BS7671 Certificate

[billm]

Back in 2003 I had an electrical company rewire my house. On completion the proprietor gave me his invoice and an "Electrical Installation Completion Certificate (BS7671:1992)"

I've just showed the Cert to an electrician and he's never seen one like that before. The current certificate apparently is much more comprehensive.

Thinking ahead to if/when I sell the house, is that a valid BS7671 Certificate given that the work was done 13 years ago in 2003 under 16th Edition or is it something they've knocked up in MS Word ?

 

[ericmark]

Nothing to stop one making your own certificate in word. However that one seems to be either a minor works or a single sheet from an multi sheet report.
But my earliest book is BS7671:2001 I don't have a copy of BS7671:1992.

 

[ericmark]

Ups you said 2003 so should have been BS7671:2001

 

[Spark123]

There is usually at least 3 sheets, an electrical installation certificate (either one or three signature), a schedule of inspections and a schedule of test results, the model forms for comparison can be downloaded here: http://electrical.theiet.org/wiring-regulations/forms/1992-2.cfm?type=pdf
As eric says, work was done in 2003 it should be to 2001 model forms can all be found here: http://electrical.theiet.org/wiring-regulations/forms/index.cfm

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Part P and the requirement to notify didn't come in until 2005 if I remember correctly, so probably not important.

 

[billm]

I guess the average Conveyancing Solicitor wouldn't know what the requirements were back in 2003 so as I have a receipt "to rewire above property" and that Certificate both signed and dated by the same company then I presume that will be sufficient if I sell.

 

[Spark123]

They'll probably just fluff over it anyway, the only time electrics were mentioned last time I bought a house was in the survey.
If they are more demanding you can get an EICR done but that will likely flag up things which although complied back in 2003 do not comply now.

 

[flameport]

Older versions of BS7671 and it's predecessors did have very brief completion certs such as the one shown.
That one was not suitable for use in 2003, as there were a number of amendments published between 1992 and 2003. The person issuing it had evidently not kept up to date.
However nothing you can do about it now, and given it states the installation should be inspected and tested again after 5 years, it should have had at least another 2 by now.

 

[EFLImpudence]

You will not be asked about electrical work before 2005.

If you are - say "Lost".

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

As above, no one will be concerned with work that pre-dates part p.
But would have expected a little more detail with regards of the circuits that had been rewired.
Not even the extent of work covered by the cert has been detailed.

 

[Steve]

You will not be asked about electrical work before 2005.

If you are - say "Lost".

The form I've just received says to get a replacement from the electricians registration scheme. No "lost" option.

 

[EFLImpudence]

The form I've just received says to get a replacement from the electricians registration scheme. No "lost" option.

...but what was the original question?

Have you had any electrical work carried out - ever - in the last hundred years - last twenty years - since 2005?

 

[Spark123]

As the certificate above was a generic one from the regs my guess is they wern't members of any scheme, there was no need to be.
If all else fails you will probably get away with having an electrical installation condition report EICR carried out by someone who is a member of a competent person scheme, you wont be the first to have no relevant paperwork and wont be the last.

 

[EFLImpudence]

If all else fails you will probably get away with having an electrical installation condition report EICR carried out by someone who is a member of a competent person scheme

...but you should let the buyer commission the electrician - even if you knock off the cost from the price of the house.

They will not trust a report from the seller.

 

[flameport]

The form I've just received says to get a replacement from the electricians registration scheme. No "lost" option.

Not possible.
If they are referring to a Part P scheme and compliance with building regulations, they did not exist in 2003.
If they are referring to the NICEIC, ECA or similar regarding a BS7671 certificate with details of the installation, there was no requirement for members of those organisations to send copies of certificates to them, just as there isn't now. In any case, the document you already have is one of those, albeit an outdated version.

If the buyers don't like this, there are 3 options.
a. They pay for an inspection themselves.
b. They accept the (fairly worthless) document you have
c. They go look for another house and go through the same process again, repeat until bored.

Final point - the vast majority of people selling a house do not have any certificates or other documents about what electrical work was done. The fact you have anything at all is highly unusual.