Product Liability & Safety Disclaimer
Every product we sell is safe when it's used the way it's meant to be used.
This page sets out, in plain English, how to use, install, inspect and store our extension leads, electrical supplies and sofas safely — where our responsibility as a seller begins and ends, and where the law steps in regardless of anything written here.
Why this page exists, and who it's for.
We sell four ranges of product through this website — Outdoor Extension Leads, Armoured Outdoor Extension Leads, Electrical Supplies, and Sofas — and two of those four categories carry electrical current. This page exists so that every customer, before or after they buy, understands exactly how to use what they've bought safely, what we as the seller are responsible for, and what responsibility sits with the person installing or using the product.
It sits alongside, not instead of, the individual instructions supplied in the box with each product. Where anything on this page and the printed instructions supplied with your specific product appear to differ, always follow the instructions supplied with the product, and contact us if you are unsure which applies.
Nothing on this page removes or reduces any right you have under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or any other UK consumer protection law. Section 12 sets that out in full.
Every product we sell is designed and, where applicable, tested to do a specific job, in a specific way. Used that way, it is safe. Used another way, it may not be.
All products supplied by us must be used strictly in accordance with the instructions, ratings and warnings supplied with that product. If you use a product outside those instructions — for a purpose it was not designed for, beyond its rated limits, or with the wrong accessories — you take on the risk of doing so. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for injury, property damage or loss caused by use of a product that does not follow the manufacturer's instructions or this page.
You assume responsibility for correct use
Once a product has left us in the condition described on its listing, the responsibility for installing it correctly, using it within its ratings, and following its instructions sits with the person using it.
Misuse and modification are not covered
Cutting, splicing, submerging, overloading or otherwise modifying a product outside its designed use sits outside our liability and typically voids the manufacturer's warranty on that item.
Faulty products remain fully our responsibility
This principle is about correct use of a product that is not faulty. If a product is faulty, not as described, or unsafe as supplied, your statutory rights under Section 12 apply in full and this section does not limit them.
Plug-in use is different from a permanent installation.
Our Outdoor Extension Leads and Armoured Outdoor Extension Leads are supplied ready to plug into an existing socket and run to where you need power — a shed, a hot tub, seasonal lighting, or a patio. Used this way, no additional qualification is needed beyond following the instructions supplied with the product.
Where a customer chooses to install a lead permanently — for example, fixing an armoured lead along a wall or burying any part of a cable run — that work goes beyond simple plug-in use and becomes a fixed electrical installation.
For any permanent, fixed or buried installation, we strongly advise engaging an electrician registered with a competent person scheme (such as NICEIC or NAPIT) who can certify the work under BS 7671 and notify it to Building Control where Part P of the Building Regulations requires this. Installing a permanent electrical supply yourself, without the correct certification, can be both unsafe and a breach of building regulations in England and Wales.
Damage caused by incorrect, unqualified or unsafe installation — including a permanent installation carried out without a qualified electrician — is not covered by the manufacturer's warranty on that product, and is not something we can refund or replace under our Return & Refund Policy.
It is the installer's or customer's responsibility to comply with any relevant building regulations, planning restrictions or local by-laws that apply to fixed electrical work at their property. We supply compliant products; we cannot know or certify the specific circumstances of your property.
Items in our Electrical Supplies range — sockets, glands, junction boxes, plugs — are components intended for use by a competent person as part of a correctly designed circuit. They carry the same safety marking as our finished leads, but assembling them into a working installation requires the relevant electrical competence.
"Waterproof" gets used loosely across the internet, and we want to be precise instead. No electrical product — ours included — is waterproof in the sense of being safe underwater indefinitely. What our products actually offer is a specific, independently defined level of protection, and here is exactly what each rating on our listings means.
Splash-proof
Protected against light splashing water from any direction — rain spray or an accidental splash. Not protected against being immersed, hosed down directly, or left standing in water.
Weatherproof (IP44 / IP54 typical)
Built to cope with genuine outdoor weather — rain, wind-driven moisture and outdoor dust — when installed and used the way the listing describes. Not designed for submersion or for a connection left standing in a puddle.
IP66 (our top-rated products)
Fully dust-tight, and protected against powerful water jets from any direction — the sealed connector and socket enclosures on our IP66 products are built to stay safe outdoors in heavy rain. IP66 is not a rating for submersion; it does not mean the product can be left underwater.
Where an individual product listing states an IP rating, that figure comes from the independent testing standard EN 60529 and describes the sealed enclosure specifically — always check the individual product page for the exact rating that applies, since not every item across our four ranges carries the same rating. If a listing does not state an IP rating, treat that product as indoor-use only or splash-resistant at most, and check with us before using it outdoors.
Every rating on the label is a limit, not a suggestion.
