Electrical Test & Inspection -rental property

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Is it basically a visual inspection & test switches/sockets ?


How do they check the sockets ?

Can they check/test a socket which is difficult to access via a short extension lead ?

Thanks
 
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Is it basically a visual inspection & test switches/sockets ?

You pay the inspector a small amount of money, they briefly visit the property, they send you a made-up list of faults that they claim need to be fixed and the cost to do so, you feel obliged to have the work done (by them) because of the legal requirements.

OR

You pay the inspector a larger amount of money, they briefly visit the property, they send you a piece of paper saying the property is safe.

In neither case is an actual inspection carried out.

.... at least that’s how it can seem, if your experience is mainly second-hand, including horror-stories posted here - both made-up problems and real problems missed.

At the very least I think you do need to make sure that the inspector you employ knows that you want a “proper” inspection, not just going-through-the-motions to get a piece of paper. When it is done, post the report here and the experts will tell you how honest it is.

<end rant>
 
The old PIR (periodic inspection report) and new EICR (electrical installation condition report) were designed to highlight and degrading of the installation, so readings would be compared with last few reports to see if anything is degrading, however the form used is nearly the same as the installation certificate so was used but LABC (local authority building control) to inspect and test notifiable installations.

The result is the lengths that the inspectors go to varies a lot, which is understandable, where I work nothing electrical is done by anyone who is not an electrician, and any work done will have an installation certificate or a minor works certificate raised, so there is no need to inspect the workmanship. Or at least there shouldn't be. But in the home people do tend to do DIY with no inspection and testing and no paperwork, so the inspector has to decide what is appropriate to the property.

An issue raised by the IET was access, in the main loft spaces, where often in terraced houses only one house had access to loft space, and it was made clear not inspecting in the loft space was not really an option, so we have the FI code, further investigation required where access is not available which is considered as a fail, however
  • C3 = Improvement Recommended.
  • N/V = Not Verified (Unable to verify)
  • N/A = Not Applicable.
  • LIM = Limitation (Not tested or inspected)
are not fails, so it is rather flexible, a locked garage could be coded FI or LIM. The IET dropped the code 4 does not comply with current wiring regulations, as being unhelpful, we still have code C3 = Improvement Recommended. However every edition of BS7671 gives the date when after all designs should follow the new version. So a home built in 1993 does not need any upgrading unless either it has degraded over time, or new circuits are added.

However C2 does not say complies with wiring regulations, it says Potentially Dangerous. And equipment may require protection today which it did not require in 1993 (I selected that date as it was 1992 that BS7671 started). So if you have a shower, central heating boiler, electric car charging point, and the manufacturer says these need protecting with an RCD or even what type of RCD, then the inspector needs to take that into account.

This is not easy, as the inspector does not come with an arm full of books and installation instructions to say which items recommend what RCD protection. And even if he did, is it a whim of the manufacturer or a real potential danger if missing? Manufacturers did go OTT with requirements and the wording now says take into account manufactures recommendation not follow them blindly. But it is a problem when for example an electric car charging station says before manufacturer date 2017 it needs a type B RCD and after that a type A is good enough.

So having the paperwork is really required, date last inspected and faults found, and installation certificates and minor works certificates for all work done. Without the paperwork the inspector has to assume the worst. Where I work we do consider I opened that up last year and it was OK, I don't really need to do it again this year, and that is permitted, so using the same guy each time it is done may reduce the amount of disruption, but the landlord EICR seems to include items which were not included before the law.

It is the reference to equipment not normally moved, be it a washing machine, or central heating boiler in the past these were considered as in-service electrical equipment and were PAT tested, but not part of the EICR. Now it seems they are part of the report. There has always been some ambiguity as to what is covered. I would say an extension lead through a door way or an overloaded socket has nothing to do with an EICR, but the electrical safety council does not agree.

At work fire prevention is another guys job, if a smoke alarm is fitted it must be electrical safe, but I don't decide what smoke alarms, or emergency lights are required. That is outside my remit. Working on a new build we know it does need smoke alarms and sockets as a set hight etc, but this is not retrospective. If a room has no lights then simple I don't test them, it is not my place to say this room needs lights. However it seems some inspectors don't see it like that, so we see on these pages reports of C2 being issued for things which I would consider beyond my remit. But until the new landlord laws I would have not dreamed of removing the covers off a boiler to check wiring, but it seems that is all now part of an EICR.
 
