I have just paid for an electrical survey to be carried out on my house which i have rented for past 11 months. It failed badly!! One of the issues was a shower fitted 5 months ago which is unearthed and not bonded at all. Is this not illegal for a plumber to do this? How dangerous is it?
how dangerous??
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Electrical element of install should have been fitted by qualified member of certifying body.
Next year regs are likely to change to allow for not supplementary bonding such an appliance so long as all appliances in the bathroom/shower room are rcd protected. So you could get that done and be ahead of the game. The shower may be now bonded from the double pole switch to any other electrical appliance so avoiding retiling issues. Any incoming metal pipework should also be bonded to it, but sometimes it is possible to do this retrospectively in an adjacent airing cupboard. A competent person needs to be called in to assess the situation on the ground. You might not tell us something important and we then don't tell you something important about it.
Next year regs are likely to change to allow for not supplementary bonding such an appliance so long as all appliances in the bathroom/shower room are rcd protected. So you could get that done and be ahead of the game. The shower may be now bonded from the double pole switch to any other electrical appliance so avoiding retiling issues. Any incoming metal pipework should also be bonded to it, but sometimes it is possible to do this retrospectively in an adjacent airing cupboard. A competent person needs to be called in to assess the situation on the ground. You might not tell us something important and we then don't tell you something important about it.
A plumber fitted a new shower as the old one broke. Is this normal. All i know from the survey is the shower is not earthed and nor bonded when it should be.
As you have gone to the lengths of having a PIR undertaken which is to be applauded (I assume you are the Landlord, if you are the tennant then the Lanlord should be paying for both the survey and the remedial actions)
why not ask the electrician who conducted the survey to provide a quote to put right the defects ?
The PIR itself cannot be used to recommend the actions required to resolve the defects. The Electrician can and I'm sure would be pleased to offer advice. If the shower is not earthed (i assume there is no CPC (commonly called earth wire, sleeved in green and yellow connected)) then he should have advised you of a "code 1" finding, to isolate the shower and not use, and to "get sorted" urgently.
EDIT: answer to original question "How dangerous": Lethal.
why not ask the electrician who conducted the survey to provide a quote to put right the defects ?
The PIR itself cannot be used to recommend the actions required to resolve the defects. The Electrician can and I'm sure would be pleased to offer advice. If the shower is not earthed (i assume there is no CPC (commonly called earth wire, sleeved in green and yellow connected)) then he should have advised you of a "code 1" finding, to isolate the shower and not use, and to "get sorted" urgently.
EDIT: answer to original question "How dangerous": Lethal.
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I am the tenant and yes i paid the £220 for the survey as landlord was hoping we might buy this house. There is a list as long as my arm of faults including the shower fitted only 5 months ago. Plug sockets not earthed only held in by paint, light fitting not earthed and some with metal light fittings on. A fuse box which is for a commercial use and so apparently doesn't trip as quickly as a domestic? (i am no expert) Entire conservatory plugs lights and wall heater plus washing machine running off one switch? The list is endless.
Landlord now wants to sort the work out estimated at £4500+ with decorating etc as well. She also wanted to COLLECT the survey from us to have a read. I have refused as i paid for it and initiated it. Now i am stuck with catch 22 situation. I live here with 2 kids, husband and 2 cats! This work will be chaos! Feel i should have compensation for living in an unsafe house for past 11 months?
Landlord now wants to sort the work out estimated at £4500+ with decorating etc as well. She also wanted to COLLECT the survey from us to have a read. I have refused as i paid for it and initiated it. Now i am stuck with catch 22 situation. I live here with 2 kids, husband and 2 cats! This work will be chaos! Feel i should have compensation for living in an unsafe house for past 11 months?
If you feel you are living in a dangerous house then why are you continuing to live there? I would think your chances of getting compensation are zero & if you complain to the envoironmental health dept of your local council they will probably condem the house as unfit for human habitation, which will entail you finding somewhere else to live. It would appear you have information that your landlord does not & if you want the house bringing up to an acceptable standard I would have thought the best way would be to give him a copy & ask him to rectify the faults urgently. I think you are between a rock & a hard place as there will be no easy solution to the problems.
