Part P - how can I 'shop' someone?

[Kingston12]

I had a full rewire done last year, by an electrician who professed to be 'Part P competent', and showed me a card to 'prove' it. This was actually the only real factor in my choosing him to do the work, as no one else was.

After all of this time, I am having trouble getting any paperwork out of him at all. (Stupidly, I paid in stages as the job was being done, rather than saving a significant amount until the end.) His reticence to provide anything seems to prove that he is not Part P competent at all.

Firstly, I am trying to get it into order, but Building Control are not interested in certifying it, nor are any other local electricians.

Secondly, I would like to provide details of the installer to someone, so he can be 'blacklisted' to save others from going through the same hassle. There seem to be so many associations, so I am guessing Trading Standards might be the best way to do this?

 

[dingbat]

There is no such thing as 'Part P competent', for a start, but because people are averse to finding out the facts for themselves, such misleading terminology abounds.

You have two channels:

Trading Standards will certainly be interested:
Regardless of whether or not he is/was registered with a self-certification scheme he is affected by the Electricity at Work Act 1989, which defines competence and effectively puts the onus on him to demonstrate this competence. Inspecting, testing and certifying his work to BS7671 is the principal means of him doing this. If he hasn't issued certification then he has not fulfilled his obligations.
Also, unless local authority building control have been notified of the work a Building Regulations offence has been committed. If he has carried out the work on your behalf it is him and not you who is responsible.

The other option, if you have the information, is to contact whichever self-certification scheme he claimed to be a member of [NICEIC, NAPIT, Elecsa, BSI, etc - see the information in the Wiki section of the forum]. Such registration bodies will vigorously pursue anybody falsely claiming to be a member. They will also be unhappy about any member acting outside of their conditions of membership, so if you have his trading name you could search to see if he is actually a member.

Whichever route you choose (and I would recomend both) make sure you have all your facts straight, especially dates, times, money parted with and his contact details.

Good luck.

 

[DESL]

Try here first http://www.competentperson.co.uk/search.asp

If he is not listed here not only is he in breach of all the regs Ding quoted he has also committed a fraud by misrepresenting himself as a being Part P registered

 

[Kingston12]

That is very useful, thanks.

I did not realise that the final responsibility to register with Building Control was with him. Should I make them aware anyway?

 

[dingbat]

I did not realise that the final responsibility to register with Building Control was with him. Should I make them aware anyway?

It's your property, it's your responsibility, but unless it was agreed that you would submit the building notice it is standard practice for the supposedly competent tradesman to do it on your behalf... especially as he has lead you to believe that he was [in the vernacular] 'Part P competent'. (Oh how I hate that phrase!)

You should inform the LABC in writing, exactly what has happened, making it very clear that you were lead to believe that the 'electrician' would do whatever was required, professionally and legally in respect of the job. They may make you pay to undergo 'regularisation' (retrospective inspection, effectively) but, if you want to ever sell your house you'd need this anyway.

 

[comms]

Try here first http://www.competentperson.co.uk/search.asp

If he is not listed here not only is he in breach of all the regs Ding quoted he has also committed a fraud by misrepresenting himself as a being Part P registered

Hmmm right so I'm not listed on this site so I must be in breech also.....but whats this oh it's my NICEIC domestic installer certificate of registration.

Please note this competent person register is not the be all and end all of registered part P competent persons, it is upto the various scheme operators to keep it updated with their members details and as NIC have told me "sorry mistakes do happen", so if your wanting to be sure that the sparx your employing is part P compliant go direct to a scheme operators web site.

 

[ebee]

Trading Standards is probably your best option.
If you can remember which scheme he claimed to be with then you can search their website to check.
If not then search the competent person website and check on firms in your area, but remember it might not be as up to date as the 5 schemes are.
It would be interesting to know how you get on