Our Outdoor and Armoured Outdoor Extension Leads are built for the standard UK domestic mains supply of 230V, and are fitted with a correctly rated 13A BS 1363 plug and, where relevant, an RCD (residual current device) for additional protection against electric shock. The current rating printed on the product — typically 13A for a standard lead — is the maximum sustained load that lead is designed to carry.
Drawing more current than a lead is rated for, whether from a single high-draw appliance or several appliances daisy-chained together, causes the cable to overheat. This is one of the most common causes of extension lead fires and is entirely avoidable by checking the wattage of what you're plugging in against the lead's rating before you switch it on.
Our outdoor leads are designed for typical UK outdoor conditions. Extreme heat, frost or prolonged direct exposure to freezing conditions can affect the cable jacket and connector seals over time — check the individual product page for the specific temperature range stated for that item.
An IP-rated enclosure protects against rain and splashing as described in Section 04. It does not protect a connector left standing in a puddle or submerged after flooding — disconnect and dry any connector that has been submerged before reuse.
An extension lead left coiled or reeled while carrying a heavy load builds up heat faster than one run out flat. Always run the full length of the lead out before connecting a high-draw appliance such as a heater or power tool.
Comfort products carry their own safety rules.
Sofas carry a different set of risks from electrical products — chiefly fire safety, safe self-assembly, and reasonable weight and use limits.
Every sofa we supply carries the permanent fire-safety label required under the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, as amended, confirming the fillings and covers meet UK fire-resistance requirements. Removing this label does not void your statutory rights, but we ask you to keep it attached, as it is your proof of compliance and is required by law to remain on the product.
Where a sofa arrives flat-packed or with legs to attach, follow the assembly instructions supplied in the box in full, including any recommendation to assemble with two people. Incorrectly attached legs, fixings or bases are a common cause of instability and are not a fault in the product itself.
Our sofas are built for everyday domestic seating and reasonable family use, not as a step, ladder, trampoline or storage platform for heavy items. Using a sofa outside reasonable domestic use is a form of misuse under Section 02 above.
Follow the care label or care instructions supplied with your specific sofa for cleaning products and methods. Using the wrong cleaning product on a fabric, velvet or chenille cover can cause staining or damage that is not covered as a fault.
BG outdoor IP66 sockets, SWA armoured cable glands, IP66 junction boxes, 13A plugs and cable glands are supplied as individual components for use by a competent person — a qualified electrician, or a confident, experienced DIYer working strictly within their own competence and the relevant wiring regulations.
The IP rating only holds when fitted correctly
An IP66 junction box or gland only delivers IP66 protection once installed correctly, with the right cable size, correct gland tightness and a properly sealed enclosure. An incorrectly fitted component can leave gaps that let water in, regardless of its rating on the box.
Match the component to the circuit
Plugs, sockets and glands must be matched to the correct current rating, cable size and circuit protection for the installation. If you are not confident specifying this yourself, engage a qualified electrician rather than guessing.
We supply certified parts, not finished installations
We are responsible for supplying components that meet the relevant UK safety standards described in Section 09. We are not responsible for how a component is combined with other parts, or the competence of the person fitting it, once it has left us.
Products that are safe on day one stay safe because they're checked, not because they're forgotten about in a shed. A short visual check before each use of an electrical product takes under a minute.
Check the cable, plug and connectors for cracks, cuts, scorch marks or exposed wire before connecting an extension lead or component.
Discoloured or warm plugs and sockets, a burning smell, a cracked casing, or a lead that trips an RCD repeatedly are all reasons to stop using the item and unplug it immediately.
Any electrical product with damaged insulation, a cracked enclosure or exposed conductors should be replaced, not repaired with tape — this compromises the safety rating the product was sold with.
Check fixings, legs and any castors periodically for looseness, and address a loose frame or fixing before continued use to avoid instability.
Storage conditions
Store extension leads and electrical components loosely coiled, indoors or in a dry enclosure, away from direct sunlight, frost and damp where possible, even where the product itself is weatherproof or IP66-rated for use. UV exposure and prolonged damp storage shorten the working life of cable jackets and seals over time.
Sofa storage & handling
Store or move sofas in a dry environment, and avoid dragging a sofa across flooring, which can stress frames and fixings. If a sofa has been in long-term storage, check fixings and legs before returning it to use.
These are the specific frameworks we design, source and sell against, across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Where a rule is different in one part of the UK, that difference is noted below.
The core UK law implementing electrical product safety. Our extension leads and electrical supplies are marked with UKCA and/or CE marking as applicable, confirming they meet the essential safety requirements before being placed on the UK market.
Requires UK plugs supplied with electrical goods to be correctly moulded or fitted BS 1363 13A plugs, fitted with a fuse of the correct rating. Every plug we fit to a lead meets this standard.
BS 7671 is the UK national standard for the safety of electrical installations, and applies in full to any permanent installation as described in Section 03. The cable we use in our leads is BASEC-approved, meaning it has been independently tested against British and harmonised European cable standards.
Places a legal duty on us as a seller to place only safe products on the market, and applies to every product category we sell — electrical or otherwise.
