UK Lights going off when others switched on

[Honey65]

Hi. Hope I'm writing in the right place. Looking for some advice, before getting an electrician in. Warning a bit of a long story ahead. So we recently bought our very first house. An older building built in 1950s.At first everything seemed OK, and survey didn't pick up any problems with the house (must admit we also didn't carry out any proper checks ?‍?‍?‍ gullible first time buyers). The first day we moved in we had a very unpleasant surprise when we discovered that upstairs lights have some weird wiring, when one light is switched on others go off etc. So basically we can have hallway light, bedroom 1 and 2 lights on, but not bedroom 3 or bathroom. Switching bathroom light on will make bedroom 1 light go dark and hallway too , and bedroom 3 will have like sparks in light bulbs. Switching bedroom 3 light on makes all the other lights go off and bedroom 2 will have a very dark dimm (even when not switched on). I knoe that it's not a DIY job as I really don't know a thing about electrical work, more than anything looking for a good advice what sort of a price I might be looking at to get this mess sorted. Other half tried to have a look and said there's all sorts of new and old wires and makes no sense to him. Also downstairs in the living room there are 10 spotlights and 3 double lights on the walls. On the first day of moving in the 10 spotlights stopped working. Within an hour of the light being on light switch heated up and went(assume it overheated or burned out). The lights on walls still working (operated with the same 2 part switch). Any ideas what might be needed to get them spotlights fixed please. We're still awaiting to get a reliable electrician in, but would like to know a rough cost before hand if possible? Thank you

 

[buzzlightyear]

but would like to know a rough cost before hand if possible?

having read what you are saying that we can not give a price
, my advice is to seek a quilifed local spark .looks to me those lights need sorting out has soon has possible.

 

[Markyd]

having read what you are saying that we can not give a price
, my advice is to seek a quilifed local spark .looks to me those lights need sorting out has soon has possible.

Sounds like this could be a whole can of worms

 

[Pete999]

Had the previous owners or yourselves changed any switches or light? fittings recently? if yes it could just a wrong connection at one of the switches or lights.
If that is the case it should be a simple fix, get an electrician in to take a look and give you a price fpr sorting the problem for you.

 

[Honey65]

Had the previous owners or yourselves changed any switches or light? fittings recently? if yes it could just a wrong connection at one of the switches or lights.
If that is the case it should be a simple fix, get an electrician in to take a look and give you a price fpr sorting the problem for you.

Thank you for the reply. We haven't changed anything ourselves, but we reckon it might be doing of the guy we bought the house from. Think he thought himself to be a bit of a handyman. Trying to save money not getting someone professional, has made a terrible mess not only with the electrical work, but also plumbing and decorating. We've been recommended a good electrician, but he's very busy atm and not had a chance to come round yet.

 

[Pete999]

Thank you for the reply. We haven't changed anything ourselves, but we reckon it might be doing of the guy we bought the house from. Think he thought himself to be a bit of a handyman. Trying to save money not getting someone professional, has made a terrible mess not only with the electrical work, but also plumbing and decorating. We've been recommended a good electrician, but he's very busy atm and not had a chance to come round yet.

Perhaps if you asked nicely a Forum member close to your location, may offer take the job on, I would but you are a bit to distant for my liking, if you don't ask you don't get, there are some very good Electricians on this forum, and you never know a member migh live around the corner from you, give it a bash.

 

[shaun1]

It sounds like someone has replaced all the fitting/switches, perhaps to make it look better for the sale, and just guessed at what wires go where. It shouldnt take too long for a decent electrician to trace everything out and put it all back to how it should be.

If you suspect the previous owners have been butchering everything, there may be other faults that havemt yet becoms apparent. Its probably a good idea to have an EICR (electrical installation condition report) carried out, to make sure everything is safe.

 

[Dave OCD]

This could be as simple as one switch wire mixed up with a neutral but could even take a full day to track it down-or an hour. I'd have a go at it but way too far away- unless the OP lives in West Cornwall.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

I'm with Shaun on this one. It sounds like incorrect connections when replacing one or more accessories, likely the switches, that have put some of the lights in series with others. This can make them interact in all sorts of bizarre ways, flashing, flickering, running dim, going either on or off when others are switched on, much as the OP describes. Aside from the overheating switch, which could be an unsuitable electronic switch or just a loose connection, the rest of the weirdness could actually be a single wire in the wrong place.

 

[telectrix]

the rest of the weirdness could actually be a single wire in the wrong place.

sounds like how my brain is wired.