Consumer Unit Replacement Cost in Kent: A 2026 Guide

The consumer unit — commonly called the fuse board or fuse box — is the heart of your home's electrical installation. It distributes power to every circuit in the property and, crucially, provides the protection that cuts the supply when a fault occurs. If your consumer unit is more than 20 years old, contains rewirable fuses rather than modern circuit breakers, or lacks RCD (residual current device) protection, it is almost certainly due for replacement.

For Kent homeowners, a consumer unit replacement is one of the most impactful electrical upgrades available — not just for safety, but for practical reasons too. Modern RCBO consumer units provide individual protection for every circuit, meaning a fault on one circuit does not plunge the whole house into darkness. They also satisfy the requirements for EV charger installation, additional circuits, and the current edition of BS 7671 (the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations).

Signs Your Consumer Unit Needs Replacing

The most obvious sign is the presence of rewirable fuses — ceramic fuse holders with wire that has to be replaced manually when it blows. These offer no RCD protection and are no longer considered safe for a domestic installation. Other indicators include a split-load board where only part of the installation is RCD-protected, a consumer unit that trips frequently or fails to hold a reset, visible signs of overheating or scorching around the unit, or an EICR that has returned a C2 (potentially dangerous) or C1 (danger present) code against the consumer unit itself.

Landlords in particular should be aware that an unsatisfactory EICR — triggered by an inadequate consumer unit — requires remedial work to be completed within 28 days. Failing to act leaves the landlord in breach of the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 and potentially liable for civil penalties of up to £30,000.

What the Replacement Involves

A consumer unit replacement is a half-day to full-day job for a qualified electrician. The process involves isolating the supply at the meter tails, removing the old unit, installing the new consumer unit and connecting all existing circuits, testing every circuit against BS 7671, and issuing an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) as proof of the work. The supply will be off for the duration of the installation — typically three to five hours for a standard domestic property.

Modern consumer units installed in domestic properties in England must be housed in a non-combustible enclosure (metal or metal-lined), a requirement introduced following the Grenfell Tower fire. All reputable electricians now install metal consumer units as standard. The unit itself is typically an 18-way RCBO board, which provides individual RCD and MCB protection for every circuit — the current best practice for new installations and replacements.

Consumer Unit Replacement Costs in Kent

Costs vary depending on the size of the property, the number of circuits, and whether any remedial work is identified during the installation. The table below gives typical installed costs for Kent properties in 2026, including all parts, labour, testing, and the Electrical Installation Certificate.

RCBO vs RCD: What Is the Difference?

Older split-load consumer units use two RCDs to protect groups of circuits — typically one covering sockets and one covering lighting. The problem with this arrangement is that a single fault on any circuit protected by that RCD will trip the entire group, potentially cutting power to multiple rooms at once. An RCBO (Residual Current Breaker with Overcurrent protection) combines the function of an RCD and an MCB in a single device, protecting each circuit individually. A fault on the kitchen sockets, for example, will trip only that circuit — everything else remains live.

RCBO boards cost slightly more than dual-RCD boards but are now the standard recommendation for new installations and replacements. The additional cost over a split-load board is typically £80–£150, which is a modest premium for significantly better protection and convenience.

Consumer Unit Replacement and EV Chargers

If you are planning to install an EV charger, the consumer unit is the first thing a qualified electrician will assess. Many EV charger manufacturers and installers require a modern RCBO consumer unit with a dedicated spare way before they will proceed with the installation. If your existing board is full or does not meet the specification, the consumer unit replacement and the EV charger installation can often be carried out on the same day, with the combined cost lower than two separate visits.

Does a Consumer Unit Replacement Require Building Regulations Approval?

Yes. A consumer unit replacement is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations. A competent person registered with a scheme such as NICEIC can self-certify the work, which means they notify the local authority on your behalf and issue the Electrical Installation Certificate directly. You do not need to apply for building regulations approval separately — provided the electrician is registered. Always ask for the EIC and confirm the work has been notified before the electrician leaves.

Areas Covered

Kent Trade Solutions carries out consumer unit replacements across Sittingbourne, Faversham, Sheerness, the Isle of Sheppey, Medway (Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham), Maidstone, Canterbury, Thanet, and the surrounding Kent area. All work is NICEIC registered, self-certified under Part P, and covered by our public liability insurance. We can usually accommodate consumer unit replacements within a few days of enquiry.