Electrician or electricity distributor?
Check your distributor’s outage information when neighbours or the street are affected. Its faults number is usually on your bill; the retailer can identify the distributor if needed. For a fault confined to the property, ask a licensed electrician.
Describe what still works and what does not
List the rooms, lights and power points affected, when it began, and whether power returned. Mention any known outage, recent work or earlier electrician finding. You do not need to operate equipment or identify the protective device.
When you need someone urgently
For fire, smoke or immediate danger, move away and call 000. For urgent work without immediate danger, phone a business, confirm attendance in your suburb and ask what the callout costs.
What to ask before agreeing to a visit
Ask whether the electrician handles partial power loss, the callout and investigation fee, GST, and how later repairs are approved. If you rent or use a managed building, identify who can authorise access. A partial outage alone does not prove the board needs replacing.
Good questions. Plain answers.
Should I call my electricity retailer or distributor?
For network faults or outage information, contact the distributor. Its faults number is normally on your electricity bill. Your retailer can help identify the distributor if you are unsure.
Does having power in some rooms mean the rest of the house is safe?
This page cannot assess electrical safety from that observation. Keep away from damaged equipment and ask an electrician or your distributor about the loss of supply. For fire or immediate danger, move away and call 000.
Does partial power loss mean a circuit breaker has failed?
The symptom alone does not establish which equipment is involved. Tell the electrician what stopped working and ask for an assessment before agreeing to a particular repair or replacement.
Can I request help if I do not know what has tripped?
Yes. You can leave the questions unanswered or choose Not sure. Describe the affected areas and let the electrician assess the equipment.
What if power comes back before the electrician arrives?
Tell the business that power has returned and whether this has happened before. Ask whether they still recommend attending and check the booking or cancellation arrangements directly.
Sources checked 19 September 2026.
Energy Made Easy: faults and emergencies · Energy Safe Victoria: use a licensed electrician · Victoria: power safety and emergency contacts
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