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uk Home & property emergencies water in electric meter box • condensation in meter cupboard • rainwater inside electrical box • wet electricity meter area • damp around outdoor meter box • water near electricity meter • outdoor electrical enclosure leaking • meter box seal broken • tripping after rain outside • electric box wet after storm • water ingress electrical housing • suspected leak into meter cabinet • moisture near service head • wet cables near meter • outdoor fuse box wet • water droplets in electrical box • damp patch behind meter box • wet meter cabinet after rain

What to do if…
you see water or condensation inside an outdoor electrical box or near the meter after rain

Short answer

Treat it as potentially live and dangerous: keep away, keep others away, and report it to your electricity network operator — call 105 (free) if you’re in England, Scotland, or Wales, or call NIE Networks 03457 643 643 if you’re in Northern Ireland.

Do not do these things

  • Do not open covers further, poke inside, or try to “dry it out” with cloths, heaters, hairdryers, or sprays.
  • Do not touch the meter, service head, cables, seals, or cut-out/fuses (even “just to check”).
  • Do not stand on wet ground and touch the box/metalwork, or lean your body against it while inspecting.
  • Do not assume it’s safe because “it’s only condensation” or because the power is still on.
  • Do not let children/pets near it, or leave the area accessible while you decide what to do.

What to do now

  1. Create a safety buffer. Keep everyone a few metres away. If the box is on a path/driveway, block access (close a gate/door, or put a temporary barrier in front).
  2. Check for immediate danger signs (from a distance). If you see/hear sparking, buzzing, crackling, burning smell, smoke, or scorch marks, call 999 and say there’s a possible electrical hazard near the meter.
  3. Report water/moisture at the meter area.
    • England/Scotland/Wales: call 105 (free) and say: “Water/condensation inside the outdoor electrical box / near the electricity meter after rain.”
    • Northern Ireland: call NIE Networks 03457 643 643 and give the same message.
  4. If you can safely isolate your home’s electricity, do so — only if everything around you is dry. If your indoor consumer unit is in a dry location and you can reach it without stepping on wet floors or touching wet walls/metal, switch OFF the main switch.
    • If the consumer unit area is damp, you’re unsure, or you’d have to reach past wet surfaces: don’t.
  5. Stop further runoff only if you can do it without approaching/touching the electrical equipment. For example, if a gutter/downpipe is clearly pouring onto the cabinet, you can place a bucket under the drip point or redirect the drip away without touching the cabinet, its fixings, or any cables. If that isn’t possible safely, skip this.
  6. Take a quick photo/video from a safe distance. This helps when speaking to the network operator, landlord, or insurer (and helps you avoid repeatedly checking it).
  7. If you rent or it’s communal equipment: notify the landlord/managing agent and tell them you have reported it to the network operator.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide right now whether it’s “your responsibility” or the network’s — reporting it safely comes first.
  • You don’t need to troubleshoot the cause (seal, hinge, cable entry, wall leak) tonight.
  • You don’t need to book repairs until the network operator has advised what must stay off and what can be handled by an electrician/builder.

Important reassurance

Seeing moisture in or around meter equipment is unsettling — and you’re not overreacting by treating it as hazardous. The safest response is to back off, report, and prevent contact, rather than trying to investigate.

Scope note

These are first steps to reduce shock/fire risk and get the right responder involved. Later, you may need a qualified electrician and/or building repairs to stop the water ingress, but that comes after the immediate safety steps.

Important note

This is general safety information, not professional electrical advice. If you feel unsafe at any point, increase distance and call emergency services. Do not attempt DIY work on or near the meter, service head, cut-out, or other electricity network equipment.

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