Why This Actually Matters
Since Amendment 3 of the UK wiring regulations, consumer units fitted in homes must be made from non-combustible material — typically metal — rather than the plastic or wooden casings common in older properties. It's a fire-safety rule, not a cosmetic upgrade.
Individual circuit protection (RCBOs) means a fault in one room — a faulty appliance, a damaged cable — only cuts power to that circuit, not your whole house. And surge protection is increasingly treated as standard in modern domestic installations, protecting sensitive electronics from voltage spikes on the incoming supply.
If you've had an EICR come back Unsatisfactory because of your board, or you're just not sure how old yours is, this is usually the single biggest item on a fail — and the one most worth fixing properly rather than patching around.