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How is an electrical connection with a Block Connector (aka Connector Strip) viewed/assessed during Electrical Inspection ?

Cable from wall socket fused plug goes to corner of entrance hall.

Then connects to one of these Block Connectors covered with Insulation Tape.

Cable then goes outside side of front door to Entrance Lights.


Is this a Fail ?

Thanks


B&Q White 3A 6 way Cable connector strip.jpg
 
Is it basically a visual inspection & test switches/sockets ?


How do they check the sockets ?

Can they check/test a socket which is difficult to access via a short extension lead ?

Thanks
You can plug in a test lead into a Socket, every Multi Function Tester on the market should have this facility. It will determine what's Termed "Earth Fault Loop Impedance" or "ZS" for short. This will give a measurement of whether the Circuit will trip in time under fault conditions, it's good practice to take a number of sockets off the wall to visually check them. An End to End Resistance measurement will or should be taken of the conductors if it's a Ring Circuit - in theory this should also determine if there are any Bad connections (but not always).
 
The standard way was to select so many sockets, and if no faults found after removal assume others are OK, Where I worked we had power track to power the machines, with regular points where machines could be plugged in, often the track could not be accessed once the machine was in place, so only supply to machine was every tested, the power point were not tested and HSE never picked us up for not testing power points, would in many cases need a cherry picker or scaffold to access. Sockets behind furniture would be the same.

But if tested sockets failed where they can be accessed, then clearly all faults need listing, as there is no requirement to get an EICR redone after a fail, all it needs is for installation or minor works certificates to show the remedial work has been done.

Also the inspector must consider if the furniture has been put there as a barrier to stop anyone touching a faulty socket. Not talking about hiding faults, but for good reason protecting from a fault, although could also be used to hide a fault.

However an EICR was never designed to be used the way it is being used with rented property, it was designed to comply with the law, the health and safety at work act does require all health and safety reports to be in writing, and for the work place to be safe, and the EICR was a convenient way to show to the HSE one had taken reasonable care.

It has been stated many times, the electrician can over ride the decision of the director if he feels some thing is electrical dangerous, although he may then need to look for a new job, however domestic slightly different, if his actions leaves the home not inhabitable he needs to find alternative accommodation. Although it does not say who has to pay for it. But he can't simply say that is dangerous lock it off and leave. Same also applies to other trades.

As to what is required to make a home habitable, heating in winter, water, but clearly a home built in 1764 did not have electricity, so only if some thing has altered i.e. removal of fire places, or lighting spigots for oil lights, would lack of electric power make it uninhabitable, so the big question, with a house with a faulty socket, if the circuit supplying that socket can be locked off without effecting cooking, heating or lighting, then does it ever need repairing?

I have no answer.
 
In rental property after electrical inspection

-should an old style Fuse Box be replaced ?
-should an open bayonet fitting Bathroom Light be replaced with an enclosed one ?

Thanks
 
Personally I feel where the occupant does not have the option to install protection themselves then is should be provided, so for an owner occupier I have no problem in them wanting to retain the old Wylex fuse box, and I suppose any tenant can decide they don't like the safety features of the house and can leave, but in real terms we know not really that easy.

But upgrading is not always that easy either, I had it with my parents house, 2004 I was involved with the conversion of the pantry and toilet into a wet room and realised at that point the old rubber cables had passed their use by date. To fit RCD protection would require a rewire, and my dad said "I am not living in a building site any more, you can rewire it when I'm gone." so my hands were tied, and after he died to rewire the home I needed to put mother some where else while it was done, and with alzheimer's disease this was not easy or cheap.

Having had an incident where she put an extension lead into a bucket of water as she thought the red neon was the extension going on fire, I really wanted to get house rewired, and my chance came when mother went into hospital, from getting people to give estimate to getting the work done took nine weeks, and a further two weeks to redecorate. The rewire took a week, but it was waiting for the firm to start.

It was completed before my mother was deemed fit to return home and I did not have to pay for her care home, but only just, so I can see the problem trying to get RCD protection in a property in a hurry, all well and good if a simply consumer unit change, but if found more is required, then to arrange it is done while tenants are on holiday for example, specially when we are told we can't go on holiday, is clearly a problem.

