Appointing an electrician - advice please!

[JohnW2]

This is why I went to rated people, and this person had 30-odd positive recommendations. However, that all important certification appears to be missing! It's odd because he did talk about certifying the work when it's done and submitting to building control etc. Anyway, I'm sure I know someone who knows someone!

Since you seem otherwise keen on him, it might be worth your while to ask him to clarify what he means by "going through the NICEIC process". It could be that he's on the very verge of being a member of their 'self-certification scheme', awaiting just some formalities to be finalised.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Rated people, as previously mentioned.

Missed that




Anyway:

//search.diynot.com/forum_sear...tbytime=0&author=&search=Search+Forum&stype=0

You probably only need to look at the first page of posts to get the message.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Pablo

All of the electricians on this register are current, qualified electricians who are registered to notify their works to the local authority.

http://www.electricsaferegister.co.uk

Your best option is to find a recommended electrician who is on the list.

 

[flameport]

This is the other one for people who are not members of NAPIT (i.e.the vast majority)

http://www.electricalsafetyregister.com/

 

[Taylortwocities]

That's not the case. ElectricSafe has the support of 5 out of the 6 DCLG authorised Competent Person Scheme operators.

NICEIC have their own agenda.

 

[flameport]

That's not the case. ElectricSafe has the support of 5 out of the 6 DCLG authorised Competent Person Scheme operators.

NICEIC have their own agenda.

The vast majority of the results on that site are NAPIT members.
Others are only included if they provide their details, which most have not, and are not likely to do so either.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

So, in my situation, what would you do?

As you are new to the area and maybe word of mouth of a good quality electrician may not be that easy for you to attain.
I suggest using the competent persons website, locate 3 electrician within your area and ask them to quote, also ask them if they are willing to show on site evidence of their work and any testimonies, also number of year of experience.

But on the issue of the electrician you had in mind, just because they are going through the procedures of becoming a member of a scheme, does not make them inadequate to undertake the work, it might just so happen they are the best electrician in your area.
There are many electricians with years of experience and more than adequate knowledge and ability, that would never apply to be on such schemes and I suspect there are many that are just now starting to register on them. I had been doing electrical work for many years, prior to registering on a scheme.

It can be a minefield and person recommendation are always the ones most valued.

 

[Pablo79]

Another helpful reply, thank you.

Interestingly, this took a change of course last night. I had originally asked a local firm to do the work. They did a superb job on next door's attic conversion, and I asked them to remove an internal post and lay some oak flooring in two rooms. I was delighted with the result. They quoted and I was happy, but despite chasing, I hadn't been able to schedule them in (for a couple of months now) for this electrical work.

Last night, the electrician got in touch and the work is going ahead in 2 weeks time. Given their superb work on my house already and next door, I'll go ahead with them. It'll all be certified with building control etc.

The chap who I asked for another quote from (from rated people) said much the same as the last post. His nose was put out of joint a bit when I said I need to go with someone certified.

Anyway, a happy outcome (assume they don't postpone!)

 

[JohnW2]

It can be a minefield and person recommendation are always the ones most valued.

Many of us have said that, as we always do, and I think it has to be one of the best ways of trying to find a good electrician (or whatever). However, it's probably appropriate to remind people of the inevitable limitations of that method ...

...Past customers can recommend on the basis of good timekeeping, fair price, neatness of work, lack of disruption, 'pleasantness' etc. and the fact that the electrical installation subsequently 'works' as expected. What very few past customers will be able to do is make a judgement about how safe/compliant the work was, whether testing was done properly, whether documentation and certificates etc were filled in correctly/honestly etc.

There will therefore always be an element of gambling, since even a tradesman who has impressed a number of customers is not necessarily competent, honest or even safe. 'Negative' opinions from past customers are obviously valuable in indicating which tradesmen one should probably avoid.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Risteard]

Hi all,

I'm looking to appoint an electrician, but have no idea what qualifications or affiliations I need to be looking for, if any.

If you check if he/she has a JIB card then you know that they have not only gained qualifications but have experience. NICEIC registration belongs to a company and not an individual (and therefore someone belonging to an NICEIC company may or may not be adequately trained).

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

'Negative' opinions from past customers are obviously valuable in indicating which tradesmen one should probably avoid.

That would depend on the nature of the comment and the nature of commentator. Some people just like to complain and pick fault!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You can never tell. It's often interesting, on Tripadvisor for example, to look at the odd few terrible reviews, and see just how bizarre people can be. and what can cause them to complain.

I have seen, I kid you not, people give restaurants a bad review - poor food, poor value, poor ambiance, the whole lot, because they hadn't booked and couldn't get in because it was full.

 

[JohnW2]

'Negative' opinions from past customers are obviously valuable in indicating which tradesmen one should probably avoid.

That would depend on the nature of the comment and the nature of commentator. Some people just like to complain and pick fault!

That's obviously true, and I didn't make my point well enough ...

.... what I was trying to remind people is that objective negative information (not vague 'opinions') about a tradesman, ideally from someone who one knows and trusts, can usually be taken at face value. In other words, if (s)he was a messy worker, didn't do exactly what had been asked/agreed (so then had to rectify), overcharged, installed crooked sockets, never turned up on time etc. etc. then, if one believes the reporter, then that is likely to be of significance. On the other hand, even someone you know and trust vey well may have been extremely impressed and satisfied by the tradesman's work, without realising, for example, that there were many many (perhaps dangerous) problems with design and execution in relation to the work which had been done.

Kind Regards, John

 

[stillp]

You can never tell. It's often interesting, on Tripadvisor for example, to look at the odd few terrible reviews, and see just how bizarre people can be. and what can cause them to complain.

I have seen, I kid you not, people give restaurants a bad review - poor food, poor value, poor ambiance, the whole lot, because they hadn't booked and couldn't get in because it was full.

Listening to a radio programme the other day in which it was suggested to Tripadvisor that reviewers should be made to upload an image of their receipt before their review would be accepted. The Tripadvisor spokesman said that would prevent anyone without a receipt such as one of a group of people at a dinner from submitting, since there is usually only one receipt per table.

I'm aware of someone who lives in a 'posh' avenue, and has been subjected to a barrage of criticism on sites like Rated People from his neighbours because he parks a battered Transit tipper on the street, thus 'lowering the tone'.