Certificate

[Nobby.]

I have sold my house and the buyers have had a survey done.
They have asked for the electrical installation to be checked.
I have been told that to pass an electrical test and get a certificate the downstairs ring mains have to be on RCD breakers even if they don't supply anything outside the house. I'm wondering if anyone with testing experience can shed some light on the situation.
Paul

 

[breezer]

when was it last rewired?

i dont know when, but all sockets downstairs should be protected by an rcd, but if your house was rewired say 15 years ago it doesnt need to be

 

[Nobby.]

The house was rewired about 12 years ago. The only socket which is used for cleaning car etc is one in the hallway, If I do need RCD protection could I not just swop this socket for one with rcd protection.

 

[sparkybird]

Yes, you could do this.

But surely the property is 'bought as seen' so unless there is anything really dangerous with the electrics, I don't see why you should have to sort it out...

 

[breezer]

i am 90% sure that 12 years ago rcd protection of gnd floor sockets was not required, if i am right (wait for confirmation) you could point this out to the new buyer

you could also point out that any house not rewired in say the last 5* years will also not have rcd protection because it was not required

* you need to wait for time confirmation

 

[Maxxy]

Have you actually sold it, or just had someone offer you the money? Until contracts are signed, they can still pull out. If theyve paid a deposit already, they will lose that if they pull out. The surveys and searches are done before they sign contracts saying they will buy the house. But if youve sold it (cash is in your hands) then A) why are you still living there? and B) its their problem now, not yours

 

[Adam_151]

12 years ago would be '94 , AFAIK the requirement for RCD on sockets reasonably expected to supply equip. outside came in with the 16th in '92

Also, just because something was done before a later edition of the regulations was published doesn't mean it can no longer be a defect (otherwise we would have to allow open knife switches from the 1st ed...)
[as (and I might be mis-understanding) breezer was trying to imply]

but chances are that it would be as safe now as when it was installed and a bit of perspective has to be taken before freaking out about it and scribbing ones all over the place

 

[plugwash]

the regs say "sockets that can reasonablly be expected to supply equipment outside the equipotential zone", how that is interpreted is up to your electrican but on a domestic its often interpreted as all downstairs sockets.

for the cost of a four module box, a couple of 40A RCDs and a bit of 6mm cable to connect them to the MCBs in the CU (i'm assuming your downstairs sockets are on two circuits) its probablly not worth fighting over.

 

[Nobby.]

Thanks a lot guys for all the replys. I am going to fit an rcd double socket for outside use. I will then have the house tested and take it from there if anything else is required.
Paul

 

[dingbat]

Nobby, forget about it. The lack of RCD protection on the existing installation is simply a departure from current regulations. It does not mean that the installation poses any immediate danger. There is no retrospective enforcement (otherwide every installation in the land would have to be rewired in the new harmonised colours!)

However, as soon as you modify the installation the circuits affected and the equipotential bonding and possibly the main fuse and means of earthing are all required to be up to the latest regs. And who is going to issue the certificate for the work you propose?

Save yourself some time and effort and money and get quotes for a Periodic Inspection Report before you inadvertently make the installation worse!

 

[Nobby.]

cheers Dingbat will do that.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I wouldn't even do that. If the house has been "sold" and the buyers have had a survey done, let them have a PIR done as well.

 

[gazmark1]

The sparky I use for Periodic inspections charges £125 for the test. He has told me that if a certificate states the test was unsatifactory it does not mean the electrics are unsafe, only that they do not meet current regs. I dont think you can get away with changing one socket for external use because there will always be a possibility for someone to plug an extention lead into any other socket on the ring. I think the buyers of your property are asking for a certificate because that is something that is being looked at (if i'm right), to come into effect at a later date. It sounds more like they are looking for angles to cut you down on the selling price.

 

[Nobby.]

Its all come about after the purchaser requested a survey. The survey has noted that the electrical installation should be checked by a qualified electrician who is a member of the NIC EIC.
Reading the above i'm unsure whether this means it needs certificating or just checking to make sure the house is safe to live in.
I have a spark coming round on Saturday and he is going to check each circuit and issue a certificate if everything is ok.
He's a friend of the guy I work with and is doing the work for £120.

 

[il78]

Its a standard thing, but usually the proposed buyer will get the periodic inspection carried out. This periodic inspection will record any departures from current regulations and will code them accordingly (1-4) depending on there severity. (1) Requires urgent attention (2) Requires improvement (3) Requires further investigation (4) Complies to previous regulations.

The surveyors that I know when looking at a property pick up on certain items, no RCD, no MCBs, no equipotential/supplementary bonding etc if these are not in place will instruct on there report that a qualified tester checks the installation (usually asking for NICEIC approved)

But getting back to it....any socket outlets that can reasonably be expected to power equipment outdoors should be protected by a 30mA RCD / RCBO and would be noted on a periodic inspection report....