EICR Checked now cracked light fitting - am I ok to fix\replace?

[shabbaranks]

Hi guys,

As the title goes I am renting out my property and had the place checked\signed off with regards to an EICR. The agency has now come back to me after the tenants have moved in and said there is a cracked fitting - I do wonder if the tenants actually did this themselves but anyway. Am I ok to replace it or should it be done professionally given insurances etc? I am a competent person and obviously if it was my house where I live I wouldn't call someone in to do it just get it done myself.

Any thoughts please?

Thanks!

 

[Jurassicspark]

If you're comfortable to do it yourself then you can. If you do, you will need to replace the whole fitting.

Could you send a picture of this fitting?

 

[EFLImpudence]

You should really have insurance or employ someone who has.

 

[Murdochcat]

What did the most recent EICR highlight ?

 

[ericmark]

There were 4 classes, now reduced to 3:-

Ordinary person. A person who is neither a skilled person nor an instructed person.
Instructed person. A person adequately advised or supervised by skilled persons to enable him/her to avoid
dangers which electricity may create.
Skilled person. A person with technical knowledge or sufficient experience to enable him/her to avoid dangers
which electricity may create.
Competent person. A person who possesses sufficient technical knowledge, relevant practical skills and
experience for the nature of the electrical work undertaken and is able at all times to prevent danger and, where
appropriate, injury to him/herself and others.

The last two now combined. Someone could be instructed with some electrical work but be skilled with other work, in this watch my back era we have to cross the t's and dot the i's, however there is no reason why you should not do the work, the minor works certificate is a free down-load from the IET website and I would say with the prompts given with the form, if you can complete it then there is no reason why you should not do the work.

95% of what you need will be on the EICR so all you have to do is copy. Yes, I see the point about insurance, but it is unlikely if you can complete the minor works certificate that it is going to be left in a dangerous condition.

 

[shabbaranks]

Thanks guys - the EICR didn't highlight this or anything so I would have thought that they either didnt see it OR that its been done since possibly by the tenants and now they are unhappy (who knows...)

And I completely understand from an insurance perspective that was kinda why I asked, I am in 2 minds as I dont want to be one of these cowboy landlords (its my only rental and I would sell it but we use part of the land) but from a principle perspective if I thought something was unsafe and out of my depth of course I would pay someone to fix it. BUT if it was me living there or it happened at my house then I would of course fix it myself hence wanting to get in there and sort it.

Im yet to see the problem as all I have had is an email from the agency so I will follow this up stating from a legal perspective its ok for me to go in and access and if its something trivial which I imagine it is then fix myself.

 

[shabbaranks]

Getting there guys once I have this complete then happy days I can get the job done (once I have managed to escape from all this red tape )

Could someone cast their eyes over it an confirm for me please?

 

[ericmark]

What? A TN-C-S is normally around the 0.35Ω at the distribution board, with TT that would be a good reading, but TN-C-S very poor, 7.28Ω is the limit for a 6 amp type B MCB, so it seems likely he was not looking at the question.

However, with the errors it may as well be filled in the bin, I know what I would do, I would fix the light, then confront the guy would make out the minor works and say errors have been pointed out, would he like to re-do the paperwork please.

But you said EICR the paperwork you show is a minor works certificate. With an EICR we have codes, C1, C2, C3, LIM, FI etc, and would seem likely a crack in a fitting would get a C3 which tells you damage is found, but it still passes.

 

[Jurassicspark]

View attachment 370308What? A TN-C-S is normally around the 0.35Ω at the distribution board, with TT that would be a good reading, but TN-C-S very poor, 7.28Ω is the limit for a 6 amp type B MCB, so it seems likely he was not looking at the question.

 

[ericmark]

One minute talking about an EICR, next talking about a Minor Works certificate, there is nothing saying an Electrical installation certificate or Minor works certificate must be issued, although where these cover the work in question, it is permitted to not issue an EICR until the 5 years has elapsed.

But in the main, a Minor Works or Installation certificate will not show any EICR codes, or anything which shows a fail. There is a space to list anything which does not conform, but the main problem with a minor works certificate is it is limited to the work done. In this case, only the supply to the garage.

The reference is to any defects observed. 644.1.2 is a new regulation, so it would help to know what it says? Google says "Any other defects and non-compliances found in the existing installation during the pre-assessment or whilst undertaking the alterations or additions should be recorded on the certification covering the alteration or addition." so it would seem a method to comply with HSE rules which state defects must be reported in writing, it stops a worker saying after an event I told XXXX YYYYY, but he did nothing, if the report is not in writing the worker is in breach of the rules, and would have just dropped himself into a load of problems.

It is a place where the electrician can write his get out of jail free card.

In a commercial premises, the electrician can countermand the managing director if a dangerous electrical fault found. But in domestic not so easy, he must before making a property uninhabitable arrange for alternative accommodation. Although it does not say who must pay for the alternative accommodation, so this time of year, the gas safe guy can't simply turn off the gas supply, he must ensure there is somewhere for occupants to go first.

In real life, this rarely happens, simply question is if a tent in the back garden is better than an unheated or unlit house?

But in this case there may be nothing wrong having a crack in a light pendent, but he has simply reported what he found.

 

[flameport]

Could someone cast their eyes over it an confirm for me please?

Confirm what?
Most of it is blank, and you won't be completing it without appropriate test equipment.
What is filled in is nonsense.

Just pay an electrician an hours labour to change the fitting and provide the certificate.