A loose terminal at one outlet can cut every point beyond it. We check the board, test along the circuit to find where the power stops, then repair what caused it.
When to get it checked
One point dead, the rest fine
One outlet does nothing while the points either side work. The fault is usually in that outlet or at its terminals.
A run of points dead, lights on
Outlets along a wall or across a room have stopped, but the lights still work. That points to a break partway along the power circuit.
One side of a double works
One socket works and the other doesn't. Both share the same wiring, so the fault is inside that outlet rather than in the cable.
Works only when the plug is pushed in
The appliance cuts out when you nudge the plug, or the plug slides out. Worn contacts or a loose terminal can arc and heat up.
Why it happens
4 common causes
A loose connection upstream
Points are usually wired one after another, each passing power to the next. A terminal that works loose at one kills every point after it.
A worn or overheated outlet
Contacts lose their grip over the years. Heaters, kettles and loaded power boards run them hot, charring the plastic and loosening the wire screws.
A switch that no longer closes
The switch on each socket gets flicked thousands of times. Once worn, it can click on without closing the contacts, so that socket stays dead.
Damaged cable
A screw for a TV bracket or a picture nail can nick a cable in the wall, and rodents chew cable in roof spaces.
What the job covers
What we usually do on this job. Your quote confirms it for your place.
- Switchboard checked for trips and heat marks
- Each point on the affected circuit tested
- Circuit proven dead before fittings are opened
- Loose or burnt terminals remade
- Cracked, scorched or worn outlets replaced
- Damaged cable sections repaired
- Circuit and safety switch tested, with a Certificate of Electrical Safety
Your options, explained
Remake the connection
Low disruption- Best for
- One loose or oxidised terminal
- How it works
- We cut back any damaged conductor, remake the terminal firmly and check the other points on the run.
- Worth knowing
- Only where the outlet shows no heat damage.
Replace the power point
Low disruption- Best for
- Cracked, scorched, loose-gripping or half-dead outlets
- How it works
- A new outlet goes in on the same circuit, plain or with USB charging, and is tested.
- Worth knowing
- No new cable to run.
Repair the damaged cable
Medium disruption- Best for
- Cable hit by a screw, chewed or water-damaged
- How it works
- We narrow down the damaged length, then replace that section or join it where the joint stays accessible.
- Worth knowing
- Roof or underfloor access usually avoids cutting walls.
The people behind the work
Our own photos from jobs like this one. Family-run, based in Altona Meadows, with 19 years in the industry.
Licensed electrical contractor (REC 38187)See more team photos
Worth knowing before you book
- Check the board first
- Reset a tripped safety switch once. If it trips again or won't reset, leave it off.
- Tell us what was plugged in
- What was running when it stopped often points straight to the fault.
- Don't open it up
- Swapping a power point is licensed work. Cover a cracked or loose point and stop using it.
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.
What the fault turns out to be
Remaking one terminal is a small job; replacing cable in a wall is bigger. You get the price for the repair before we start.
How long the dead run is
Every outlet on the circuit may need testing and opening, so a run through several rooms takes longer.
Getting to the cable
Roof space and timber floors are straightforward. Slabs, double brick, second storeys and tiled splashbacks take more care.
Whether the fault shows itself
A point that's always dead is quicker to trace than one that drops out now and then.
How it runs
- 1
Tell us what stopped
Which points, since when, and whether anything tripped.
- 2
Trace and repair
We find the failed connection, outlet or cable and give you the price before fixing it.
- 3
Test and certify
The circuit is tested and you get a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
Step by step, in more detail
5 steps
Hear what happened
We ask when it stopped, what was plugged in, whether anything tripped and whether anyone has drilled nearby.
Check the board
We check the safety switches and breakers, find the circuit feeding the dead points and look for heat marks.
Map the dead run
Each point on the circuit is tested in turn. The fault is usually at the last point that works or the first one that doesn't.
Isolate and repair
The circuit is switched off and proven dead, then we remake terminals, replace damaged outlets or repair cable. Anything bigger, we discuss first.
Test and certify
Insulation, polarity and earth tests, a safety switch trip test, and a Certificate of Electrical Safety for the work.
What is safe to do, and what to leave to us
Safe for you to do
- Check the switchboard and reset a tripped safety switch once.
- Unplug what's in the dead point, unless the plate is warm, marked or broken.
- Cover a cracked, loose or broken point and stop using it.
- Clear furniture from in front of outlets on the dead run.
- If there's smoke or fire, get everyone out and keep clear.
Leave these to us
- Taking the plate off or unscrewing the point
- Resetting a safety switch that trips again
- Removing switchboard covers or touching anything behind them
- Pulling out a screw or nail that may have hit a cable
When to get us in
- The safety switch won't reset, or trips again.