What is the alternative, to say sorry you need to move out until house made fit, that does not seem a real way forward, and the Welsh government agrees and so has not adopted the same law as England. As to legal position not sure, if due to new law you can't rent the property legally then can't really see how any agreement which says you will is legal either, so I suppose a landlord could simply say sorry, not my fault, blame the English government.

But for such a drastic measure you would need to be 100% sure the home was not potentially dangerous, I am sure my mothers house before rewire was potentially dangerous, as the rubber cables were degrading, but where the cables as sound, then two reasons why potentially dangerous without RCD protection, the first is a TT supply, without a RCD you can't be sure the power will auto disconnect with a fault, and the other relates to the bathroom.

BS 7671:2008 changed the rules, the risks were reassessed and it was decided the rules on bonding in a bath room could be relaxed if it has RCD protection, so it is an either or situation, however with plastic pipes often the bathroom bonding has been compromised and if not likely to be compromised in the future, so regulations 701.411.3.3 is often quoted as being the reason why lack of RCD is a fail, as it is tied in with lack of bonding.

So the electrical safety council may say the old fuse box can still be serviceable, but only if other items comply, not old the lack of RCD but also they were rated at 60 amp and although some could have the first fuse reinforced to take I think 40 amp, most limited to 32 amp, so in real terms you could not use the old Wylex fuse box with an electric shower.

Having a RCD socket for the lawn mower may get around the socket outlet likely to be used for items outside, but even that has problems, if already fitted OK, but to fit now, it seems they do not comply, I don't have a copy of 18th edition, we are given numbers like BS EN 60947-2 BS EN 61008-1 and BS EN 61009-1 which the RCD should comply with, but most of the FCU, and sockets don't show they comply, so an electrician would have a problem signing a minor works certificate to say the new installation complies, I think most would feel this is being rather pedantic, but still they are correct in saying if not already fitted you have missed the boat.
 
Personally I feel where the occupant does not have the option to install protection themselves then is should be provided, so for an owner occupier I have no problem in them wanting to retain the old Wylex fuse box ...
... and nor does 'the law' have any problem with that.
... and I suppose any tenant can decide they don't like the safety features of the house and can leave, but in real terms we know not really that easy.
Not just 'not easy', but it's not how the law (in England) works. You seem to be implying that if a tenant were happy with the safety features of the house they they could (legally) remain as tenants even if the electrical installation did not satisfy the requirements of the legislation - but that is not the case.
... As to legal position not sure, if due to new law you can't rent the property legally then can't really see how any agreement which says you will is legal either, so I suppose a landlord could simply say sorry, not my fault, blame the English government.
That's an interesting one, which would require one to see the Tenancy Agreement and consult a specialist lawyer. I imagine that Tenancy Agreements must have some provision for what happens if the property 'becomes uninhabitable' (for any reason) and the same may (or may not!) apply if it becomes illegal for the property to be rented to a tenant.

However, that's more theoretical/academic than of practical values, since the great majority of landlords want/need to rent out their property - so it generally would not be acceptable to them to simply terminate they tenancy (if they could) and leave the property unoccupied (because the electrical installation was such that they could not legally allow a tenant to rent it).

Kind Regards, John
 
What I am saying the landlord has the option if the property does not pass an EICR fix it or sell it. Clearly if simply needs a new consumer unit then that would be easy enough, but if to get the new RCD to hold in it needs a rewire, so looking at say £3000 then the landlord could say enough is enough, I am selling up.

I did consider letting out my mothers house, and I looked at all I had to do, and thought no I will sell it, my son is struggling with getting his old house in a state to rent, not helped by fact he needs to alter mortgage, he is jumping through the hoops, and passed the on line exam, but he still may give up, and sell instead. As it stands he is loosing money on the property, that will change once mortgage paid, but clearly the whole idea of renting a property is to make money, not lose it.

OK he does not need an EICR as in Wales, and if he did he could simply write one out, but you have a year to do something, after a year you can be charged extra for rates as being unoccupied, I have been lucky as my son moved into my old house, but Covid19 has resulted in not being able to fully move out, so house neither fit to rent or sell.

