In the UK, calling out an emergency plumber or electrician is expensive. However, you may be able to safely make a minor repair or at least take action to prevent a small problem developing into a disaster. It is not feasible to cover all the possibilities here but these notes may help to make you more confident.
Water
The most likely problems are: A tap which drips continuously or a toilet cistern with an overflow which is discharging outside the building. As both of these require tools for repair and are annoying rather than dangerous, you should ask the Client’s Representative to arrange for a plumber to come during normal hours. If, however, a more serious situation arises, make sure that you can tell the emergency plumber where the stop cock (the valve that turns off the water entering the building) is located. The most likely place is in the kitchen, under the sink. The valve will probably be seized and will need a spanner or some suitable tool to turn it.
Electricity
Whenever you go to a new Client, it is a good idea to find out where the fuse box (“consumer unit”) is located, because the main switch will enable you to turn off all the power to the house in an emergency. Also, if an electrical appliance is faulty, it may cause the fuse for the circuit to “blow” (or the miniature circuit breaker, “MCB” to trip) which will help you identify the faulty item. Electricity can be dangerous. Do not attempt a repair, however simple, unless you know what you are doing and can do it safely.
Plugs: All UK plugs have three rectangular pins, the largest being the earth connection, and a coloured replaceable fuse suitably sized to protect the cable of the appliance (brown for 13 amp, grey for 5 amp, red for 3 amp).
Appliances: If an appliance stops working, a new fuse of the same value can be fitted and the appliance switched on again. If the appliance still does not work, even though the circuit fuse is in order (or MCB for the circuit is “On”) and other items on the same circuit operate, the appliance is probably faulty and potentially dangerous.
Light bulbs: If a light bulb “blows”, it can safely be replaced with one of similar type and brightness provided the electricity to the light or lamp has been turned off. Ensure that you can reach the bulb safely by using a pair of steps or something similar.
Be aware that there are two type of end cap used in UK, bayonet and screw, see diagrams, and you should check which sort of fitting it is before trying to remove the bulb. A bulb with a bayonet cap needs to be pushed in slightly and rotated anticlockwise about an eighth of a turn before withdrawal. A screw type simply has to be unscrewed.
Fluorescent tubes: These flicker when either the tube or the starter is faulty. Although replacing either of these items is straightforward, it may be better to ask the Client’s Representative to arrange for the repair.
Recycling
There is increasing pressure in the UK to reduce the amount of domestic waste which is sent to landfill by recycling as much as possible. However, the arrangements for recycling are not consistent over the whole country, so you need to find out how newspapers, tins, glass, plastics, food waste, etc. are recycled in your particular area.