Why do plugs keep falling out of my power point?

The short answer

Plugs drop out when the contacts inside the outlet have lost their grip, or when the outlet itself has come loose from the wall. Years of use and heat weaken the springs that hold the pins. A loose fit is more than a nuisance: the pins touch on a small area, that spot heats up and the outlet wears faster. Replacing it is a job for a licensed electrician.

Is it the outlet or the plug?

Try a few different plugs in that outlet, and the problem plug in a point you know is sound. If every plug sags or drops out of one outlet, the outlet is worn. If one plug is loose wherever it goes, look at its pins: bent, blackened or pitted pins mean the appliance lead needs repair or replacement. Don't try any plug in an outlet that is warm, marked, cracked or moving in the wall.

Worn contacts and loose mountings

Behind each slot is a pair of spring contacts that clamp the pin. Every insertion flexes them, and heat from heavy loads such as heaters and kettles slowly takes the spring out of the metal. Bulky plug-pack chargers and adaptors hanging off the outlet lever the contacts open further.

The other cause is the outlet moving. If the plate shifts or tilts when you push a plug in, its mounting screws, bracket or wall box have let go. Every push then flexes the cable connections behind it, which can loosen a terminal and leave the outlet working only some of the time.

Why a loose fit matters

A pin that is barely touching carries the same current through a much smaller contact area, so it heats up, and heat weakens the contacts further. That is how outlets end up brown around one slot. Energy Safe Victoria says not to touch or try to repair a loose, cracked or broken power point; cover it and have a licensed electrician replace it.

Swapping an outlet looks simple, but Energy Safe Victoria's advice is that changing power points is not a DIY job. We check the cable ends and terminals while the plate is off, because a worn outlet often has a tired connection behind it, then fix the new one firmly to the wall. It's a good time to change a single to a double or add USB charging, and you get a Certificate of Electrical Safety for the work.

What you can safely do now

Stop using the loose outlet for heaters, kettles and other heavy appliances.
If the outlet is cracked, moving in the wall or warm, don't touch it. Switch that circuit off at the switchboard if it is safe to reach, then unplug what's in it and cover it.
Set aside any appliance whose plug pins are bent or blackened until its lead is repaired or replaced.
Use another sound outlet in the meantime rather than a power board run from the loose one.

Services that can help

Power Point Installation & UpgradesNew, extra and relocated power points, inside and out.Power Point Not WorkingOne outlet or a run of outlets that has gone dead.

Sources for this answer

3 sources, with the date each was checked

1.Energy Safe Victoria: Do not touch or attempt to repair a loose, cracked or broken power point switch – cover it immediately and arrange for a licensed electrician to replace it. Accessed 30 September 2026.
2.Energy Safe Victoria: Electrical work isn’t a DIY job, even for small jobs such as changing power points or light switches. Accessed 30 September 2026.
3.Energy Safe Victoria: Whenever a licensed electrician completes any electrical installation work, they must provide a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES). Accessed 30 September 2026.

General information for homes in Victoria. Every installation is different, so treat this as a starting point. Where this answer refers to Victorian safety or rental rules, the sources above have the current requirements.