Sets fire-resistance requirements for the fillings and covers of upholstered furniture, including our sofa range, and requires the permanent fire-safety label described in Section 06.
Certain fixed electrical work in dwellings in England and Wales must be carried out or certified by a person registered with a competent person scheme, or notified to Building Control. This applies to permanent installations described in Section 03; it does not apply to simple plug-in use of an extension lead.
Fixed electrical installation work in Scotland is separately regulated under the Building (Scotland) Regulations and associated Scottish Building Standards, and should be certified by a competent electrician registered with the relevant Scottish scheme rather than assumed to follow the Part P route used in England and Wales.
Fixed electrical work in Northern Ireland falls under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 and is administered separately from England, Wales and Scotland; use an electrician registered with a Northern Ireland-recognised competent person scheme for any permanent installation.
Electrical products reaching end of life across all UK nations should be recycled through a local council WEEE collection point or a retailer take-back scheme, not general household waste.
Relevant where our Electrical Supplies are purchased for trade or workplace use — employers and self-employed tradespeople have separate duties under this Act to ensure equipment used at work is safe, in addition to the consumer protections described elsewhere on this page.
We would rather state this plainly than bury it in small print. Here is exactly what we do and do not accept liability for, and where the law does not allow us to limit our liability at all.
| Situation | Position |
|---|---|
| Death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or by a product that was defective under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 | We do not, and cannot lawfully, limit or exclude our liability. This is unlimited, as required by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. |
| Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation | We do not, and cannot lawfully, limit or exclude our liability. |
| A faulty, not-as-described, or unsafe product, claimed under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 | Your statutory remedies (repair, replacement, refund or price reduction, as applicable) apply in full — see Section 12. |
| Damage or loss arising from misuse, incorrect installation, or use outside the manufacturer's instructions, where the product itself was not faulty | Our liability is limited to the purchase price paid for the product. |
| Indirect or consequential losses — for example, loss of income, loss of use, or damage to unrelated property arising indirectly from a product issue, where not covered by the mandatory protections above | We are not liable for indirect, incidental or consequential losses of this kind. |
In short: where the law says our liability cannot be limited — death, personal injury, and defective or unsafe products under consumer protection law — it is not limited by anything on this page. Outside those protected areas, our liability for a specific product is capped at what you paid for it, and we do not accept liability for indirect or consequential losses.
Before you buy
Check the product's stated IP rating, current rating and intended use against your own project before ordering.
Before you plug in
Run the lead out fully, check for damage, and confirm the total load of connected appliances is within the lead's rating.
Before you install permanently
Engage a qualified, registered electrician and confirm the correct notification or certification for your nation and property.
Ongoing
Inspect regularly, store correctly between uses, and stop using and replace anything showing signs of damage.
Everything above is guidance and a clear statement of where responsibility sits for correct use — it works alongside your legal rights, and never instead of them.
Consumer Rights Act 2015
Goods you buy from us must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. If a product is faulty, not fit for purpose, or not as described — including because it was defective when it left us — you have a short-term right to reject faulty goods for a full refund within 30 days of delivery, and repair, replacement or a partial refund thereafter. This applies fully to every product we sell, regardless of anything on this page.
Consumer Protection Act 1987
Where a product causes injury or damage because it was defective, this Act gives you a route to claim against the producer or supplier that exists independently of any contract terms, and that we cannot exclude or limit.
General Product Safety Regulations
We are under a continuing legal duty to only place safe products on the market. If we become aware that a product we have sold presents a safety risk, we will take appropriate action, which may include contacting affected customers directly.
How this page interacts with our other policies
This page works alongside our Return & Refund Policy, Shipping Policy and Terms of Service. Where those policies go further than the legal minimum, that is an enhancement of your rights, never a reduction of them, and nothing on this page reduces what those policies or the law already give you.
Tell us straight away if something doesn't seem right.
If a product you've bought from us shows any sign of a fault, damage, or a safety issue — including something not specifically listed on this page — stop using it and contact us immediately at info@outdoorextensionleads.co.uk or +44 7427 230720. Please describe what happened and, where possible, include a photo — this helps us look into it quickly and, where needed, take wider action to protect other customers.
We treat every safety report seriously and aim to respond within one business day.
- Trading as
- OUTDOOR EXTENSION LEADS
- Registered as
- INDOOR & OUTDOOR FURNISHINGS LTD
- Company No.
- 16845629 (England & Wales)
- Registered office
- 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, England, EC2A 4NE, United Kingdom
This page should be read alongside our other legal terms:
Terms of Service
Legal Notice
Privacy Policy
Return & Refund Policy
Shipping Policy
About Us
Questions about using a product safely? We answer within one business day.
Support hours (Greenwich Mean Time, London):
- Monday – Friday09:00 – 17:00
- Saturday10:00 – 16:00
- SundayClosed
Last updated / effective: 3 September 2026.