Signing off, certifying..?

[Safety First]

Hi all,

If I have fitted a FCU from a ring, then onto an outdoor socket (using proper guidance, and competently etc), what is that I would then ask an electrician to do, in order to confirm it as safe and not a problem for later sale of house etc? I am thinking that a piece of paper would need to be handed over..?

I mean the phrase- " can you quote to inspect and sign off this work, please?"

Or is it building control that I need to have over?

TIA.

MagicLintel...

 

[ericmark]

He will need to remove it and refit it and can then issue a minor works certificate. Or you can test and fill in your own minor works certificate. Or you can ask him to issue a electrical installation condition report (EICR) and then you can copy the results onto a minor works certificate and sign it yourself.

In real terms unless in a rented house you would simply ask him to check it with his loop impedance tester and RCD tester and if passed that would be it. But if you require certificates these can only be completed by person doing the work so you have to fill it in. The blank forms are a free down load from IET web site.

 

[Safety First]

He will need to remove it and refit it and can then issue a minor works certificate.

This option looks expensive!

Or you can test and fill in your own minor works certificate.

I don't have proper tester or skills for this option!

In real terms unless in a rented house you would simply ask him to check it with his loop impedance tester and RCD tester and if passed that would be it.

I own, so this sounds like the pref' option. Will try this

Or you can ask him to issue a electrical installation condition report (EICR) and then you can copy the results onto a minor works certificate and sign it yourself. But if you require certificates these can only be completed by person doing the work so you have to fill it in. The blank forms are a free down load from IET web site.

Wanting to end up with a piece of useful paper, I went to the site (thanks for pointer) and am a little baffled by choice of doc. They look a little complex- more than was doing the physical work. I think I'll get the work tested- get an EICR report and leave it at that...

Many many thanks for your reply.

Magiclintel.

 

[ericmark]

Yes this is the problem. To complete a minor works needs knowledge and test equipment which the normal DIY guy just does not have.

Using (click on image to see more) will in the main test sockets ensuring they are safe. There are exceptions it does not test your RCD for example but if you want to DIY the £50 for a tester like this is the way to go.

Please note the one I have selected has loop test cheaper ones do not have this test.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Nor, more importantly, can they detect Neutral and Earth reversal.

 

[JohnW2]

I think I'll get the work tested- get an EICR report and leave it at that...

An EICR would normally relate to inspection and testing of the house's entire electrical installation, which is probably a lot more than you really want or need (or want to pay for). You may therefore want to try to negotiate for a very limited 'EICR', relating just to the one circuit concerned.

An alternative strategy, if you are confident about the work you've done, is simply to do nothing. If/when you come to sell the house, you then simply tell a prospective buyer that you have no certificates, and leave them to decide what they want to do about that. I would think that only a very silly person who otherwise wanted to buy the house would make an issue out of this one little bit of electrical work - after all, anything else to do with the house's electrical installation (which you'd never touched) could theoretically be 'iffy' for all they would know!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ekmdgrf]

Hi all,

If I have fitted a FCU from a ring, then onto an outdoor socket (using proper guidance, and competently etc), what is that I would then ask an electrician to do, in order to confirm it as safe and not a problem for later sale of house etc? I am thinking that a piece of paper would need to be handed over..?

I mean the phrase- " can you quote to inspect and sign off this work, please?"

Or is it building control that I need to have over?

TIA.

MagicLintel...

The FCU was there when you moved in.

 

[JohnW2]

The FCU was there when you moved in.

Tempting, but not an approach I would advocate, particularly if the work was obviously quite recent.

Lying on a conveyancing enquiry form (about electrical work undertaken since 1st April 2005) can, at least in theory, have serious legal and financial consequences. IMO, far better to do as I suggested - honestly admit to the work having been done, but say that you have no certificates.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Safety First]

hopefully someone will tell me if i am doing this wrong- replying within 'my own' thread.

Thanks all for the useful input and considerations.

I think I will get my friendly sparky over to use his tester- about the size of a toaster, it plugs into/between items. Was it a 'Megger'??

After replacing our CU on moving in, and adding a socket or two, he came out for free when we were getting shocks off our dishwasher.. (issue sorted now).

I hope he will come out to test the ext socket for a small fee..

Obviously this whole situation is a learning curve for a lot of people; yes the items *can* be bought relatively cheaply and can be fitted with minimal DIY skills (I mean the physical part- not the specification). *But* it still leaves the confirming safe (what I am interested in) and the evidencing safe (what future buyers may be interested in). I take (and agree with) the above point about future buyers not likely making a showstopping issue during purchase decisions but at the same time would not want to 'blag' anyone where fire, or death are concerned..

I guess my current plan would be to get it tested maybe without even a paper trail, then use the socket until one day when moving house. Then point out the (whole) story to potential buyers- that "I did that- and only that, it was tested as safe, and if you don't like it, I will disconnect it from the ring and leave it all dead."

I can then (as noted above also) sign conveyancing in clear conscience.

The buying of the tester- thanks for pointers and noted caveats- might make the whole event as expensive as getting a pro in to start with, maybe I should have gotten a quote? Lol!

That said, how much (£) would you (pro's) charge to:
Join to ring, flush mount FCU and drill 280mm through wall, fit Ext socket, parts and labour?

 

[JohnW2]

I guess my current plan would be to get it tested maybe without even a paper trail, then use the socket until one day when moving house. Then point out the (whole) story to potential buyers- that "I did that- and only that, it was tested as safe, and if you don't like it, I will disconnect it from the ring and leave it all dead." ... I can then (as noted above also) sign conveyancing in clear conscience.

That sounds like a very sensible plan to me. Do I take it that you have installed the socket fairly recently (since April 2013)?

One of the seemingly 'silly' things about the conveyancing process is that you only get asked about electrical work undertaken after 1st January 2005 (when Part P of the Building regulations came into force). You could have done anything/everything to the electrical installation in 2004 or earlier and would not be asked anything about it - not even 'if it had happened'!

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

I don't see why an electrician wouldn't issue a certificate for this as all the work can be inspected and tested easily as it is just a foot of cable going straight through a wall.

Having said that he will have to virtually 'do it again'.

 

[sparkwright]

I would go for the option of the electrician removing it all and re-fitting it.

Chances are he will just remove covers and look at what you've done, and if he's satisfied he'll just replace the covers.