DIY Electrical Changes Made?

[dhutch]

If they could prove the work was notifiable (dates etc) then the fine would be for non notification...

If it was new colours, would that alone not prove that it should have been notified work? Dont know, but its something that gets mentioned from time to time in the tune of 'if you do it old colours, who would know...' type threads.

Does anyone know of any cases at all where people have been fined?

I insisted on a inspection report on my house when it was bought as I knew the prevous owner had been playing electrician (and plumbing, and building) the first one it failed on a number of counts, but after some rectification (by the bloke or his mates as far as I know) it then repassed. Subsiquently I have found some glaring issues, some of which where hidden and might reasonably escaped my expectations of what the survay would cover, others, such as a rough wire in new colour coming into the back of an easily accesable socket, joined blue to red brown to black, ort to have been picked up if you ask me but equally, was not.

I had the vendor pay for indemnity insurance knocking through two rooms and putting in an archway without any paperwork. Can you take out such insurance on electrical installations?


Daniel

 

[JohnW2]

If they could prove the work was notifiable (dates etc) then the fine would be for non notification...

If it was new colours, would that alone not prove that it should have been notified work? Dont know, but its something that gets mentioned from time to time in the tune of 'if you do it old colours, who would know...' type threads.

'New colours' merely means that it was done after early 2004. The requirement for notification didn't arise until 1st January 2005 - so it's amazing how much electrical work is said to have been undertaken during 2004 In any event, whether or not the work was notifiable obviously depends upon what work it was, even if undertaken after 1st Jan 2005.

Does anyone know of any cases at all where people have been fined?

Often discussed, and the short answer appears to be 'No'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[oshta]

The reality is that, for a domestic installation, it (fines) just won't happen. As has been point out, if it's not domestic, then LABC (if relevant) would probably be the least of your worries if there were an unsafe electrical installation.

Kind Regards, John

But if you have a EICR you have done all you can to know that its safe?

 

[JohnW2]

The reality is that, for a domestic installation, it (fines) just won't happen. As has been point out, if it's not domestic, then LABC (if relevant) would probably be the least of your worries if there were an unsafe electrical installation.

But if you have a EICR you have done all you can to know that its safe?

In many senses that's true - but you would need others to tell you about the situation regarding non-domestic installations. However, that's not what I was talking about (or replying to). You were asking about LABC fines for non-notification, and I was merely suggesting that that might well be the least of you worries IF there were any problems with a non-domestic installation.

Kind Regards, John

 

[stillp]

But if you have a EICR you have done all you can to know that its safe?

Well, you will have done all you can to know if it is safe or not. The EICR itself won't make it any safer, but it might identify remedial work that needs to be done in order to make it safe.

 

[oshta]

Well, you will have done all you can to know if it is safe or not. The EICR itself won't make it any safer, but it might identify remedial work that needs to be done in order to make it safe.

Well if there was remedial work to be done it would have to be done to get a pass on the report wouldnt it as there is no point in creating a peice of paper that says its not fit for us!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

'New colours' merely means that it was done after early 2004. The requirement for notification didn't arise until 1st January 2005 - so it's amazing how much electrical work is said to have been undertaken during 2004

That's why now they have started, printing the year of manufacture on the sheath

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

But if you have a EICR you have done all you can to know that its safe?

It will go a long way to prove the installation is safe for continued service, but it will by no means 100% prove it!

oshta, is it you that has done the work?

 

[AdamCH]

That's why now they have started, printing the year of manufacture on the sheath

I reckon there will be a lot of cabling done in April 2013 with cable dated 2012 and earlier

 

[JohnW2]

I reckon there will be a lot of cabling done in April 2013 with cable dated 2012 and earlier

That would be rather silly, wouldn't it? If you're referring to the changes in notification requirements in April, the only thing one could do if one wanted to be able to 'prove' that work had been undertaken after 5th April 2013 would be to wait for at least a few months and use cable which was dated 2014 or later. It's the opposite situation from that in 2004/5, when some people wanted to make it look as if work had been undertaken before a certain date.

... or am I missing your point?

Kind Regards, John

 

[AdamCH]

Point is that after April it will be difficult to prove that cabling wasn't completed after the notifications changes using older cable. Cable dating only worked when the regs made things more restrictive, once it's relaxed then it's ineffective.

 

[JohnW2]

'New colours' merely means that it was done after early 2004. The requirement for notification didn't arise until 1st January 2005 - so it's amazing how much electrical work is said to have been undertaken during 2004

That's why now they have started, printing the year of manufacture on the sheath

I rather doubt that the manufacturers did it because of changes in the UK Building Regs, but it certainly makes it easier to establish the earliest possible date on which wiring could have been installed. Of course, just as red/black cable is still available (and probably will be for a good while to come), for those who want it, so there might develop a continuing market for 2004-stamped harmonised-colours cable!

However, as time passes, and particularly given the changes coming in April, I think there is probably going to be diminishing interest in whether or not work undertaken before or after Jan 1st 2005 was notified.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

the fine if any will be levvied on the home owner and the home owner at the time may not be the person who did the work.

Err...

No - I think you'll find that you can't be fined for an offence which somebody else committed.

The current owner would be the one that any enforcement notice was served on, but the electrics would have to be in a pretty sorry state for that to happen - non-notification by someone else at some point in the past wouldn't be anywhere near enough.

 

[JohnW2]

Point is that after April it will be difficult to prove that cabling wasn't completed after the notifications changes using older cable. Cable dating only worked when the regs made things more restrictive, once it's relaxed then it's ineffective.

I still don't really understand your point. In a few weeks time, some people will like to be able to 'prove' that work was not undertaken before the notification requirements were relaxed on April 6th. To do as you suggested and use 2012-dated cable would therefore seem to be the very last thing they would want to do. I must still be mising something.

Kind Regards, John

 

[SaladFingers]

the fine if any will be levvied on the home owner and the home owner at the time may not be the person who did the work.

Err...

No - I think you'll find that you can't be fined for an offence which somebody else committed.

Err..

Yes - I know you can be fined for a building control non compliance on your property, regardless who's comitted it.

The levy is on the house, not the offender. So who ever owns it at the time, takes the flack.