Lighting circuit - Earth Problem?

[bernardgreen]

Is this a rented flat or do you own it ?

If rented then the landlord is the person to speak to about having the place re-wired as required. I would STRONGLY suggest the consumer unit be moved into the flat so that power can be rapidly turned off in the event of an emergency.

If this is a house converted in flats then it is hard to believe the local council were in agreement with the consumer unit not being in the flat.

I would delay fitting the new lamp until the problem with the earthing is resolved.

 

[dan83590]

It was a rented flat for years before we arrived. We purchased it a few years back. Everything you do here opens a huge can of worms. All this earth business is no surprise to us. Thanks for your help chaps, i'll get some quotes for a repair.

 

[ColJack]

you'll know next time to get an electrician in to check the state of the wiring before making an offer so you know what you are getting into and also to give you a bargaining point on the price should it need doing..

 

[dan83590]

That could be said for any purchase any time, anywhere. We had a decent enough survey done, and the property was rented before so you would have thought things like the electrics would and should have been properly looked after.

Sometimes you just have to trust people....

 

[ban-all-sheds]

That could be said for any purchase any time, anywhere. We had a decent enough survey done,

They never check the electrics.

and the property was rented before so you would have thought things like the electrics would and should have been properly looked after.

That's the last thing I'd expect from a rental property.

Sometimes you just have to trust people....

Will you, next time?

 

[ColJack]

if I'm buying a second hand telly, i'll take the guys word for it that it's safe as long as it's shown working..
but for a £100K house, i want to know that the gas is ok the electrics are ok and that the roof doesn't leak like a sieve...

unfortunately, being rented doesn't mean that the electrics for a property have to be checked every few years like it does for the gas..

 

[ericmark]

I have tried to re-connect earth wires in the past where twin and earth has been used but earths left disconnected. And been stopped due to cable I can't access. Its a tough call. I know the land lord will not re-wire. I also know I should not run earth cables with different route to live cables. So I considered the risk for all ways and decided lowest risk was to run earth cables around outside of house and link it into as many sockets as I could. Those I could not reach would likely be connected to those I could.

However this was in the Falklands and I was doing it as a favour for a friend. No Part P and no British Standard that I was forced to follow. I wished I had not become involved and although I left it better than I started and it did stop the girl getting shocks of the washing machine I was not happy and would have not done it in the UK.

You have something similar and I would think you will have a hard time to find an electrician willing to do any part repairs. Since 1983/9 when I was in Falklands the regulations have tied the hands of many tradesmen and all we can due is suck through our teeth and say "Job's Worth" and we are not kidding.

If I did now what I did in 1980's I would not be allowed to work and would be in court defending myself.

You may be able to run some 4mm cable and bond as much as you can and make the installation safer than before. But the insurance company may not take same view and I think it likely the only option will be a complete re-wire.

At end of day it is your call. But if it were my flat I would consider anything other than re-wire is likely throwing good money after bad and I would plan on re-wire ASAP.

As the ESC said you can do things to reduce the risk until it can be done and likely that will be first thing. But how ever many crimp connectors you use to extend earth wires it is likely that when it is all tested you will have missed one somewhere.