Getting new electrics rechecked?

tlrrd · 20 Feb 2018

We've recently had the electrics redone as part of a refurbishment. We haven't had any issues, but we were recently contacted by the next people to use these builders saying "Get your electrics checked, they've packed our recessed spots with newspaper, and the ground wasn't working".

Unlike them, we made it through building control, but the electrical work was signed off by someone who was on site one day only, not the one who did the work.

Are there any tests I can do as a (fairly) competent DIYer to check this? Are the socket testers on Amazon, for instance, worth a go?

Or can I get another electrician round to check it out, and if so, what check should I be asking for?

JohnW2 · 20 Feb 2018

tlrrd said:
Are there any tests I can do as a (fairly) competent DIYer to check this? Are the socket testers on Amazon, for instance, worth a go?

They are of limited value, since they can only check a limited number of things. If one of them indicated a problem, you clearly would have a problem, but if such a tester revealed no problems, that could not be taken as reassurance that all was OK.

tlrrd said:
Or can I get another electrician round to check it out, and if so, what check should I be asking for?

If there are general uncertainties about the competence or quality of work, you can't really know 'what to look for', so I'm afraid the only thing you could really do would be to get an electrician to undertake a 'full inspection and testing' of the entire electrical installation.

Kind Regards, John

Iggifer · 20 Feb 2018

There are two ways to look at this:

They used a reputable electrical company to do the work, and the companies QS came and signed off his employees work - totally fine.
They did the wiring themselves and got one of their mate's to come and sign it off - not so fine.

Now, with some builders of certain types, they're known to fall out with other trades through not paying etc. So it could well be you got the real deal, but for some reason they've not been paid so refused to come and do the next job so they had a go themselves.

It certainly won't hurt to get an Electrical Installation Condition Report done, even if it is just for piece of mind.

tlrrd · 20 Feb 2018

JohnW2 said:
They are of limited value, since they can only check a limited number of things. If one of them indicated a problem, you clearly would have a problem, but if such a tester revealed no problems, that could not be taken as reassurance that all was OK.

That is what I suspected. It is difficult to prove a negative... "There are no problems".

JohnW2 said:
If there are general uncertainties about the competence or quality of work, you can't really know 'what to look for', so I'm afraid the only thing you could really do would be to get an electrician to undertake a 'full inspection and testing' of the entire electrical installation.

It is a 4 bed house, so it might get pricey. Are there any options to go after the person who certified the work if it isn't up to standard? It irks me that they might be still out there doing this to people....

JohnW2 · 20 Feb 2018

tlrrd said:
That is what I suspected. It is difficult to prove a negative... "There are no problems".

Indeed - that's why an electrician would (should) attempt to 'check everything checkable' ... if one can eliminate nearly all of the 'positives', one will have got fairly close to the 'proving of a negative'.

tlrrd said:
It is a 4 bed house, so it might get pricey. Are there any options to go after the person who certified the work if it isn't up to standard? It irks me that they might be still out there doing this to people....

You obviously could not go after the person unless/until you had evidence that the work was not up to standard. In terms of money, you would basically have the same legal options as in any similar situation. If the person was an electrician registered with one of the 'competent persons schemes' (e.g. NICIEC, you could at least moan at that organisation, and some good might conceivable come of that (particularly in relation to possible future 'victims', such as you mention.

Kind Regards, John

chivers67 · 22 Feb 2018

Did you recieve any test results or a certificate with any details on it?

mwatsonxx · 22 Feb 2018

chivers67 said:
Did you recieve any test results or a certificate with any details on it?

If you didn't, demand it now, it is your right, you have paid for it, and without it your property is devalued.

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Getting new electrics rechecked?

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