Small electrical problems pile up: loose switches, cracked power points, a dead outdoor light. A maintenance visit deals with them together, tests the safety switches and smoke alarms, and leaves you with a clear note of anything bigger.
When to get it checked
A list of small jobs
A loose switch plate, a dead outdoor light, a power point that won't hold a plug. Each is small, but together they're worth a visit.
Safety switches nobody tests
Energy Safe Victoria says to press the test button every three months. If no one remembers the last time, it's overdue.
Worn or damaged fittings
Cracked, discoloured or loose power points and switches, and light fittings with brittle plastic or missing covers.
Outdoor fittings taking a beating
Weathered outdoor power points, lights with water inside, and garden lighting that has stopped working.
Smoke alarms getting old
Alarms near or past their date, or ones that chirp more often than they should.
Why it happens
4 common causes
Daily wear
Switches and power points get used thousands of times. Springs weaken, plug contacts loosen and plastic cracks.
Weather
Sun, rain and wind break down the seals and plastics on outdoor fittings, and water finds its way in.
Heat in the roof space
Light fittings and cable connections in a hot roof space age faster than those in the rooms below.
Jobs that get put off
Small faults are easy to ignore until several pile up, or one turns into something bigger.
What the job covers
What we usually do on this job. Your quote confirms it for your place.
- Every safety switch trip-tested
- Switchboard checked for heat and damage
- Worn power points and switches replaced
- Loose fittings and connections fixed
- Smoke alarms tested and dates checked
- Outdoor fittings checked for water and damage
- Small faults found and fixed
- Bigger items noted and quoted separately
- Certificate of Electrical Safety issued
Your options, explained
One-off maintenance visit
Low disruption- Best for
- Homeowners with a list of small jobs
- How it works
- We test the essentials and work through your list in one visit.
- Worth knowing
- Good timing before summer or winter, when heating and cooling work hardest.
Yearly maintenance visit
Low disruption- Best for
- Households that like it done regularly
- How it works
- A visit each year covering safety switch tests, fittings, smoke alarms and the switchboard.
- Worth knowing
- Lines up well with a yearly air conditioning service.
Rental maintenance
Low disruption- Best for
- Rental providers and property managers
- How it works
- Worn items fixed between tenancies or alongside the required electrical and smoke alarm checks.
- Worth knowing
- The required checks are separate services with their own records.
Maintenance plus a safety check
Medium disruption- Best for
- Older homes, or homes with no record of a check
- How it works
- A full electrical safety check with a written report, and small items fixed on the visit with your approval.
- Worth knowing
- Covers the whole installation, not just your list.
The people behind the work
Our own photos from jobs like this one. Based in Altona Meadows, with 19 years in the industry.
Licensed electrical contractor (REC 38187)See more team photos
Worth knowing before you book
- Send the list beforehand
- We'll bring the right parts.
- It isn't a formal safety check
- Ask for one if you need a written report.
- Small jobs still need a licence
- Even swapping a power point or switch.
What affects the price?
The right scope depends on your installation. These are the details we check so your quote is useful, with any additional work explained before it proceeds.
Length of the list
A few fittings take less time than a whole house of worn switches and power points.
Parts
The style of power points, switches and fittings you choose, and whether they need to match the existing ones.
Access
Roof spaces, high ceilings and outdoor fittings on a second storey take longer.
What turns up
A small fault sometimes leads to a bigger one. We stop and talk to you before going beyond the agreed scope.
How it runs
- 1
Your list
What needs fixing, and anything you've noticed.
- 2
Test
Safety switches, switchboard and smoke alarms.
- 3
Fix
Worn fittings and small faults, price agreed.
- 4
Note and certify
Bigger items listed, work certified.
Step by step, in more detail
5 steps
Send us the list
Tell us what's bothering you and anything you've noticed, from a light that flickers to a power point that feels warm.
Test the essentials
We trip-test every safety switch, check the switchboard for heat and damage, and test the smoke alarms.
Work through the list
Worn fittings are replaced, loose connections remade and small faults found and fixed, with the price agreed before we start.
Note what needs planning
Anything beyond the visit, like an old switchboard or circuits without safety switches, is noted and quoted separately.
Certify the work
You get a Certificate of Electrical Safety for the electrical work we did.
What is safe to do, and what to leave to us
Safe for you to do
- Press the test button on each safety switch every three months. If the power doesn't go off, call a licensed electrician.
- Don't touch a loose, cracked or broken power point. Cover it and have it replaced, as Energy Safe Victoria advises.
- Test each smoke alarm monthly by holding the test button until it beeps.
- Keep a running list of small faults so they can be fixed together.
Leave these to us
- Changing power points or light switches yourself. Energy Safe Victoria says even small electrical jobs aren't DIY.
- Using a fitting that's warm, discoloured or crackles.
- Running appliances off extension leads to get around a dead power point.
- Ignoring a safety switch that trips more and more often.
When to get us in
- You've got a list of small electrical jobs
- Your safety switches haven't been tested in a while
- Power points or switches are loose, cracked or warm
- Outdoor fittings have water in them or have stopped working
- A rental needs work between tenancies
More detail
Maintenance or a safety check?
