# Power point not working in Singapore: what to check first, what it costs, who to call Source: https://honestfix.cf-migrate-pulse-web.workers.dev/guides/power-point-not-working · checked 15 Sep 2026 the Honestfix team · checked 15 Sep 2026 A power point that has stopped working means the socket outlet no longer supplies power to whatever is plugged into it, even though other points in the flat are fine. HDB describes plugs and socket outlets as common household electrical accessories, and states that only a licensed electrician can replace them. Before you call anyone, one check at the distribution board tells you whether this is a two-minute reset or an electrician's job. ## What to check first Go to the distribution board (DB box) first. Look for a tripped breaker — the switch sits in a middle position rather than fully up. If you find one, switch it fully off, then fully on, once. If it holds, the point should work again. If it trips again immediately, stop resetting it; that is a fault, and repeated resets do not fix it. Next, check whether the fault is one point or several. Plug a lamp or phone charger into the dead point and into a neighbouring one. If only the one point is dead and the breaker is not tripped, the fault is local to that socket, not the circuit. Write down which room, which point, and what you plugged in before you call — it saves the electrician a repeat of your own troubleshooting. Do not open the socket faceplate yourself. Removing a socket outlet, testing the wiring behind it, or working inside the distribution board is licensed electrical work in Singapore, not a DIY step. ## The likely causes, in order **A tripped circuit breaker (most common).** A single dead point, with everything else on the same circuit also dead, points to a breaker that has tripped and needs to be reset once — not repeatedly. If it will not hold a reset, the circuit has a fault feeding it, and that is exactly when to stop and call. **A loose or worn connection inside the point.** The second most likely cause is a loose or worn connection inside the point itself. HDB advises that a flat's electrical wiring should be replaced when its lifespan is over or when it is worn out, and ageing connections behind a socket are a common point of failure in older flats. A point that has worked for years and then just stops, with no trip and no other symptom, often comes down to a worn terminal inside the accessory itself. **A wiring fault between the DB box and the point.** The third cause is a fault in the wiring between the distribution board and the point, which only shows up as one dead socket rather than a tripped circuit. This is wiring work, not a socket swap, and is not a DIY fix — tracing a fault inside a wall needs the right tools and the licence to do the work safely. ## When to call, and who Call an electrician once the breaker reset does not hold, or once you have confirmed it is one point and not the whole circuit. Give them what you found: which point, whether the breaker tripped, and whether it re-tripped on reset. Stop and call now if the point is warm, discoloured, smells of burning, or has ever sparked. Do not keep resetting a breaker that trips again immediately — that is a fault, not a nuisance trip. If there is any smell of burning or visible scorching, switch off the DB box supply to that circuit if you can do so safely, and do not use the point again until it has been checked. If you see smoke or an open flame, treat it as a fire emergency and call 995 rather than waiting for an electrician. ## What it costs Ask two or three for a written quote instead. When you ask, describe exactly what you found: one point or several, whether the breaker trips on reset, how old the flat's wiring is if you know it. A provider quoting "socket repair" with no scope attached is not quoting the same job as one who has heard your DB box findings. Ask whether the call-out fee is waived if you proceed, whether parts (a new socket, new wiring) are billed separately, and whether the quote covers testing the rest of the circuit or just the one point. ## Who to call, and how to judge them Only a licensed electrician can replace a socket outlet in Singapore. HDB states this plainly for household electrical accessories, and any work that opens the wall or the distribution board needs a Licensed Electrical Worker under EMA's rules. A business registration does not show individual LEW licence numbers, so ask to see the electrician's LEW licence directly and check it against EMA's own register before work starts on the wiring itself. An ACRA registration confirms the business exists, not that any individual technician holds a current LEW licence. Treat the two checks as separate: the business registration and the worker's licence. ## Frequently asked questions **Why has only one power point stopped working?** A power point that has stopped working means the socket outlet no longer supplies power to whatever is plugged into it, even though other points in the flat are fine. HDB describes plugs and socket outlets as common household electrical accessories, and states that only a licensed electrician can replace them. **Can I reset the breaker myself?** The most common cause is a tripped circuit breaker at the distribution board. A single dead point, with everything else on the same circuit also dead, points to a breaker that has tripped and needs to be reset once — not repeatedly. **When should I stop trying to fix it myself?** Stop and call now if the point is warm, discoloured, smells of burning, or has ever sparked. Do not keep resetting a breaker that trips again immediately — that is a fault, not a nuisance trip. ## Sources - [HDB, "Electrical Accessories and Wiring" home care guide](https://www.hdb.gov.sg/managing-my-home/renovation-and-maintenance/home-maintenance/home-care-guide/electrical-accessories-and-wiring) (fetched 15 Sep 2026) - [SCDF homepage](https://www.scdf.gov.sg) (fetched 15 Sep 2026) - [EMA, "Electricians Licence"](https://www.ema.gov.sg/regulations-licences/licences/worker-licences/electricians-licence) (fetched 15 Sep 2026) [Compare electricians providers](/electricians) and give each the same details: which point, whether the breaker trips on reset, and how old the flat's wiring is. ## Related - [Electricians in Singapore — compare providers](/electricians) — Electricians - [How to check an electrician’s EMA licence](/guides/check-electrician-ema-licence) — Guide: How to check an electrician's EMA licence in Singapore: who must hold one, where to look it up, and what a company registration or a rating does not tell you. - [Why your power keeps tripping: what it means](/guides/power-keeps-tripping) — Guide: Unplug everything on the circuit and reset once: if it still trips, the fault is the wiring, not an appliance. Checked 15 Sep 2026. - [Water heater tripping the circuit: stop using it](/guides/water-heater-tripping) — Guide: A water heater that trips the circuit is unsafe to keep using. What to do first, what not to reset, and who is allowed to fix it in Singapore. - [Burning smell from socket in Singapore: what to check first, what it costs, who to call](/guides/burning-smell-from-socket) — Guide: A burning smell from a socket is a stop-now signal, not a wait-and-see one. - [Ceiling fan not working in Singapore: what to check first, what it costs, who to call](/guides/ceiling-fan-not-working) — Guide: Check the wall switch and the breaker before assuming the fan itself has failed.