Having a reliable, good-value electrician in your phonebook is worth its weight in gold. Issues with your power supply are rarely trivial and need quick attention from a qualified electrician.

But if you don’t know a good, local electrician, what’s the best way to find one? And what are the questions to ask when you’re contacting an electrician for the first time, to make sure they’re the real deal?

Here are a few quick tips to help:

Ask friends and family

The chances are that someone in your family or friends network has needed an electrician at some point over the past few years. So a good place to start is to ask around to see if anyone can recommend an electrician they’ve used before. They might also tell you ones to avoid, too.

A good recommendation can help you find a trustworthy professional you can rely on for years

Ask other tradespeople

If you’ve hired a tradesperson such as a plumber, or had your boiler repaired or serviced recently and found them trustworthy, enquire with them if they know an electricians they would feel comfortable recommending. Tradespeople often work together on larger projects such as kitchen or bathroom renovations where several specialities are needed at once.

Many companies, including many on the Local Heroes platform, cover several trades and can tackle the task themselves.

Check local community groups

Social media sites typically have local community or neighbourhood groups where people post content specific to very local areas. Frequent topics for discussion often centre around reliable (or in many cases, unreliable) tradespeople.

Wherever you live it's likely there are several of these groups, especially on Facebook. Investigate your local area and see if any names pop up frequently for positive recommendations.

Use a trusted and established company

If you're struggling to find a local electrician you feel comfortable booking, Local Heroes can help. All electricians on our platform have been vetted by us as qualified, experienced and well reviewed. We also offer a 12 month guarantee backed by British Gas for all our work.

Ask the right questions

If you do decide to try an electrician you don’t know, there are some easy ways to make sure the electrician you’re using has the level of experience and professionalism you want.

For a start, it’s a good idea to search for their business or their name on third-party review sites.

To make sure the price they’re quoting is reasonable, it’s a good idea to get at least three comparison quotes, if you have the time. You can read our article on how much electricians charge to give you a rough estimate of what they should be quoting.

Either way, before any job starts, make sure you get a written quote and ask if it includes material costs and VAT. This ensures you’re both on the same page when it comes to the full price.

Make sure they also offer a guarantee and have insurance for any work they do. Most pieces of electronic equipment have a manufacturer's warranty ranging from one to 10 years, but not all electricians guarantee their work. (As mentioned, ours do – with a 12-month guarantee backed by British Gas.)

Good luck! And of course, if you do find yourself in need of a local electrician, we’re always here to help.