Why are the stairwell lights in my building not working?

Why the stairwell lights are not working

When the stairwell goes dark the whole block notices, and the problem is usually in the communal services installation (servicios generales), which supplies the common areas with its own meter and its own fuse board. These are the most common causes.

The usual causes

1. A protective device has tripped in the communal services board: the RCD because of a leak, very common after rain in entrance halls and courtyards, or the lighting breaker because of a short circuit.
2. A faulty timer or relay. It is the part that keeps the light on for a few minutes when you press the button. When it fails, the light does not come on or does not go off.
3. Broken or badly adjusted presence detectors, which do not detect or only light some floors.
4. A stuck or short-circuited push button on one floor.
5. A damaged cable in a junction box, from damp or age.
6. A power cut from the distributor or a fault at the service connection, if the lift (elevator) or door entry system are also out.

What the president or a neighbour can do

• Find the communal services fuse board, usually next to the meters or in the entrance hall.
• Check whether a switch is down and reset it once only.
• If it trips again, do not keep trying: there is a fault to trace.
• Tell the property administrator so they can arrange the repair.
• Check whether the lift and door entry system work, to rule out a general cut.

Safety in the meantime

A dark stairwell is a fall risk, especially for older people. The emergency lighting should come on when the power fails; if it does not, it is also faulty and needs checking.

How to stop it happening again

• Replace old timers with presence detectors and LED fittings.
• Check the communal services fuse board and tighten the connections.
• Seal boxes exposed to damp in courtyards and on roof terraces.
• Take out an electrical maintenance contract for the community with regular checks.

What it costs

An out of hours emergency call-out has a guide price of 100 to 200 euros, plus the repair. Replacing a light point with an LED one with a detector costs 40 to 90 euros per point.

When to call an electrician

Call if the stairwell lights do not come back after checking the board, if a switch keeps tripping or if the emergency lights do not work. In Seville, Spain, our 24-hour emergency electrician attends community faults, and we prevent them through building maintenance.