Hi Scotspark,
Thanks for the reply - saved me getting the floorboards up before the electrician comes round

> is the consumer unit and meter not at the same location????????????
No - they are at almost opposite ends of the house. Its an old house with a more modern (1950's) extension on the back. The older bit was, for obvious reasons, not designed with electrics in mind - solid walls, solid floors, no cavities in ceilings - so I guess it made access a lot easier to put the CU in the modern bit so cables can run in the ceilings easier.