A word of warning! ⚠️
If you’re looking to buy new light fittings to spruce up your home in time for Christmas, be careful of what you buy.
Unfortunately, buying lights is an absolute mine field! There are soooooo many options and different suppliers online it’s hard to know what to buy.
As your go to, local electrician we have had to refuse to install some light fittings recently unless other work has been carried out to safely install the lights.
We are finding more and more that lighting suppliers are making lights to European standards and supplying them with tiny connection boxes. Most older UK houses will have 3-4 cables enter a light fitting, making it impossible to connect them into the tiny connections boxes that are being supplied.
It’s not that these lights can’t be installed, it just makes the job longer and there’s a possibility of other work that has to be carried in order for the light to be fitted ultimately costing more money.
Here are some tips and things to look out for when buying light fittings.
- Look for class 1 fittings - This means they need to be earthed and therefore any other necessary connections can be made within the base of the light fitting making installation easier
- Be very, very wary of Amazon. There appears to be some people getting away with selling things on this platform that don’t apply to UK standards or are being falsely claimed as being certified!
- Try and look for UK manufacturers and brands as these will be best placed for the UK market.
- You can always consult your local electrician before making a lighting purchase.
If you’re looking to buy new light fittings for your home, get in touch today for free advice on what you might need.
📞 0113 436 9988
