Search for a cheap fuse board replacement in London and you’ll see quotes from as little as £149.99. Set against typical London pricing of £575–£850 for a certified consumer unit change, a £150 figure isn’t a bargain — it’s a warning sign. Here’s what that price almost always leaves out, and why it matters for your safety, your insurance and (if you’re a landlord) your legal position.
What a proper fuse board replacement actually involves
Replacing a fuse board (consumer unit) is not a swap-the-box job. A compliant installation to BS 7671 (18th Edition) includes a pre-work condition check of the installation, a metal-clad consumer unit with RCBO protection on individual circuits, surge protection (SPD) where required, new meter tails where the existing ones are undersized or damaged, verification of main protective bonding to gas and water, dead and live testing of every circuit, an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), and notification to Building Control under Part P — which a registered NICEIC electrician handles for you automatically.
That work takes the better part of a day for a competent electrician. It cannot be done properly for £150 — the materials alone typically exceed that figure.
What the £150 quote usually excludes
Rock-bottom fuse board quotes generally get to that number in one of four ways. Some quote for a plastic or basic board with a shared RCD rather than individual RCBOs, so one faulty appliance still blacks out half your home. Some skip the EIC — leaving you with no proof the installation was tested, which can invalidate home insurance claims after an electrical fire. Some aren’t registered with a competent person scheme, so Part P notification never happens and you’ll hit problems when you sell or remortgage. And some treat £150 as a doorway price, then “discover” chargeable extras — tails, bonding, circuit faults — once the old board is off the wall and you can’t easily say no.
Landlords: the stakes are now £40,000
If you rent the property out, an uncertified board change is more than a paperwork gap. Since 1 May 2026, councils can fine landlords up to £40,000 for breaches of the electrical safety regulations (see our guide to the £30,000 vs £40,000 EICR fine question). An EICR carried out after an unnotified, uncertified board swap will flag it — and the money you saved on the cheap quote gets spent twice putting it right. Our landlord electrical compliance checklist covers exactly what paperwork you should hold.
What a fuse board replacement should cost in London
Across London, a certified consumer unit replacement typically runs £575–£850 depending on the number of circuits and the condition of the existing installation. At F & A Electrical, fuse board replacement starts from £550 fitted and certified — see our full fuse board replacement cost breakdown for what affects the price. Every job includes an 18th Edition metal consumer unit with RCBOs, full testing, an EIC, and Part P notification through our NICEIC registration. No doorway pricing, no surprise extras.
We cover Tottenham and the whole of North and North-East London — see our London service areas. Call 07407 627542 for a straight answer on price before anyone touches your board.
Frequently asked questions
Is a £150 fuse board replacement ever legitimate?
Almost never for a full consumer unit replacement. £150 might cover a single-component repair — a replacement RCD or one circuit breaker — but a full board change with testing, certification and Part P notification cannot be delivered at that price without cutting at least one of them.
What certificate should I get after a fuse board change?
An Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), plus a Building Regulations compliance certificate generated by the electrician’s competent person scheme (such as NICEIC) notifying Building Control under Part P. If you’re offered neither, walk away.
How long does a fuse board replacement take?
Typically 4–8 hours including testing of all circuits. Quotes promising a one-hour swap are another sign that testing and certification aren’t included.