Minor Work Certificate?

[ThePiper]

Hi everyone,

I had some renovation work done to my home, nothing that required any contact or approval with building control - just interior decorative work, etc, but part of this involved moving a a few light switches and a new consumer unit fitted. My contractor supplied an electrician who did the work but didn't provide a certificate as promised. Prior to this, I didn't even know a certificate was necessary but I've been told (by a friend) that I need it for my home insurance should anything go wrong.

Anyway, the work finished and the contractor left. A few bits of the work were not up to scratch and now the contractor has gone awol. The bits I'm not happy with are things that I'll just fix myself but the problem is we still don't have a certificate for the electrical work.

So I guess my question is, for the electrical work I mentioned, how important is it to have a certificate? Do I need to notify my insurance company? I spoke with building control and they tell me that they don't need anything so is it really worth me arranging and paying for another approved electrician to come, check the work and supply a certificate?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks
R.

 

[Spark123]

Part of complying with the IEE wiring regulations is providing a certificate, otherwise how do you know all the relevant testing and inspections were carried out?
For a new consumer unit you should have a 3 part electrical installation certificate, not a MEIWC.

 

[Chri5]

You guys have SELECT in Scotland so the rules might differ.

In England an Electrical Condition Report can be done in the absence of a Electical Installation certificate.

I'd be weary of what your building control said and either get it confirmed in writing or find a friend that can recommend an electrician that's qualified and ask them.

When someone goes AWOL it is either that they weren't qualified and / or the job is a cows bottom and they simply took the money and ran off. So I'd suggest you get someone round for a ECR which should give peace of mind and legitimise the job.

 

[skenk]

It's as much to do with SELECT as non-notifiable works in England are to the NICEIC (ie nothing to do with them, unless the contractor/electrician happens to be SELECT registered - they could also be NICEIC registered, I think NAPIT are also operating in Scotland now too, or be fully qualified and not registered at all - there are no requirements to pay the scams, sorry schemes, to be an electrician in Scotland)

You would need to read your insurance policy and terms to see if it's needed for your insurance.

As to whether it's safe - impossible to say and there's no guarantee an EICR will tell you either as so many people don't do them properly Worth asking how long they expect it will take and price quoted if asking electricians about one (they will want know at a minimum the property size, and number of circuits and may not be willing to quote at all as there are unknowns involved...), post them here (expected time and price quoted) and you will get more advice.

Anyone offering a 'full EICR' for less than about £150 minimum is not going to do it properly (imo). Anyone who doesn't remove every connected piece of equipment including all lightbulbs also isn't doing a 'full EICR'. Limitations (eg omitting some tests) should be agreed with you before the EICR is carried out.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It's as much to do with SELECT as non-notifiable works in England are to the NICEIC (ie nothing to do with them, unless the contractor/electrician happens to be SELECT registered - they could also be NICEIC registered, I think NAPIT are also operating in Scotland now too, or be fully qualified and not registered at all - there are no requirements to pay the scams, sorry schemes, to be an electrician in Scotland)

Surely it's everything to do with whichever body the electrician was registered with?

Whether work needs Notification/Building Warrant is irrelevant, members of those bodies are required to work to BS 7671, which means an EIC for a CU replacement.

 

[skenk]

It's nothing to do with [SELECT], unless the contractor/electrician happens to be SELECT registered

That would be assuming they were registered. Given that the contractor (never mind his electrician), has 'gone awol' it seems unlikely there will be any way to check if there is any relevant registration body. But since nobody has asked:

ThePiper, do you know the name or company name of the electrician? If you do you can look them up (not sure where but I imagine on the NICEIC Scotland and SELECT websites), as Banallsheds says, a requirement of their registration is that the carry out work to wiring regs (BS7671) and that includes providing an eic.

The previous poster appeared to imply that because Scotland has a 'registration body' scalper called SELECT there may be some difference in complying with BS7671 and/or building regs. It's like saying 'Because England has NAPIT it may be different' it's not relevant (uness the spark is registered with the body, but there is no indication the identity of the spark is known....)

Building control only require a cert when there is a building warrant for the works. I very much doubt they would be interested in shoddy work which did not require a warrant, maybe if somebody got hurt.

 

[Chri5]

Silly me I thought Select were the governing body taken by the Scots Gov to lead the control of electrical works.

Did a full rewire in Edinburgh in 2005 and all Scots requirements were (at the time) governed by Select.

Are you (mr stink) sure there no requirement to notify a full board replacement in Scotland?

 

[bernardgreen]

Building control only require a cert when there is a building warrant for the works.

Which seems to imply that they only want a certificate if the person doing the work is honest enough to request a warrant before doing the work. An open door for bodgers to do work that would not pass inspection.

I very much doubt they would be interested in shoddy work which did not require a warrant, maybe if somebody got hurt.

I would hope they would be interested in being told about all shoddy work with the aim of preventing the bodger doing further shoddy work to prevent injuries occuring.

 

[skenk]

Select are A trade association which "works closely with...the Scottish Government...to promote issues of importance to SELECT and to provide authoritative input on behalf of the industry." (from their own website). They do not govern anyone but themselves.

I'm not against federations or trade associations in principle, just the dysfunctional registration scheme we have.

Chri5 - "Are you (mr stink)"

Please, don't give up your day-job.

"sure there no requirement to notify a full board replacement in Scotland?"

Yes according to my BC who are as bewildered as I am as to why you would need to pay £100, provide proposed and existing plans of the property, and wait for BC to approve (Building Warrant process) before getting a CU changed.

There is no difference as to whether or not you need a warrant if you use a registered contractor or not.

Bernardgreen: "... only want a certificate if the person doing the work is honest enough to request a warrant before doing the work. An open door for bodgers to do work that would not pass inspection. "

Most work doesn't require a warrant, plenty of work is bodged however which leads to householders thinking a board change should cost £180 and are unwilling to pay for a proper job.

"I would hope they would be interested in being told about all shoddy work with the aim of preventing the bodger doing further shoddy work to prevent injuries occuring."

So would I.

 

[ericmark]

For years electricians never tested or issued certificates which did not mean the work they did was dangerous. The change from fuse to MCB did mean more careful tests were required but older electricians may not always follow the regulations and they are not law although it can be used in a court of law.

In general we are wary of those who will not put their name to the work they have done and don't test the completed work. As to some one testing after in general what is done is a sample test if all OK then testing stops however any faults then the testing goes deeper.

I would not be happy about lack of paper work the problem is finding some one who you can trust to test what has been done. But main point is the insurance and as such maybe the right move is to ask them to recommend a tradesman this way your sure your covered.

 

[JohnW2]

The change from fuse to MCB did mean more careful tests were required ....

Is that really true?

Kind Regards, John