What this guide covers
This guide helps you describe the problem and choose the right help. It does not involve opening a consumer unit, replacing protection or measuring exposed wiring.
Smoke, fire, sparks, a burning smell, an electric shock or water near electrical parts require attention before restoring power. Keep clear. If there is fire or immediate danger, leave the area and call 112 from a safe location. Do not delay to take photographs or wait for a web-form response. Veiligheidsregio Zuid-Holland Zuid on responding to fire. If someone relies on medical equipment or another essential electrical service, follow their agreed emergency plan and obtain appropriate help. Do not operate circuits to search for the fault. Call 112 for an immediate threat to life. View only the closed front if it is safely accessible. You can record labels and positions without removing covers. Stop if labels are missing, parts are loose, anything is wet or you are unsure what you are looking at. Enexis distinguishes ordinary user operations from hazardous work inside the meter cupboard. Enexis guidance. This first-response route does not ask you to reset switches. Never repeatedly reset a device that trips again while searching for the fault. Do not bypass it or fit a larger fuse. Buying a multimeter or screwdriver-style tester does not make fault diagnosis a suitable beginner task.
Copy or print your summary
If someone relies on medical equipment or another essential electrical service, follow their agreed emergency plan and obtain appropriate help. Do not operate circuits to search for the fault. Call 112 for an immediate threat to life.
This guide helps you describe the problem and choose the right help. It does not involve opening a consumer unit, replacing protection or measuring exposed wiring.
Record what you can establish safely
Use a torch and remain somewhere dry and safe. Has one light failed, is one room dark or are several areas affected? Check ordinary user functions only. A light going out does not prove that its wiring is dead.
Next, use your phone to check your network operator's outage information. If useful, ask neighbours whether their power is affected too. This helps describe the incident, but it is not a diagnosis. Partial loss of power may also require investigation of the supply connection or installation. Liander outages and maintenance.
Write down the time. Did it happen when an appliance started, after rain or following building work? A possible connection is useful information, not proof that you have identified the fault. Do not restart a suspect appliance to test the theory.
What a switch position tells you
If a protective device is off, have the cause assessed. Its position alone does not identify an overload, short circuit, leakage current or another problem. A residual current device, usually called an aardlekschakelaar in Dutch, and a circuit breaker have different functions; some devices combine protective functions.
View only the closed front if it is safely accessible. You can record labels and positions without removing covers. Stop if labels are missing, parts are loose, anything is wet or you are unsure what you are looking at. Enexis distinguishes ordinary user operations from hazardous work inside the meter cupboard. Enexis guidance.
This first-response route does not ask you to reset switches. Never repeatedly reset a device that trips again while searching for the fault. Do not bypass it or fit a larger fuse. Buying a multimeter or screwdriver-style tester does not make fault diagnosis a suitable beginner task.
Prepare a useful fault report
| Record | Useful detail |
|---|---|
| Extent | Kitchen only, several rooms or the whole home |
| Beginning | Time and what was operating then |
| Danger signs | Smoke, smell, moisture, sound, shock or visible damage |
| Circumstances | Rain, a leak, recent work or a new appliance |
| Network information | Operator outage notice and whether neighbours are affected |
| Essential equipment | Medical or other critical needs; keep private details off public photographs |
| Earlier actions | Ordinary controls already operated and what happened afterwards |
A photograph of the closed front may help if you can take it safely. Keep documents, house numbers and other private information out of view. These observations are more useful than an untested conclusion such as ‘the RCD is broken’.
Contact the appropriate service
For a suspected fault in the public electricity network or supply connection, the Dutch national fault number is 0800 9009. Network operators list this for their network faults; it is not a general appliance-repair or electrician service. Enexis fault reporting.
For your home's electrical installation, contact an electrician. If you rent, also follow your landlord's fault-reporting process. Never open sealed supply equipment. Where the boundary is unclear, describe the observations to the relevant fault service first.
What to have ready
A charged phone, working torch and your notes are enough for this first assessment. A power bank may help if one is already safely available. Do not buy replacement fuses, circuit breakers, test probes or connection parts before the fault and required repair are established.
The checklist tool records information for a conversation. It does not diagnose the problem or authorise switching power back on. If there is immediate danger, do not complete a checklist first.
Common questions
The power returned by itself. Is everything fine? That does not prove the cause has disappeared. Report recurring interruptions and any earlier smell, heat, moisture or noise even if equipment is working again.
Should I press the RCD test button now? A planned user check is different from fault finding. Arrange it according to the manufacturer's instructions, accounting for the interruption. A successful button test does not verify earthing or the whole installation. Liander on RCDs.
Can I try the suspect appliance in another socket? Do not use another outlet to reproduce a possible fault. Have the appliance assessed.
If there is no immediate danger and you need help with the internal installation, contact CAS Elektrotechniek with your observations. Ask about availability and the next step.
Sources
Checked on 5 October 2026: Veiligheidsregio Zuid-Holland Zuid, Enexis meter-cupboard guidance, Enexis faults and Liander RCD information. Restored power does not replace an investigation of the cause.
Materials and specifications
Before buying, check that the size, type and specification suit your installation. Use the article list and tools to work out the quantities you need.
Manuals and model details
- Quantity and unit
- One current manual per exact product
- Specification
- Use exact model/revision, with conflicting instructions unresolved until manufacturer/installer clarification.
Prepare an enquiry
Uncertain information stays unknown. This checklist gives no safety score and sends nothing. After checking, copy only what you want to share with CAS. In the event of fire or immediate danger, move to safety and call 112. Do not wait for a reply to a form submission.
Worked example and formula
Task: extra socket. Room: study. Supply: unknown. Request an assessment; the list does not approve an installation.
Checklist only; no safety score or automatic submission
Formula version 2026-10-05.1
Sources
Would you like CAS to carry out the work?
Tell us about the room, equipment and changes you need. Agree the work, checks and warranty terms before the job starts.
Discuss the workIn the event of fire or immediate danger: move to safety and call 112. Do not wait for a form reply.