Part P for thermostat

[autolycus]

Hi,

Our central heating system previously had no room stat. It just relied on TRVs.

So, last weekend, I installed a wireless Honeywell room stat/programmer.

This involved running two lengths of twin core cable from the central heating junction box to the wireless receiver unit - one cable for the permanent live/neutral and one cable to provide the switching for the existing CH motorised valve.

It's only just occurred to me that this simple little job may have been notifiable on the grounds that I was adding a thermostat rather than replacing an existing one.

Should it have been notified?

If the answer is yes, then I guess I have a few choices:

1. Notify LABC and pay £120 or so for the privilege
2. Make a mental note to remove the thermostat as and when we come to sell the house and have to get a HIP put together (likely to be at least 10-20 years away)
3. Claim that the stat was installed prior to Part P coming in (probably tricky cos I doubt they have been making that model for long enough)
4. Argue that the wireless stat was a replacement of an existing wired room stat

Option 2 seems like the most common sense approach. What do you reckon?

Would it have made any difference if I had powered the stat from a normal 13amp socket rather than from the fixed wiring of the heating system?

On a related note, at the same time as doing the above work, I also replaced the existing C/H "junction box" (which was a couple of bits of terminal block floating around loose inside a double width surface mount box with a blanking faceplate) with a proper Honeywell junction box. Should I have notified that too? I think the answer is no, because that was just a replacement of an existing part.

Dave.

 

[Click-Sure]

Just had a look through some of my ELECSA documents and can't find anything, I've always issued a MWC (Minor Works Certificate) for this kind of stuff, only normally do a full cert for new systems or say conversion from c-plan to s-plan which seems to be all the rage these days with people having underfloor heating in their extensions.

 

[autolycus]

Just had a look through some of my ELECSA documents and can't find anything,

Is that a good sign or a bad one?

 

[Adam_151]

Technically, its notifiable as it involves the provision of new fixed wiring; Realistically, I'm not sure its worth worrying about, leave it how it is, and resort to option two if you need to

 

[Steve]

Does your heating system plug into a 3-pin plug? If so its not notif . . .

Just kidding

 

[autolycus]

Does your heating system plug into a 3-pin plug? If so its not notif . . .

Just kidding

No, but it could easily be arranged if i replaced the SFCU with a 13amp socket.

 

[autolycus]

Technically, its notifiable as it involves the provision of new fixed wiring; Realistically, I'm not sure its worth worrying about, leave it how it is, and resort to option two if you need to

Pretty much what I thought.

Whilst I support the spirit of Part P on the whole, I do think this is one of those instances where paying LABC £120 to inspect the install of a £90 thermostat is a bit OTT.

Maybe I will save it up and "officially" install the new stat as and when I have to get LABC round to inspect something more substantial like works in a kitchen.

Are there any instances yet of insurance companies refusing claims for fire etc because they have managed to find a minor DIY job that was not notified when it should have been?

 

[stargazer]

Make a mental note to remove the thermostat as and when we come to sell the house and have to get a HIP put together (likely to be at least 10-20 years away)

If I was buying your house 20 years from now I would be more inclined to rely on an up-to-date PIR than worry about whether or not you had the correct paperwork for wiring done 20 years ago.

 

[Adam_151]

Are there any instances yet of insurance companies refusing claims for fire etc because they have managed to find a minor DIY job that was not notified when it should have been?

Not that I'm aware of, and I'm not sure not being notified would be enough unless it was specifically written into the contract of insurance.

Generally (have a read of your contract to check) you'll be required to keep the house in a reasonable standard of up-keep and excercise due care etc, I reckon they'd have to prove on balance of probabilities that you'd been negligent in order to claim you'd broken that part of the agreement... things like bypassing fuses, ignoring major faults that have been brought to your attention, etc.

You might want to get a PIR done upon moving in, every 10 years thereafter, and if damage is ever suspected, such a document would go a long way in transfering your duty of care

IANAL, as always....

 

[autolycus]

Thanks for the responses. Most reassuring.

Did anyone have anything to say on this bit:

On a related note, at the same time as doing the above work, I also replaced the existing C/H "junction box" (which was a couple of bits of terminal block floating around loose inside a double width surface mount box with a blanking faceplate) with a proper Honeywell junction box. Should I have notified that too? I think the answer is no, because that was just a replacement of an existing part.

 

[stargazer]

The following is not notifiable

re-fixing or replacing enclosures of existing installation components, where the circuit protective measures are unaffected;

So autolycus you are OK replacing your central heating junction box

 

[autolycus]

Cheers.