Building Control to inspect?

[brian.tabernor]

There has been much talk on this and other forums about the fact that the charge levied by LBC should include any cost necessary to inspect the installation following completion.

Like many areas my LBC insist that the householder conract an electrician if the work is completed by someone who is not registered on a part p scheme.

I have e-mailed them with regard to the statement by odpm and attached their reply below;

.............With regard to our policy of asking for a BS 7671 commissioning certificate from a qualified electrician where work has been installed by a non qualified electrician i can confirm that we are following national guidance from LABC. As you are aware all installations must have a BS 7671 certificate and if a non qualified person cannot not issue this then a qualified electrcian must do so. As a Building Control section if we recieve an application for electrical work or if electrical work is part of an extension or alterations then we will carry out inspections and we have a check sheet we can use but we will still require a commissining certificate from a qualified electrician. By qualified we mean to City and Guilds level for design, installation and testing.
I am fully aware of the ODPM letter you enclose. However it is for the Local Authority to decied how best to determine that Building Regulations are complied with not the ODPM. Thet frequently tell us this for other requirements. They make the regulations and then sometimes give guidance on how to apply them. In adopting the route we have, we are adopting guidance from our national Local Authority body which we have considered to be the best way of dealing with Part P.
I trust this assists you and clarifys our position

With regards

Paul Beckley
Building Control Manager

I have e-mailed again asking for further clarification and noting the confusion that the contrast between the odpm and LBC is causing and await their reply.

This and other forums suggest, along with ignoring notification, that householders argue the case with their LBC but has anyone succesfully done this because otherwise this advise could cause difficulty for others and I think we should be certain before that advise is given.

Brian

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes - we do need someone, somewhere, to push this all the way...

I will highlight a couple of points from their reply:


As you are aware all installations must have a BS 7671 certificate

That is not true - they need to be asked to quote where in actual legislation this is laid down, i.e. not in some extra-legal guidelines.

and if a non qualified person cannot not issue this then a qualified electrcian must do so.

Unless he's been careless in his wording, this indicates the possibility that a non-qualified person can issue a certificate..

I am fully aware of the ODPM letter you enclose. However it is for the Local Authority to decied how best to determine that Building Regulations are complied with not the ODPM. Thet frequently tell us this for other requirements. They make the regulations and then sometimes give guidance on how to apply them.


Neither the letter of the law, nor the spirit of it says that they should proceed like this. By making people pay not only their fee but also the cost of a 3rd party inspection, they are making a mockery of the provision in the law for work to be done by non-registered people.

Basically they are behaving like bullies. Particularly in situations where their involvement is needed in other areas, i.e. wider building works, they are using their power, and their legal/financial resources to force people into submission.

And just like with playground bullies, if teacher (ODPM) won't force them to stop, the best way to deal with them is to stand up and refuse to be a victim.

And just like with playground bullies, that advice is easy to give if you're not the one who is going to get a kicking....

 

[diybristol]

Hi Ban-all-sheds

I have used your excellent info to get my BC to agree to allow myself and friend (ex-electrician) to do the work on extension.

Anyhow we have done all the first fix now, when I phoned them and they have said they want to send out a contractor to check our work (cabling etc), I have gone by the guidelines of running cable up and down and only in the correct zones etc.

But was wondering is there anything else they will want to see as I have plasterer booked for 7 days and cannot afford any set backs at this stage.

I used P clips on the cable throughout, I hope this is ok and they won't expect trunking ?

I would really appreciate your input here, so I can get it all ready for when they inspect in the next 3 days or so.

Thanks