Electrical Safety Advice for Smart Homes

Smart homes

Modern homes are evolving as "smart" technology allows greater control of our living space at the touch of a button. But make sure your smart home is also a safe home.

Smart homes and devices are now part of mainstream living, as controlling your home environment remotely often only needs an internet connection wherever you are and your home Wi-Fi to be in good working order (although some ecosystems do require an additional hub).

Buying smart technology

Only buy smart devices from a reputable retailer or manufacturer to avoid buying a fake or substandard product.
When shopping for smart devices, check it will work correctly and as intended with other smart tech in your home. The retailer or manufacturer can advise you.
Check you have a strong Wi-Fi and internet connection as limited bandwidth may struggle to support multiple devices. Free apps are available to test the speed and strength of your connection.
Check whether a smart device will get regular software updates, and how long after purchase it will continue to be supported. Also find out what after-sales support is available.
Check the privacy policies offered by the manufacturer to ensure your personal data will be used responsibly.
Register your device so you can be contacted easily if there is a safety recall of your product. It’s also much easier to return a faulty item or order a repair if it’s registered.

Set up and maintain a smart device

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions so your smart device works properly, and all safety and security features are enabled.
Protect your data by setting up (or changing) the password to a secure one. A strong password should have plenty of characters and be a mix of numbers, symbols, capital and lower-case letters. All new smart connected devices mustn’t have a default universal password. See our PSTI guide for further details.
Regular software updates are essential throughout a smart product’s ‘lifetime’. It may update automatically, or you may have to provide authorisation first. Failing to update could affect the full functionality and security of your smart home.
Plan ahead so you know what to do if you lose your phone or log-in details and cannot control your smart devices remotely. Check your user manual to find out whether your smart device can be controlled without your phone (perhaps by going online, via a different device, or controlled manually).
Keep details of your device, account and any log-in details separate and secure, but easily accessible by you. And make a note of any customer service helpline.
Have a plan in case the smart system itself fails. Do you have an alternative device to use the same function? If you have smart lighting system, is there a manual light that can be used if the system goes down? If you have smart access to your front door, can the door also be opened manually?
If you have a problem with a smart device, contact the retailer. Continuing to use the device or attempting to fix it yourself (or using an unauthorised repairer) could impact on your other smart devices in the network.

ALWAYS

Buy smart devices from a reputable retailer or manufacturer.

If required, have smart technologies installed by a skilled, trained, and competent electrician who is familiar with the technology.

Check a new device will work with other smart tech in your home before buying.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions so your smart device works properly.

Carry out regular software updates as required.

Plan ahead so you know what to do if you lose access to a smart device.

AVOID

Buying potentially fake or substandard smart devices, they can be dangerous.

Buying smart devices without regular software updates and after-sales support.

Using passwords which are not secure on smart devices.

Continuing to use the device or attempting to fix it if there is a problem.

Being stuck without a manual alternative if a smart device fails.

In our product safety section

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Gadgets & Entertainment

Stay safe with electrical products

Check plugs and sockets

Don't ignore burn marks, ‘arcing’ (buzzing or crackling) sounds, fuses blowing, circuit-breakers tripping, or if it feels hot to touch.

Unplug and contact the retailer, manufacturer, or a qualified repair technician.

Protect with an RCD

An RCD (residual current device) in your consumer unit (fusebox) protects you from electric shocks if a product is faulty.

If you don’t have RCD protection, use an RCD plug on the socket where the product is plugged in.

Fit smoke and heat alarms

Ensure there is at least one smoke or heat alarm per floor in your property. Fit enough alarms to cover all areas where a fire could start.

Test alarms at least once a month. Replace them every ten years or when the replace by date is reached.

Selected FAQs

Answers to commonly-asked questions we receive about electrical safety.

View all our FAQs

I bought an electrical appliance that I think is unsafe, what should I do?

You should contact either Trading Standards or Citizens Advice to register your concern.

If you want to forward us supporting documentation and images relating to the product, we can objectively review its safety. Send it to enquiries@electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk

Who do I report a unsafe product to?

If you have purchased an electrical product that you believe to be unsafe, you should contact the manufacturer to let them know of your concerns.

If they do not deal with this to your satisfaction, you should report the product to your local Trading Standards Office and they will be able to investigate further.

We recommend that you register all of your electrical appliances so that, in the event of a problem, the manufacturer can contact you to let you know about it. You can find out more here.

Are single point to point products in scope when using either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi?

A product that can only connect to another single device is in scope if

(i) that product itself is capable of connecting directly to the internet ("internet-connectable product")

(ii) that product itself is not capable of connecting to the internet but is capable of both sending and receiving data by means of electrical or electromagnetic means and is also capable of connecting directly to an internet-connectable product by use of the Internet Protocol suite ("IP suite").

For example, a washing machine that can send and receive data only to and from a single device (such as a smart phone)

Is in scope

if the data transmission will be done by electrical or electromagnetic means (such as by Bluetooth) and the washing machine itself can also connect directly via internet by using for example Wi-Fi to the smart phone or any other single internet-connectable device

if it can connect directly to the internet.

Is out of scope

if the washing machine cannot itself connect directly to the internet or any internet-connectable device via the internet.

How often does a manufacturer need to update a person reporting a security issue?

There is no specific number of times that you must provide a status update or frequency at which you have to give such update before the reported issue is resolved.

Whilst there is no guidance that has been issued by the government on this, an update every two weeks could be an option given that the government’s Call for Views published in July 2020 stated that a non-indicative or implicative example could be fortnightly status updates until resolution of the issue.

Additional info

The most common uses of smart technology are for monitoring energy usage and spending, along with smart security cameras to help you keep an eye on your home when you are away.

But smart lighting, heating, and socket-outlets are gaining in popularity and are now available from many reputable manufacturers.

Smart tech can also offer additional support for older and vulnerable people, helping give peace of mind to carers through the inobtrusive monitoring of device interaction.

Has your electrical product been recalled?

Electrical products are recalled more regularly than you might think, but the response rate to a recall is often worryingly low. This means there are potentially millions of recalled electrical items still in UK homes.

Check your appliances

Smart homes

Smart homes

Buying smart technology

Set up and maintain a smart device

ALWAYS

AVOID