Is it illegal to have no RCD protection?

Is It Illegal to Have No RCD Protection in Your Home? The short answer is: not automatically illegal for existing homes, but it is a serious safety issue — and for landlords or new work, the rules are much stricter. What Is an RCD? An RCD (Residual Current Device) is a life-saving safety device fitted in your consumer unit (fuse box). It detects dangerous faults — such as electricity passing through a person — and cuts the power in as little as 30 milliseconds, fast enough to prevent electrocution. Does Your Home Need One? Yes, in most cases. Under the current wiring regulations (BS 7671 18th Edition), RCD protection is required for: All socket outlets up to 20A (in virtually all locations) Cables buried in walls at less than 50mm depth Outdoor circuits (garden sockets, sheds, garages) Bathroom circuits Most lighting circuits in dwellings What Should You Check Safely? Look at your consumer unit — does it have RCD switches (usually wide rocker switches) or RCBO breakers? If you have an old fuse board with rewirable fuses and no RCDs, this is a significant concern Do not attempt to open the consumer unit or carry out any electrical testing yourself Legal Position for Homeowners vs Landlords Owner-occupiers: No direct criminal penalty for an existing installation lacking RCDs, but any electrical work carried out without upgrading protection may breach Building Regulations Part P Landlords: The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require a satisfactory EICR every 5 years. Missing RCD protection will typically result in a C2 code, requiring remedial work within 28 days New builds and major rewires: Must fully comply with BS 7671 — RCDs are mandatory When to Call an Electrician Your consumer unit has no RCDs at all You are a landlord approaching an EICR inspection You are having any electrical work done — this triggers a compliance check You have concerns about the age or safety of your wiring Call a registered electrician (NICEIC, NAPIT, or ELECSA registered) for a full consumer unit assessment.