electrical regulations

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electrical regulations
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bernie-woman

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7824
Location: shropshire

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 11:23 am Post subject: electrical regulations
I have been told twice this week that some new electrical regulations came into force in Jan 2005 but the two people who have told me did not know enough to tell me what the implications of these regulations are Anyone got any ideas - ca

Leonie

Joined: 13 Sep 2005
Posts: 731
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 11:27 am Post subject:
That would be the Part P of Building Regulations, there's lots of info on the internet, your local electrician could advise you and your building regulations dept at local council could give you advice.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 11:31 am Post subject:
Yep. Part P it is. Without Part P you can do minor electrical work such as replacing switches, sockets, ceiling roses, etc, but anything more extensive must be certified by a Competent Person, i.e. a Part P-trained electrician. You can do what you like - but it has to be checked and certified.

Leonie

Joined: 13 Sep 2005
Posts: 731
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 11:33 am Post subject:
And some even minor works in certain designated areas .e.g bathrooms, kitchens and garden must be certified by a Part P registered electrician.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 11:39 am Post subject:
So if I was to do some minor electrical work in my home without it being verified by a competent person, how would the law be enforced? Secret spy cameras in all homes?

bernie-woman

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7824
Location: shropshire

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 11:40 am Post subject:

cab wrote:

So if I was to do some minor electrical work in my home without it being verified by a competent person, how would the law be enforced? Secret spy cameras in all homes?

I was just wondering that - also what if the electrics are all to cock from before the date the new regulations were brought in

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 11:41 am Post subject:

cab wrote:

So if I was to do some minor electrical work in my home without it being verified by a competent person, how would the law be enforced? Secret spy cameras in all homes?

It's bonkers I know, but the really scary bit is that it will probably be an excuse to invalidate your house insurance if anything every happened.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 11:42 am Post subject:

cab wrote:

So if I was to do some minor electrical work in my home without it being verified by a competent person, how would the law be enforced? Secret spy cameras in all homes?

No, but if your house were to burn down as a result of your dodgy wiring, and it could be proved it was done after Jan 05, your buildings insurance company wouldn't pay up.

You also might have trouble when you come to sell the house. Solicitors tend to want to see the certificates for new works these days.

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 11:52 am Post subject:

So if you're selling in the next couple of years just ay all work was completed before Jan 2005. If the buyer has a proper survey it should identify any howlers that will need doing any way. Most people seem to be able to live with these for several years.

When i bought my house the attic lights an ring main was wired with what appeared to be heavy duty cable for old electric ovens and the rest of the ring mains were run around the bottom of the skirting boards and under the carpet across doorways.

Judging by the newspaper on top of it it had been this way since 1975 ish. The light switch for the living room was out of the living room, 10 feet down the hall and around the corner next to the dinin room door.

Needless to say we had it all ripped out an properly fitted by a competent person, though because this was before Jan 2005 I can not prove this.

Northern_Lad

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 14210
Location: Somewhere

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 11:56 am Post subject:

Behemoth wrote:

Needless to say we had it all ripped out an properly fitted by a competent person, though because this was before Jan 2005 I can not prove this.

So you didn't do it yourself then?

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 12:00 pm Post subject:
Lordy No! Light bulbs, plugs, a new light fitting or socket on existing circuits is about my limit. Although having watched the electrician at work, most domestic stuff doesn''t seem to be rocket science, just a little bit of knowledge and confidence/competence.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 12:04 pm Post subject:

Behemoth wrote:

You could do that, but you would be lying in one of the documents that makes up the contract of sale - judges tend to take a dim view of that sort of thing if it ever ends up in the courts. It also might be difficult to explain how the wiring in your new extension was put in before the extension was built!

The new rules aren't a nanny state thing - they were driven by the insurance companies which have to pay out because of fires caused by faults due to incompetent wiring. That also puts up our insurance premiums.

If you are a competent electrician, you will get away with it. Put in a safe installation, no one will be any the wiser and you won't have Big Brother coming round to sort you out. But I am rather glad that some of the real cowboys out there are being required to get their skills up to scratch or driven out of the market.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 12:05 pm Post subject:
I also thought if someone can prove you've violated the new laws you can be fined. What I want to know is, if you have any work done by a competant persion with all the qualifications and you find something wrong I assume then you can fine them several �1,000 pounds?

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 12:07 pm Post subject:

Behemoth wrote:

Lordy No! Light bulbs, plugs, a new light fitting or socket on existing circuits is about my limit. Although having watched the electrician at work, most domestic stuff doesn''t seem to be rocket science, just a little bit of knowledge and confidence/competence.

Can I just point out that rocket science is extremely simple. It's rocket engineering which is complicated.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 12:08 pm Post subject:

Judith wrote:

If you are a competent electrician, you will get away with it. Put in a safe installation, no one will be any the wiser and you won't have Big Brother coming round to sort you out. But I am rather glad that some of the real cowboys out there are being required to get their skills up to scratch or driven out of the market.

Not quite, you need to be able to self-certify your work which will cost you even more money. I thought many electricians were not keen on the new laws. I would be more supportive if it wasn't just an excuse for some of the professional bodies to print money. The ones that don't want to know when you find a problem with work done by their members.

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