in thinking that tablelamp fittings used in ceiling lights are dangerous?

[Vallhala]

DD2 and I were moving her mattress in our new rented house this evening when it hit the lampshade, causing the shade and lightbulb to fall to the floor. When I went to repair it I discovered that the light fitting isn't a ceiling light one but a tablelamp fitting, complete with switch to turn it on and off. It appears that several of the other ceiling lights have the same fittings too.

To be fair, I'm pretty sure that my landlord knows nothing of this - his DD and her DC lived here before we moved in. However, these lights aren't earthed and the bulb and shade are only held on by the strength of the 2 wires hanging from the ceiling. I've left a message on the LL's voicemail and no doubt will hear from him asap, but meantime I'm very worried. AIBU to think that this set-up is bloody dangerous or am I panicking over nothing?

Shouldn't think it makes a blind bit of difference, as long as its rated at 240v and has a bulb under the max wattage in. It used to be common practice years ago.

My DH is an electrician and he says the lamp holders aren't a problem in themselves, but it sounds like the wiring itself might need to be redone.

Do they look quite old, as in done in the 1950's? What do the two wires look like? If they're brown and blue wires with a white plastic sleeve, they're 'modern', if they're light brown/dark brown to black and fabric coated/twisted pair, then they're old!

The dangly 'pendent' bit of the light fitting isn't usually earthed, the earthing is in the ceiling rose...so he tells me

The lampshade is one for a ceiling light, it's the fitting on the end of the wires hanging from the ceiling that's designed for a tablelamp rather than for a ceiling light.

Didn't know it used to be common practice in the past lincstash, thanks for that, it's comforting to hear. Now the bugger is to reconnect the thing in daylight. I tried earlier but it won't work at all now so have taped over the switch to ensure that we don't turn it on without thinking and will have another go at it in the morning.

Thanks Zigzag and Mr Zigzag! Two brown wires in a white plastic sleeve, just to be awkward! Was concerned about wiring them the wrong way, tbh, if thats possible

And yep, it's a c1950's house!

Lol at the two brown wires. Apparently your LL should have a test certificate for the all leccy wiring saying it's safe to use. You might find this webpage useful if your LL hasn't got the certificate and you have to take it further

Thank you ever so much, I'm really grateful Zigzag. My LL is a nice guy luckily but this is his first attempt at renting so that will help both of us.

Just a week or two ago, when I was swapping lights to low energy fluourescents (bought 25 for 2.50 in Lidl recently) I spotted that one of the light fittings here (on the landing) also had a switch in it.

The house is under 35 years old, my Mum moved in back in 1992, but I had not noticed before.

I suppose if the fittings were really old, it might have been more common from the days when there were very few power sockets around houses. I well remember an adaptor my Mum had which was an upside-down Y shape, allowing one "prong" to hold a light bulb, and the other was used to power her electric iron (must have been late 60s and into the 70s). I don't remember us having any switch in the hanging down light socket part, but perhaps there was one.

If it has a switch on it then yes it would be for a lamp fitting but generally even a proper ceiling fitting 'hangs' only from the two wires, though they are usually hooked over a couple of prongs on the bit that is fixed to the ceiling.