A maintenance visit is about keeping things working: testing the safety switches, replacing what's worn and fixing the small faults on your list. A safety check is a structured inspection of the whole installation with a written report, and a rental check has to follow section 4 of AS/NZS 3019:2022.
The two work well together. If your home hasn't had a full check in years, we'll suggest one, and the small fixes can be done on the same visit with your approval.
What we look at on a typical visit
At the switchboard: signs of heat, loose or damaged devices, missing blanks and labels that no longer match the rooms. Every safety switch is trip-tested. Around the house: power points and switches for cracks, looseness and heat, light fittings for brittle plastic and loose mounts, and smoke alarms for their date and test.
Outside, we check weatherproof covers, outdoor lights and garden lighting for water and damage. Anything that needs more than a quick fix goes on a list for you to plan.
Why small jobs still need a licence
The Electricity Safety Act defines electrical installation work as including the repair and maintenance of an installation, and Energy Safe Victoria says electrical work isn't a DIY job, even changing a power point or light switch. A small job done wrong can leave live metal exposed or an earth disconnected.
That's also why maintenance work is certified the same way as a bigger job. A licensed electrician must provide a Certificate of Electrical Safety whenever they complete electrical installation work.
Local rules and conditions
Victorian requirements and local conditions that shape this job, with the sources listed at the foot of the page.
Before the hot days
The Laverton weather station averages 27.0 days a year at or above 30 °C, mostly December to February. Air conditioners, fridges and pool pumps run hardest then, so spring is a good time to check the board, the circuits they run on and the outdoor fittings.
Rental check timings
Rental agreements entered into after 29 March 2021 need an electrical safety check at least every two years, and Consumer Affairs Victoria lists 13 October 2026 as the date that extends to all rental agreements. Since 25 November 2025, every rental also needs an annual smoke alarm check.
Older homes need more attention
Hobsons Bay's planning scheme says post-war growth transformed Altona and Laverton. Energy Safe Victoria advises owners of houses more than 30 years old to have their wiring checked by a licensed electrician, and lists old switchboards, worn power points and flickering lights among the signs of faulty wiring.
Useful reading
Guides to read before you decide, with checklists and questions to bring to the quote.
- How and when to test your safety switchesHow to run the push-button test at home, what an electrician’s trip-time test measures that the button can’t, and what to do when a switch fails.
- What electrical work you can and can't do yourself in VictoriaWhere Victorian law draws the line on home electrical work, the short list of jobs that are yours, and what to do when a job goes past it.
- Rental electrical and smoke alarm checks in VictoriaKnow which records to gather, how to arrange access and where to verify the current Victorian requirements.
- Air conditioner maintenance: what to watch between servicesKeep useful records, follow model-specific filter care and recognise symptoms that need a repair visit.
Common questions
Questions people ask about this
- How should I prepare for an electrician's visit?Clear access to the switchboard and the areas we'll be working in, clear the space under the roof manhole, and write a short list of every job you'd like done.
- Can I book a Saturday appointment?Yes.
From the blog
Sources for the rules and local facts on this page
13 sources, with the date each was checked
- 1.Bureau of Meteorology: Mean number of days ≥ 30 °C 6.9 6.0 4.5 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.9 2.8 5.1 27.0 82 1943 2026 Mean number of days ≥ 35 °C 3.6 2.4 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.5 1.9 9.4 Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 2.Consumer Affairs Victoria: Rental providers who enter into a new agreement after 29 March 2021, must have all electrical installations and fittings checked by a licensed electrician at least once every 2 years. This also applies to rental… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 3.Consumer Affairs Victoria: Mandatory gas and electrical safety checks every 2 years for all rental properties Rental providers and their agents must arrange gas and electrical safety checks by a qualified tradesperson every 2 years for all… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 4.Consumer Affairs Victoria: From 25 November 2025, it will be mandatory for all rental properties to have annual smoke alarm safety checks to ensure they are correctly installed and in working condition. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 5.Victorian Government, Hobsons Bay Planning Scheme (PDF snapshot, last updated by VC292 on 11/09/2025): The heritage places of Hobsons Bay reflect the key themes that have shaped the development of the city since the establishment of Williamstown in the 1840s as the first port of Melbourne, through the development of… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 6.Energy Safe Victoria: Old switchboards, particularly those without a safety switch Old power switches or power points, particularly broken ones Flickering lights Sparks from switchboards, switches or power points. If your house is over 30… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 7.Energy Safe Victoria: Follow these steps to check your safety switch every three months: Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 8.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.
- 9.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.
- 10.Victorian Legislation (legislation.vic.gov.au) - Electricity Safety Act 1998, authorised version 089 (effective 8 Sep 2026): electrical installation work means installation, alteration, repair or maintenance of an electrical installation; Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 11.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.
- 12.Fire Rescue Victoria: TEST your smoke alarm batteries Every month Press and hold the test button until the smoke alarm beeps three times. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 13.Energy Safe Victoria: Rental providers must ensure an electrical safety check of all electrical switchboards, wiring and fittings in the premises is conducted every two years by a licensed electrician. The safety check must be conducted in… Accessed 30 September 2026.
