Plug socket hot or scorched: what to do

A socket should never get hot. Act now.

The answer in 2 lines. A plug socket should never feel hot. If it is hot, scorched, discoloured or smells of hot plastic, switch off that circuit at the consumer unit (fuse box), unplug the appliance once the socket has cooled, and do not use it again. Common causes: a high-power appliance such as a heater left on a tired socket, an overloaded extension lead, a worn socket or plug, or a loose wire behind. The socket needs replacing and the cause finding, by a registered electrician.

The first 3 steps

Switch off the circuit at the consumer unit (or the main switch if you do not know which one).
Unplug the appliance once the socket has cooled, with dry hands.
Put the socket out of use: a note on it, and nothing plugged in until it has been replaced.

Stop: danger

Smoke, flames or crackling: get out and call 999. Never throw water on an electrical fire.
Melted, stuck or sparking plug or socket: do not pull the cable; switch off at the consumer unit first.
Do not open the socket while it is live, or touch the wires behind it.

Why it gets hot

Hot with a heater, oven, tumble dryer or kettle: a high-power appliance running for a long time on a worn socket. Plug these straight into a wall socket, never an extension lead.
Hot extension lead with several things on it: overload. Spread appliances across different wall sockets.
Plug loose in the socket: poor contact from a worn socket. Have it replaced.
Scorch marks even without a big appliance: a loose or damaged wire behind. Call a registered electrician.
The plug itself is hot: it may be damaged or poorly wired; stop using that appliance and have it checked.

What not to do

Carrying on "because it still works".
Taping or gluing a cracked socket.
Plugging extension leads or adaptors into each other.

Good to know

A UK plug socket and an extension lead are rated 13 A: about 3,000 W in total for everything plugged in. A heater alone can use most of that.
Never plug two high-power appliances (heater, kettle, iron) into the same extension lead.
A smell of "hot plastic" with no obvious cause is a reason to check sockets, plugs and the consumer unit.

Who pays and who to tell

If you rent: tell your landlord in writing straight away. Landlords must keep the electrical wiring in repair. In England, private landlords, and now social landlords too, must have the electrical installation inspected and tested at least every five years.
If you own: use an electrician registered with a government-approved scheme.

In Newcastle, Ellie notices a smell of hot plastic in the living room. The socket behind the portable heater is warm and brown at the edges. She switches off the circuit at the consumer unit, unplugs the heater once it has cooled and tapes a note over the socket. An electrician replaces it the next day and she plugs the heater into a different wall socket.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 18 October 2026, for England. Confidence: high for the safety steps, the 13 A rating and the five-year inspection rule for rented homes; medium for the 3,000 W figure, which is a rounded value (13 A at 230 V). This guide describes common cases, not a diagnosis.