If it's dangerous right now
A burning smell, sparks, smoke, or tingles from taps or appliances come before any dispute. Switch off at the main switch if you can do it safely, keep everyone clear, and call 000 if there's a fire or someone's been hurt. Don't let anyone touch the faulty work again until a licensed electrician has made it safe.
A problem with the electrician's work
Put it in writing to the electrician
Say what's wrong, what you'd like done and by when. Keep photos, the quote, the invoice and every message. Plenty of problems end at this step.
Ask for the certificate
Most electrical work needs one, and the name depends on your state. In Victoria a contractor can't refuse to issue a Certificate of Electrical Safety for any reason, payment disputes included. In Western Australia, if your Electrical Safety Certificate hasn't arrived within 28 days, ask the contractor, and if it still doesn't come, tell your network operator.
Tell us
Contact Blufire, the business that runs this site, with the job, the electrician's name and what's happened. Blufire's privacy policy at blufire.com.au/privacy explains how. We'll ask the electrician for their side.
Know where you stand
Under the Australian Consumer Law, a service you pay for must be done correctly and with care and skill, and you deal with the business you paid. If you and the electrician can't settle it, your state's consumer affairs or fair trading office can tell you the next step.
Unsafe or unlicensed work goes to the regulator
If you think work is unsafe, or was done by someone without a licence, report it to the regulator where you live: Building Commission NSW in New South Wales, Energy Safe Victoria, the Electrical Safety Office in Queensland, Building and Energy in Western Australia and Access Canberra in the ACT.
In South Australia, the Office of the Technical Regulator handles electrical safety and certificates, and Consumer and Business Services handles licensing. Tasmania's licensing is run by the Administrator of Occupational Licensing, and the Northern Territory has an Electrical Safety Regulator. Access Canberra, for one, says it routinely inspects electrical installations and looks into complaints from property owners.
In Victoria, if work was done in the last three years and you never got a certificate, you can lodge a complaint with Energy Safe Victoria.
A complaint about us
Tell us if we matched you with the wrong kind of electrician, if your details went somewhere they shouldn't, or if something on this site was wrong. Blufire's privacy policy at blufire.com.au/privacy explains how to contact Blufire. A privacy complaint we can't resolve can go to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, and our privacy policy explains how. We'd much rather hear about a problem than find out later that someone gave up.