Help please, electrical safety certificate

[crichtons]

I seem to have got myself into a situation without even knowing it. I had a central heating system installed, while the plumber was busy he said he needed a second fused spur for the clock.

I contacted an electrician who suggested I put one in and I need to change my consumer unit at the same time to comply with building regulations (RCD - needed for new sockets in kitchen I wanted installed later). He said he would then come round and inspect it and test and issue a safety certificate. After all my work he then said he didn't realise it but he isn't allowed to inspect someone elses work! Now I have had 2 electricians around and they won't touch it.

What do I do now? I really don't need the hassle but if there are any Part P chaps i could honestly do with some help.

 

[plugwash]

fitting a fused spur is only a notifyable work under part P if its in a kitchen or one of the special locations given in the wiring regs

but even if it is in the kitchen frankly i'd just forget about it

im pretty damn sure part P turn out like the regs on double glazing sure the firms who do it all the are all registered but afaict basically everyone else ignores

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I contacted an electrician who suggested I put one in and I need to change my consumer unit at the same time to comply with building regulations (RCD - needed for new sockets in kitchen I wanted installed later). He said he would then come round and inspect it and test and issue a safety certificate. After all my work he then said he didn't realise it but he isn't allowed to inspect someone elses work! Now I have had 2 electricians around and they won't touch it.

So he advised you to do work which he knew was notifiable (assuming the boiler spur is in the kitchen), he incorrectly told you that you needed your CU replaced, and he didn't realise what the legal limitations were on his ability to certify work.

Sounds like you should be grateful that he will no longer be involved...

 

[Mr Winston]

if you ignore it isnt there the risk that if something happens, maybe not involving your electrics, your insurer would do the fast foot shuffle and void your claim?

Is any of the cabling exposed/visible for inspection?

You could get someone in do a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) by inspection and testing of the installation - i dont know if this may pick up other areas of non-compliance on your system - could be opening a pot of caterpillers though

 

[Damocles]

So far ther are lots of rumours about what insurers might do (some put about by the government), but few if any actual examples.

 

[Big_Spark]

Sparks like that are a effing pain, they give us all a bad name.

There is nothing wrong with a spark testing others work, that is the whole point of having a spark as a designated tester on a company..I personally do not think you should test your own work as any errors you produce will go unoticed by you, but not by another...

Crazy World we live in.

 

[Damocles]

I would agree, it is pretty daft for people to argue they can not sensibly test an installation. Happens all the time when you ask an electrician for his opinion on your wiring. Seems to have more to do with maintaining a closed shop....

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Given his terminology, it looks as though chritons wanted someone to certify his work as compliant with Part P of the Building Regulations, and the two guys who turned that down are quite right - they can't do that - nobody can now except the council's Building Control dept.

 

[Damocles]

Which is pretty stupid and I doubt what was intended.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Which is pretty stupid and I doubt what was intended.

if there are any Part P chaps i could honestly do with some help.

 

[Damocles]

Are you suggesting a contradiction between 'part P' and 'help'? Surely not!

 

[delmel]

although a sensible upgrade it is not a requirement to install a new CU with RCD for sockets in a kitchen. It is for any socket that may be used for an outside appliance to be protected by at least a 30ma RCD.

 

[crichtons]

I managed to get hold of another part P registered chap who said he can come and sort things out for me, thanks for all the info so far.

 

[kevplumb]

he said he needed a second fused spur for the clock.

the whole system should be isolated from one point