Power Cut and Outage Record

Who this is for

A dated line for every time the power went off. Each entry records when it went, when it came back, what the supplier said the cause was and the reference they gave you, so a run of cuts is a list rather than an argument about how often it happens.

Households on a supply that drops out more than they would like, anyone gathering evidence for a supplier or ombudsman complaint, and people whose freezer, medical equipment or work depends on the electricity staying on.

What this helps you track

• When the power went off and when it came back, in your own words
• The cause the supplier or network operator gave, and the reference they quoted
• Which streets or which part of the house were affected
• Whether the cut was reported, and to whom
• What in the house depends on power, and what you do instead

How to use it

1. Write the address, the supplier and the number you ring at the top, along with any account or meter reference you would be asked for.
2. Each time the power goes, write the date and the time it went off; add the time it came back when it does, and the hours in between as you count them.
3. Ask the supplier or network operator for the cause and the reference number, and write both down while you are on the call.
4. Tick the reported column so it is clear which cuts they already know about.
5. Fill in the second table once — the things that depend on power and what you fall back on, in your own words — and leave it filled in.
6. Keep the sheet with the household papers; on screen, the browser version saves in your own browser and prints or downloads as a completed PDF.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why write down a power cut at all?

Because the fifth one is only obviously the fifth if the first four were written down. A dated list with reference numbers is what a supplier, a landlord or an ombudsman can work from; a memory of 'it keeps happening' is not.

Where do I find the cause and the reference?

From whoever you report the cut to — your supplier or the network operator for your area. They usually quote a reference on the call or in a text. Write it in the reference column while you have it.

Does the sheet tell me what to do in a power cut?

No. It is a record, not advice. What you do about heating, medical equipment or a freezer is for you and the people who supply them; the second table is where you write your own arrangements down.

Can I claim for food that spoiled?

Whether anything is payable depends on your supplier, your insurer and the rules where you are. What this sheet does is give you the dates, the duration and the reference numbers that any such conversation starts with.

Is there a version for a business?

Use it as it stands and write the premises in the address field. The daily occurrence log suits a site that records a wider range of events.