- A point is warm, marked, crackling or smells hot.
- Points died after something was drilled or fixed to the wall.
- Several points are dead and nothing has tripped.
More detail
The failed point may be one you can't see
The chain from the switchboard doesn't follow the rooms. A dead bedroom run may be fed from a hallway point or one hidden behind the fridge, and that hidden outlet is often where the terminal has let go. So we test every outlet on the circuit before opening anything.
Dead points after drilling or a new wall mount
A screw or nail through a cable can break one conductor and kill the points beyond it, sometimes without tripping anything. Leave the fixing in place, because it may be live. Switch that circuit off at the switchboard if it's safe to reach, and tell us what went into the wall.
When a dead point is a sign of wider wear
One failed outlet on sound wiring is a simple repair. Energy Safe Victoria lists old power points, particularly broken ones, among the signs that wiring may be faulty. If we also find brittle insulation or a board with no safety switch, we show you the readings and give honest advice before quoting anything more.
Local rules and conditions
Victorian requirements and local conditions that shape this job, with the sources listed at the foot of the page.
Renting with a dead or damaged point
Consumer Affairs Victoria lists a dangerous electrical fault as an urgent repair, which rental providers must make immediately. Non-urgent repairs are due within 14 days of a written request, so report a dead point in writing. The rental provider pays unless the renter caused the problem.
Rental power circuits need a safety switch
Since 29 March 2023, every power outlet and lighting circuit in a Victorian rental must connect to a switchboard circuit breaker and a safety switch. If the dead run's circuit has no safety switch, the rental provider is responsible for engaging an electrician to meet the electrical safety standard.
Single-storey cottages in Yarraville and Seddon
The Yarraville and Seddon heritage precincts are mostly small single-storey Victorian and Edwardian houses, largely weatherboard. With no upper floor in the way, cable between points can often be reached from the roof space.
Useful reading
Guides to read before you decide, with checklists and questions to bring to the quote.
- A safety switch keeps tripping: what to record and when to callUnderstand the difference between a protective device doing its job and a fault that needs investigation.
- 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.
- Renting and the power or heating has failed: what to doNo power or a dead heater in a Victorian rental? What to check safely, what counts as urgent, how to report it, and what to do if nobody responds.
- Power out? How to tell if it's the network or your houseDark street or just your place? A few checks from the front window to the meter box tell you who to contact first, without opening anything.
Common questions
Questions people ask about this
- Why does my power point only work some of the time?A power point that comes and goes has a connection that is making and breaking contact.
- Why do plugs keep falling out of my power point?Plugs drop out when the contacts inside the outlet have lost their grip, or when the outlet itself has come loose from the wall.
- How do I describe an electrical fault in my enquiry?Tell us what stopped working, when it started, what was running at the time and what the switchboard shows.
Sources for the rules and local facts on this page
13 sources, with the date each was checked
- 1.Consumer Affairs Victoria: Anything on this list is legally defined as an urgent repair: burst water service blocked or broken toilet system serious roof leak gas leak dangerous electrical fault flooding or serious flood damage serious… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 2.Consumer Affairs Victoria: From 29 March 2023 all power outlets and lighting circuits in a rental premises must connect to both a switchboard-type circuit breaker that complies with AS/NZS 3000 and a switchboard-type residual current device that… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 3.Consumer Affairs Victoria: Rental providers are responsible for engaging an electrician to ensure their rental property complies with the electrical safety standard. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 4.Victorian Heritage Database (Heritage Council Victoria); entry maintained by Maribyrnong City Council: The general character of the Yarraville Residential Precinct is that of small Victorian & Edwardian single-storey detached housing with mainly weatherboard and some brick wall cladding, corrugated iron roofing, front… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 5.Victorian Heritage Database (Heritage Council Victoria); entry maintained by Maribyrnong City Council: The general character of the Seddon Residential and Commercial Precinct is of small Edwardian and Victorian period single-storey detached and some attached housing, with a dominance of weatherboard walling and… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 6.Energy Safe Victoria: Locate your electricity box outside your home and check whether the safety switch has tripped. If it has tripped, reset the switch. If the switch won’t reset, call a licensed electrician. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 7.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.
- 8.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.
- 9.Energy Safe Victoria: Gas and electricity are inherently dangerous and it’s illegal and potentially fatal for unlicensed and unqualified people to undertake any electrical or gasfitting work. Homeowners and consumers must always use… 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.Energy Safe Victoria: For electrical installation work performed within your electrical installation including but not limited to lights, power points, air conditioning, hot water service etc. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 13.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.
