Is it illegal to have no RCD protection – Advice from Electriman, North London Electricians

## Is It Illegal to Have No RCD Protection in Your Home?

The short answer is: **not automatically illegal for existing homes**, but it is a serious safety issue — and for landlords or new work, the rules are much stricter.

### What Is an RCD?

An **RCD (Residual Current Device)** is a life-saving safety device fitted in your consumer unit (fuse box). It detects dangerous faults — such as electricity passing through a person — and cuts the power in as little as 30 milliseconds, fast enough to prevent electrocution.

### Does Your Home Need One?

**Yes, in most cases.** Under the current wiring regulations (BS 7671 18th Edition), RCD protection is required for:

- **All socket outlets** up to 20A (in virtually all locations)

- **Cables buried in walls** at less than 50mm depth

- **Outdoor circuits** (garden sockets, sheds, garages)

- **Bathroom circuits**

- **Most lighting circuits** in dwellings

### What Should You Check Safely?

- Look at your **consumer unit** — does it have RCD switches (usually wide rocker switches) or RCBO breakers?

- If you have an **old fuse board with rewirable fuses and no RCDs**, this is a significant concern

- **Do not attempt** to open the consumer unit or carry out any electrical testing yourself

### Legal Position for Homeowners vs Landlords

- **Owner-occupiers:** No direct criminal penalty for an existing installation lacking RCDs, but any electrical work carried out without upgrading protec

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