (called a looped service cable). If this needs replacing, one of our Field Managers will visit to plan the best way forward. This can involve digging a trench from the street to your home and may need permission from you (and sometimes your neighbour). We also may need a permit to dig up part of the pavement, which can take a few months to approve.

The work itself can take several days, but don’t worry, your power will only be off for a few hours while we switch you over to the new cable.

In most cases, we’ll cover the cost. Sometimes you may need to pay towards it, but we’ll always explain this upfront, give you the full cost, and ask for your agreement first.

We may need to work in your neighbour’s home or garden, so we’ll need their permission first. If they don’t agree, we’ll look for another way to give you your upgrade without sharing the same service cable. We’ll also create a plan showing what we’re proposing, which you can share with them to help explain the work and get their approval.

If you’re not the homeowner, we’ll need a signed Letter of Authority from your landlord or housing provider before we can start. For:

∙ Fuse upgrade - Only your permission is needed.

∙ Looped service cable removal - We’ll need agreement from any neighbours who are affected. This may include access to their land or home so we can disconnect the old cable and install the new one. In addition, we’ll need separate approval from the local council if digging in the footpath is needed.

You may still be able to connect a device like a heat pump or electric car charger. Your installer will check what’s possible, the size and mix of devices you can have, and whether any limits are needed. If you do need an upgrade later, we’ll need time to carry out checks and works. This could delay urgent installs, for example, if your boiler breaks and you want to replace it quickly with a heat pump.

A fuse upgrade is usually completed in one visit and takes about 1 hour. If there’s an issue with the equipment, we may need to dig outside to safely isolate your electricity supply before completing the upgrade. In this case, it would likely take 2 days, one for digging, one for the upgrade.

Service cable upgrades usually take a few months to complete, as we’ll need to visit your home to investigate what's needed, create a plan and get your approval for the works. We will also need apply for a permit to dig part of the footpath and this can take several months to get approved.

You may need your neighbour(s) permission if the work affects their home, garden, shared drive or pathway.

In rare cases, your energy supplier may need to be involved if they own some of the cables connecting the fuse to your meter. If you're upgrading to a much larger fuse, they may need to replace their cables too.

Our local team will arrange a suitable date and time for the work with you. Please be aware there may be a wait of several weeks due to the number of upgrades we’re carrying out.

Yes, we’ll need to isolate your electricity supply for safety while we carry out the work. For a fuse upgrade, this usually takes about 1 hour, but if we find an issue, it could take up to 3 hours. For a service cable upgrade, this could take half a day or more depending on the complexity of the excavation.

For both fuse and service cable upgrades, yes, we’ll need you to be at home for the duration of the work so we can access the equipment and carry out safety checks.

The work may affect your neighbour(s) if your homes share a service cable, as we may need to carry out work in their property, garden, or under a shared drive or pathway.

We’ll give you a plan to explain the work, which you can share with them to get their approval. If they don’t agree, we’ll look for another way to carry out your upgrade.

A fuse upgrade usually makes very little mess because we work in your meter cupboard (inside or outside your property).

For shared service cables underground, we’ll need to dig to locate and replace them. We’ll restore the ground to a safe, standard level, but as our expertise is in electrical work and not gardens or driveways, so you may want to consider this before agreeing to the work.

The work will happen at your property and may also require access to your neighbour’s property. For fuse upgrades, the work is usually in your meter cupboard. Sometimes, if there’s an issue, we may need to dig outside to safely isolate your electricity supply first.

For service cable upgrades, we’ll usually need to disconnect the shared cable inside your property or your neighbour(s), and may also need to work in a garden, shared drive, or pathway.