Sounds like it needs a complete rewire, the price does not sound outlandish. Are you still thinking of buying it? If you did, it would be handy to have it redecorated to your own taste following the rewiring (chases in walls etc).
If you have to live in it while the work goes on, it will be disruptive and there will be quite a bit of grit and dust. Your furniture and carpets will need to be moved. This kind of job it much easier and quicker in an empty house. You would be well advised to put your clothes and possessions (especially TV, Video, DVD, computer) in sealed boxes as they can be ruined by the fine dust, which easily penetrates cabinets and wardrobes.
If you have to live in it while the work goes on, it will be disruptive and there will be quite a bit of grit and dust. Your furniture and carpets will need to be moved. This kind of job it much easier and quicker in an empty house. You would be well advised to put your clothes and possessions (especially TV, Video, DVD, computer) in sealed boxes as they can be ruined by the fine dust, which easily penetrates cabinets and wardrobes.
Thanks for your replies. The solution is to hang on as long as we can and then move on. Yes it is a complete rewire and with 2 kids 2 cats and jobs to sustain we would struggle. I cant just up and leave now. We haven't anywhere to go so we are negotiating a date for the rewire to be done and deciding if we buy or go. Just feel gutted by it. And yes landlady can see the report but not collect it as she suggested! She can pay for it if she wants it!
If the shower was installed only 5 months ago then it should be all up to spec,it should have been installed by a registered installer and you or the landlord should have received relevant NIC test sheets for such work,if you ordered the work to be done by a plumber then it up to you to get him to provide the relevant documentation an ensure its all above board,the same applies if your landlord ordered the work to be done.
It is in your own interest that the installation is in a SAFE order.
Under part P of the building regulations it is an offence for DIY bob to lash up a cheap job in your bathroom.
All sparks call part P but in the end its there for YOUR PROTECTION as a consumer.
PLEASE,GET IT SORTED For your own safety !
Chris
It is in your own interest that the installation is in a SAFE order.
Under part P of the building regulations it is an offence for DIY bob to lash up a cheap job in your bathroom.
All sparks call part P but in the end its there for YOUR PROTECTION as a consumer.
PLEASE,GET IT SORTED For your own safety !
Chris
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Hi there
As a number of people have said, having no earth is a very serious situation - basically if there is a fault on any item of equipment which you then touch, including the shower, the current will find it's way to earth through you - at best you'll get a nasty shock and at worst you could die.
Your landlady has a duty of care in the eyes of the law to ensure that the property she is renting is safe - she clearly has not done this and I'm sure there would be some redress. It might be worth taking some advice - CAB, maybe?
If hardly any circuits are earthed, I wonder if you have a problem with no earth to the property - which is a bit easier to rectify in the short term. I would have another chat with the electrician that did your survey to see what he thinks
In the meantime, please be aware of the potential danger that you are putting yourself and your children in. Show your landlady the report - £220 is a small price to pay for safety!
SB
As a number of people have said, having no earth is a very serious situation - basically if there is a fault on any item of equipment which you then touch, including the shower, the current will find it's way to earth through you - at best you'll get a nasty shock and at worst you could die.
Your landlady has a duty of care in the eyes of the law to ensure that the property she is renting is safe - she clearly has not done this and I'm sure there would be some redress. It might be worth taking some advice - CAB, maybe?
If hardly any circuits are earthed, I wonder if you have a problem with no earth to the property - which is a bit easier to rectify in the short term. I would have another chat with the electrician that did your survey to see what he thinks
In the meantime, please be aware of the potential danger that you are putting yourself and your children in. Show your landlady the report - £220 is a small price to pay for safety!
SB
I read that the landlord is happy to get the work done but the tennant doesn't want to pay for it.
Why did you rent a property without seeing the safety certs?
It seems odd you are complaining about the owner wanting to sort out a dangerous system!
Why did you rent a property without seeing the safety certs?
It seems odd you are complaining about the owner wanting to sort out a dangerous system!
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