Counterfeit and unsafe electrical products can look convincing online, but poor components, missing protection and false safety markings can create serious fire and electric shock risks.
This TESC guidance page is designed to help households, landlords, agents and property managers recognise avoidable electrical risks before they become incidents.
Product safety is separate from an Electrical Installation Condition Report. An EICR assesses the fixed electrical installation, while plug-in equipment, chargers, extension leads and portable products can introduce additional risks after the installation itself has been inspected.
Key issues, warning signs and safer practice.
Stop using an electrical product if it shows signs of overheating, melting, burning smells, loose connections, damaged cables, exposed parts, buzzing, cracking, smoke or repeated tripping. Do not keep testing a suspect product to see whether it happens again.
Where the concern relates to fixed wiring, sockets, consumer units, earthing, RCD protection or repeated circuit faults, the matter should be checked by a competent electrical contractor rather than treated as only a product issue.
Use this page as part of the wider TESC safety and compliance resource centre.
Small plug-in devices with serious risks.
Avoid overloads, daisy chaining and heat build-up.
What to do when a product is recalled.
Marketplace checks before buying electrical goods.
E-bikes, scooters, power banks and chargers.
No. Many unsafe products look convincing externally. The risk is often inside the product: weak components, poor insulation, missing fusing or low-quality connections.
Stop using it immediately, unplug it if safe to do so, and do not continue testing it. Heat, burning smells, buzzing or melting are warning signs.
An EICR assesses the fixed electrical installation, not every portable appliance. However, unsafe plug-in products can still create fire or shock risks in the property.
Product safety, fixed wiring safety and compliance records all work together. Use TESC resources to understand electrical risks, check EICR records and find registered providers where inspection or remedial work is needed.