As you say floods etc, have resulted in houses being unfit to live in, although you have a year normally, the council can grant a longer time. What would be important is as you say the
Tenancy Agreement
this may mean the landlord has to rehouse the tenant.

However the law allows the local authority to fix the problems, and charge the landlord, but before that point the local authority has to confirm the faults are real and needs fixing. And as said many times if it was not potentially dangerous when installed, why should it be called as potentially dangerous now? And in the main for it to be potentially dangerous some thing needs to have changed.

So we have a number of things, and water supply is the main reason why it is not considered as potentially dangerous. Use of plastic connectors and pipes have resulted in lack of bonding, or even earthing, my parents house, I know when I was a lad there was an earth, as I ruptured a fuse when line made contact with earth, but when we came to fit the wet room, realised there was no earth, how it had disappeared I don't know, some one else swapped the CU, and after they had finished I found he had used the GPO party line earth to earth whole house, I did get the DNO to provide an earth, but the electrician (if you can call the guy an electrician) left the house with no RCD protection and basic a very poor TT supply.

To be frank had the builders not walked off site, I would not have realised there were so many faults. Clearly the rubber cable also resulted in the need for a rewire, but also some how over the years some thing had happened to remove the earthing.

So we are likely looking at two methods to make properties comply, one is to ensure earth links around every bit of plastic or fit RCD protection, and the work involved to test every bit of pipe work is bonded is likely going to cost more than fitting RCD protection.
 
What I am saying the landlord has the option if the property does not pass an EICR fix it or sell it.
Sure - but, as I said, 'selling it' is not what the majority of landlords would want to do - since, particularly with interest rates as low as they are, income from 'the asset' is likely to be much greater by renting it out.
However the law allows the local authority to fix the problems, and charge the landlord ...
Indeed - and that's why I pointed out that the law doesn't work in the way that you appeared to be suggesting - i.e. even if the tenant were happy to carry on living in the property with the electrical installation 'as it was' (and non-compliant with the legislation), the law does not allow for that.
... but before that point the local authority has to confirm the faults are real and needs fixing.
I haven't noticed that in the legislation. As I read it, if the initial inspection results in any C2s or C1s, then those alleged defects have to be 'remedied' (by the landlord or, failing that, the LA - at landlord's expense), without any requirement (that I have noticed) for any 'confirmation' that the defects are "real and need fixing". What have I missed?

Kind regards, John
 
Where a local housing authority has reasonable grounds to believe that, in relation to residential premises situated within its area, a private landlord is in breach of one or more of the duties under regulation 3(1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(c), (4) and (6), and the most recent report under regulation 3(3) does not indicate that urgent remedial action is required, the authority must serve a remedial notice on the private landlord.

specify the remedial action the local housing authority considers should be taken;specify the remedial action the local housing authority considers should be taken;
 
.... [Part 3, Reg 4(1)] "Where a local housing authority has reasonable grounds to believe that, in relation to residential premises situated within its area, a private landlord is in breach of one or more of the duties under regulation 3(1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(c), (4) and (6), and the most recent report under regulation 3(3) does not indicate that urgent remedial action is required, the authority must serve a remedial notice on the private landlord."
Maybe you can help me, since I have never been able to make much, if any, sense of that sentence!

I struggle to understand how, under most circumstances, the HA could believe that "... a private landlord is in breach of one or more of the duties under regulation 3(1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(c), (4) and (6)..." WHEN "... the most recent report under regulation 3(3) does not indicate that urgent remedial action is required". Regulations (4) and (6) only relate to the situation in which a report has indicated the need for remedial or investigative work, so would not seem to be within the scope of the regulation you quote. As for 3(1)(a)/(b)/(c), they relate to the requirement for, and timing of, inspections. However, if "... the most recent report under regulation 3(3) does not indicate that urgent remedial action is required", then, again, the regulation you quote would not seem to apply.

... and, in any event, what 'remedial work' is this 'Remedial Notice' going to require to be done if the most recent inspection has indicated that NO remedial work is required?

... so can you (or anyone) help me to understand what on earth that sentence is meant to mean.

Anyway, whatever is the intended meaning (unless the opposite of what has been written!!), it appears to be explicitly saying that it does NOT apply if the most recent report has indicated things that DO require 'urgent remedial action', isn't it? !!

Kind Regards, John
 
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