MFI sub-contractors and Part P

[t4msy]

My father in law has just had MFI kitchen fitters round. They are fitting his kitchen in 2 weeks and offered to do the electrics as well. He was a little concerned having heard about Part P and asked my advice.
I phoned the kitchen fitter to find not only is he not registered he hass no electrical qualifications whatsoever
His intentions were to put junction boxes in behind the units and spur off a spur off a spur and so on. When i asked him about part p he said it was all "to much" for him so he simply wasn't "bothering" with it. I asked if he realised he could be voiding the home insurance in the event of a fire and he said he hadn't thought about that.
Needless to say i am now doing the electrical alteration before they fit the kitchen.
Surely MFI have a responsibility to know whether or not thier sub-contractors are electrically competent or warn them not to touch the electrics???

 

[Big_Spark]

I think you should phone MFI and inform them that their contractor is offering to do works that could be illegal under the new Building Regulations as he is not electrically qualified, is not accredited to any recognised standard and has no idea that Part P is now a legal requirement and being in breach of that would make MFI Legally responsible for correcting any deficiencies in his work or liable for any damages caused by his work.

This is a serious matter. Master Baters like that should not be allowed near a screwdriver, let alone an electrical installation. It is these cowboys that kill people and burn houses down.

Tell MFI that any electrical work carried out in your fathers property MUST be undertaken by a firm that is either registered with the NICEIC or a member of the ECA, anything less should not be acceptable.

 

[breezer]

I know what you are saying, but at the end of the day all the likes of any kitchen company are only looking at the £ signs, they dont care if it goes wrong, the kitchen fitter is a subcontractor, they will blame him and walk away

 

[plugwash]

if you want to give them hell best thing to do would be to withold payment and inform building control.

 

[andy]

if you want to give them hell best thing to do would be to withold payment and inform building control.

and then deduct from that money what you have to pay building control AND another sparky to correct the wiring. as possibly BC again to check it....

 

[crystal ball]

I was working with an MFI kitchen fitter (subbie) last November and all the fitters in our area had been told not to do any electrical work after Jan 2005, I saw him the other day and he had signed up for the domestic installer course (6 month wait), BC had told him to carry on as long as he was signed up for the course that was ok, its gonna cost him about £2k with lost time and buying test gear etc

 

[breezer]

Perhaps it should be announced that part p is not an actual test / exam.

all that is required is that you think about going on the course

BC had told him to carry on as long as he was signed up for the course that was ok,

well if "signing up" for the course is ok, then it follows that when it (the course) gets an even bigger waiting list, thinking about doing it must be ok too

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Perhaps it should be observed that LABC are generally a bunch of t****** who have no idea what Part P actually requires of them.

From my POV this is a good thing, provided mine is one of the ones that charges a small-ish fee and requests that I get a certificate from someone competent. (Don't know yet - not done anything notifiable).

Me: I wish to notify you that I will be carrying out....

LABC: OK - that'l be £60, and you must provide a certificate from someone qualified to issue one.

Me: Here is my £60, and here is the certificate.

LABC: Who wrote the certificate?

Me: I did. I, being the person responsible for the design, construction, inspection and testing of the electrical installation, having exercised reasonable skill and care when carrying out the design, construction, inspection and testing, can certify that the said work for which I have been responsible is to the best of my knowledge and belief in accordance with BS 7671.