Helpful video reference. The video above is "Cutout, Meter and Fusebox - Who Owns What?" by John Ward (jwflame). John is an electrician based in Dorset with over 490 videos on UK electrical topics. His explanation of the supply chain is clear and accurate, and the specific ownership boundaries he covers are correct for typical UK domestic installations.
1. The DNO service cutout (service head)
The service cutout is the sealed unit where the supply cable from the street enters your property. It contains the main service fuse, sometimes called the company fuse, and it is owned by your Distribution Network Operator (DNO). In east Kent, your DNO is UK Power Networks.
You can recognise the cutout by its sealed covers, usually grey, brown or cream depending on the installation age. There will be seals on the cover screws or on a lock. Those seals must not be broken by anyone other than the DNO. The fuse inside is typically 60 A, 80 A or 100 A for domestic properties, fused to protect the supply cable, not your consumer unit.
If the service fuse blows, call UK Power Networks on 105. They will attend to replace it. Do not attempt to open the cutout yourself.
When an electrician needs to replace a consumer unit or work on the incoming tails, they will arrange with the DNO to have the service fuse removed temporarily. This is the only way to make the supply safe for that work.
2. Meter tails from cutout to meter
The thick cables running from the cutout to the meter are called the meter tails or incoming tails. Ownership of these can vary. On older installations, the DNO sometimes owns them. On newer ones, they typically belong to the property owner. Your electrician will know which applies, and it affects who pays for any remedial work.
These cables carry the full supply current and are always live. No domestic isolation switch disconnects them. They are usually 25 mm² single-core in grey and black insulation, sometimes older red and black.
3. The electricity meter
The meter belongs to your electricity supplier, not to you and not to the DNO. Smart meters (with an in-home display showing consumption) are now the standard for new installations and replacements, and suppliers are progressively installing them across all properties.
If your meter is damaged, stuck, displaying an error, or if you think it is running fast, contact your electricity supplier directly. They are responsible for the meter's maintenance and accuracy. Tampering with a meter is a criminal offence under the Electricity Act 1989.
If you want your meter moved to a different location (common during a kitchen extension or consumer unit relocation), contact your supplier. There will be a charge and the work will be done by the supplier's approved contractors.
4. Consumer unit tails from meter to board
The cables between the meter output and the main switch of your consumer unit are called the consumer unit tails. These are the building owner's responsibility. On a typical domestic installation, you will see two single-core cables (line in brown, neutral in blue or grey) plus an earth cable, all around 25 mm² for most houses.
A qualified electrician can work on the consumer unit tails, but only when the DNO has removed the service fuse to make them safe. On most jobs, the electrician contacts UK Power Networks (or the relevant DNO) the day before, arranges a morning visit to pull the fuse, does the work, and calls them back to reinstate it the same day.
5. The consumer unit and everything beyond it
From the main switch of the consumer unit onwards, everything is the building owner's responsibility. This includes the consumer unit enclosure, all the MCBs, RCBOs and protective devices inside it, and every circuit, socket, light and appliance connected to those circuits.
Any Part P registered electrician can carry out work here with correct isolation. A consumer unit upgrade, fitting a new circuit, or replacing a faulty MCB are all jobs that are squarely in this zone and do not require DNO involvement (unless the incoming tails also need attention).
6. The earthing terminal (meter tails earth)
On a PME (Protective Multiple Earthing, also called TN-C-S) supply, which is the most common type in the UK, the earth terminal at the meter is connected to the neutral of the distribution system. This is the source of the earthing arrangement for your whole installation.
A single green and yellow earth conductor runs from the earthing terminal at the meter position to the earth bar in your consumer unit. You will also see main equipotential bonding conductors running from that earth bar to any metallic pipes entering the building (gas, water). All of this is the building owner's responsibility.
Some older and rural properties have a TT earthing arrangement with a separate earth electrode driven into the ground. If that applies to your property, the earth for your installation comes from that electrode rather than from the supply, and this affects the type of protection devices your consumer unit needs.
When to call us
If you are planning a consumer unit upgrade, adding a new circuit, or your electrician has told you the incoming tails need attention, Richard handles the DNO coordination and all the consumer unit work. He covers Sandwich, Deal, Dover, Ramsgate and Canterbury.
Consumer unit and supply questions in east Kent?
Richard handles everything from a single new circuit to a full consumer unit replacement, including liaising with UK Power Networks where needed.
Contact Richard