What is the maximum number of extension leads allowed to be used in a three bedroom house?

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Although there is no legal limit on the number of extension leads you can use in your home, if you are relying on them this suggests that your property does not have enough sockets to meet the needs of modern living, with a greater reliance on electrical devices and appliances than when the property was built

Answered by Sarah, Electrical Safety Expert

Although there is no legal limit on the number of extension leads you can use in your home, if you are relying on them this suggests that your property does not have enough sockets to meet the needs of modern living, with a greater reliance on electrical devices and appliances than when the property was built. 

Our socket calculator helps you to work out if you are putting too much strain on the electrical installation - just because an extension lead normally has room to plug in four devices, it is not necessarily safe to do so as some appliances have a rating that means that plugging more than one into one socket exceeds the maximum load.

If you are relying on extension leads, get a registered electrician to advise and install new sockets. You can find one local to you here.

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