Describe the work
Share what you need, whether you have a detailed plan or are still exploring the options.
Why move a consumer unit?
The consumer unit (often still called the fuse box) is the heart of your home's electrical system. Over time, its position may become inconvenient or unsuitable: tucked into an awkward cupboard under the stairs, buried in a cellar, in the way of a kitchen or extension plan, or hard to reach in an emergency. Relocating it can make your installation easier to use and maintain, and is often planned alongside a renovation.
How relocation works
The qualified electricians you compare through Kilowatts UK start with a survey of the current position, the proposed one and the route between them. Moving a consumer unit usually means extending or rerouting every circuit and the meter tails, so the electrician plans cable routes that suit the building and keep disruption to a minimum. Many people take the opportunity to fit a new consumer unit with RCBOs, and BS 7671 requires consumer units in homes to be made of, or enclosed in, non-combustible material, which in practice usually means a metal enclosure.
The meter, the cut-out and your supplier
The electricity meter and the main fuse (cut-out) belong to your energy supplier and the network operator, not to you. If the new position means moving the meter or cut-out, or the meter tails become too long, the electrician will tell you whether your supplier or the network operator needs to be involved, and that work has to be arranged with them.
Part P and certificates
In England, replacing a consumer unit or installing new circuits is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations, so a relocation is normally notifiable work. You do not need planning permission. A registered competent person self-certifies the work, and you then receive a Building Regulations compliance certificate, or the work goes through your local authority building control. You should also receive an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) to BS 7671:2018+A4:2026.
Relocation is often combined with consumer unit upgrades or home rewiring, so the whole installation is brought up to date at once. If you are planning solar or battery storage, positioning the consumer unit with that in mind can make future work easier, and the solar panel comparison tool for homeowners lets you compare installers. Submit your project details, compare quotes from local electricians, or call Kilowatts UK free on 0800 009 6058.