dodgy electrics!!

[timbo04]

Hi Everyone

I am looking for some advice/comments on the best way forward -

We bought a new build flat in Scotland and moved in about 3 months ago. We have had endless snagging problems and the company (which is quite big) have been pretty useless in fixing them. Most worryingly, I uncovered a couple of problems with the electrics (when wallpapering I unscrewed a socket and one of the wires on the ring popped out - I also changed a light fitting to find that the outer sheath had been cut with side cutters and damaged the live and neutral wires, exposing the copper on both). I reported this to aftercare so it was on record. After speaking to neighbours and the site workers, I was told that they had fired the previous contractors as the work had been shoddy. On Friday I came home, switched on the wet electric central heating and sat down to read the paper. An hour later smoke started coming from the cupboard were the consumer unit is located. I turned the power of and found the cu to be melting above the heating mcb (50amp). We have been staying in a hotel since then, and the company sent out an "independent" electrician (he works for the housebuilder at a different site) and he said that two of the cables had not been tightened into the mcb for the heating. I would not let him do anything other than look as I really want to get an independent report as we may have to take legal action against the builder. I am amazed that given they new that they had a dodgy electrician they did not recheck is work, esp after I had complained about the installation.

Could you advise me on the best way forward as I really want to build a water tight case against the builder. Should I go to building control and get a copy of the test certificate?

Any comments would be gratefully received. My gf is pretty unhappy as things could have been a lot worse, esp if we had been sleeping at the time.

 

[pcboffinuk]

Hi Timbo,

Sounds like your best bet might be to get a PIR (Periodic Inspection Report) from a local contractor, preferably one with plenty of experience and qualified engineers so that their report will carry weight should you need to claim.

That should detect any serious defects which you can then go to the builders about.

Not sure if the situation with building control is different in Scotland (I know they don't have Part P) but in England at least Building Control wouldn't necessarily have a copy of the test certificate - it should have been provided with the other house paperwork & warranties. (The original contractors should have provided it to the builders who should then pass it on to you).

From the sounds of it, even if a certificate exists I'm not sure I'd place much faith in it. The lack of it would be a good point in your favour if you need to prove incompetence.

It sounds like arcing caused the overheating/smoke in the CU, but 50A sounds a fairly high rating anyway - any idea what size cable is fitted into that MCB? What is the overall rating for the main MCB switch?

I've found from experience that new build houses often do not have the best quality electrics, especially when there is a whole estate going up quickly. Without making a wild generalisation, I imagine speed is more important than quality for the companies involved, especially if they are on a fixed price contract.

It's quite possible that the actual wiring was done by trainees, with a few more experienced sparks overseeing things - its not that surprising to find a ring cable popping out in those situations.

None of that means that the installation is inherently unsafe though, so it may be that a PIR will give you peace of mind (or the ammunition to follow things up),

I'm sure others will have things to add,

Gavin

 

[ebee]

If you lived in England or Wales I`d suggest having a word with local enviromental health in the first instance and scondly a solicitor.

 

[jj4091]

I think you really need to get an independant expert of your own to inspect & test the electrics in minute detail & go over it with a fine tooth comb. On the plus side you have found 2 easily rectified, though potentially lethal faults, which may well not have shown up during testing if indeed any was done, the nicked insulation for instance would probably only be discovered by close physical examination. Depending on his report I would have thought it was a job for your solicitor & it may be worth calling him for advice before anyone else.

 

[timbo04]

thanks for all the replys. I got the consumer unit checked over by an independent reputable firm who specialise in testing. They were really nice and very professional - they were amazed at the poor/dangerous standard of work and said it was a fire waiting to happen - three of the circuits had not been tightened and they have managed to nick the incoming neutral supply (it has a thick live core (tail) with a number of individual thinner neautral cables around it. When the live heating cable melted it was also touching neutral cables within the cu which did not help. I am waiting on the report and my solicitor is going to take up the case.

Just out of interest, the heating circuit draws 9.5kw and has 10mm cable - the mcb was a 50amp - is this right?

thanks again for the advice.

 

[securespark]

9500W @ 230V = 41.3A so that's OK.

10mm² cable should be OK provided it's not going round the Wrekin.

 

[kkynaston]

can you see the wrekin from there secure?

edit: sorry just noticed the OP date

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Oh well - as long as it's already been kicked back into life, I'll give in to my curiosity.

Timbo - what happened in the end?

 

[elektritek]

If the flat is three months old then it would come under the new style building warrant, in order for the electrics to be signed off a "approved certifier of construction" needs to test the installation, THEY ARE HELD TO ACCOUNT. Contact the Scottish Building Standards Agency and complain about the builders and the electrics within, they will point you in the right direction.

www.sbsa.gov.uk

I too have just noticed the post date