New Consumer Unit and Signing Off

[Georgie73]

Hi

I've had an electrician recommended to me but how can I tell if he is definitely qualified?

Also, does an electrician have to 'register the work' when changing over a consumer unit? If so, what is the rough cost of this registration?

E.g. Gas Safe engineers are charged about £5.00 when they register new boilers - I know it's nowhere near the same thing - just looking to cover any unexpected costs.

Many thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

It will/should be included in the price if you use a registered electrician - he has to do it (couple of pounds).

If you use an unregistered electrician YOU have to notify the Local Authority Building Control before the work starts and pay a fee of some hundred pounds (it varies).

http://www.competentperson.co.uk/ - not infallible, though.

 

[Georgie73]

That's why I'm worried he is not properly qualified, he said it costs £100 for him to register his work. And he told me he is NICEIC registered.

When he finishes his work, should he be able to give me an NICEIC certificate? Or does this come a few days later in the post?

I need the works done professionally and certified as the property is being sold on and obviously, safety comes first. Is there a register I can check? Sorry, just seen the competent person link!

 

[EFLImpudence]

That's why I'm worried he is not properly qualified, he said it costs £100 for him to register his work. And he told me he is NICEIC registered.

Read into that what you will.

It does cost some £500 per year so perhaps he ony does five such jobs a year.

When he finishes his work, should he be able to give me an NICEIC certificate? Or does this come a few days later in the post?

Yes, it may take a few days if he likes to print them nicely as I do.
Then in a couple of weeks you will receive a 'Certificate of compliance' from NICEIC.
There are other schemes - Elecsa, Napit, and a few small ones.

I need the works done professionally and certified as the property is being sold on and obviously, safety comes first. Is there a register I can check? Sorry, just seen the competent person link!

 

[Robin0577]

A £100 charge to register the work should certainly ring alarm bells, there are a few different possibilities though....

1. He's not registered with any scheme and is charging you £100 so he can either notify via LABC or get a mate of his round who is registered to notify on his behalf

2. He is registered with NICEIC or similar but for commercial/industrial work not domestic, meaning he has to notify domestic work via LABC. This would be perfectly legitimate but obviously not cost effective from your point of view.

3. He is properly registered and is simply charging you over the odds, possibly because he prefers jobs without any paper trail for tax reasons.

I'll leave you to interpret the relative dodgyness of those options

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

As mentioned in above posts, it cost between £1.50 and £3.00 depending what scheme provider they are registered with to notify the work.
A Consumer Unit swap/replacement does require notification and if self certing, an electrical installation certificate.
If they are with NICEIC? Then enter their details here:
http://www.niceic.com/Page/SearchContractors or http://www.electricalsafetyregister.com/
and the company or person will appear, if bona fide!

or if not NICEIC then try http://www.competentperson.co.uk/.

Although scheme providers frown upon their logo being used by non-registered electricians. They will do burger all to help you if the installer is not a registered member. And will point you towards "Trading Standards" who in turn will do almost burger all!
Unfortunate that is that, and makes a mockery of the whole idea behind this!

 

[Georgie73]

Thanks everyone. Really appreciated.

 

[riveralt]

As mentioned in above posts, it cost between £1.50 and £3.00 depending what scheme provider they are registered with to notify the work.

Now in the narrowest sense of the word you are correct - but as others have pointed out it costs considerably more than that to initially register and maintain that registration.
This has to be paid for somehow - it is not free.
Additionally while the time to register work may be relatively quick - when I did it online it took about three minutes - but it took considerably longer to test the circuits and complete the appropriate paperwork.

To the OP:
While £100 to register may be considered high what is the total charge for the work he is completing and what is that work?
If you consider this total high - then get two other quotations - that will go some way to help you compare - though personal recommendation is generally thought of as the best way to proceed.

If despite the price you still want to go with this electrician you have been shown several ways in which you can check his validity.

 

[JohnW2]

Additionally while the time to register work may be relatively quick - when I did it online it took about three minutes - but it took considerably longer to test the circuits and complete the appropriate paperwork.

You make very valid points about costs etc., but as far as the above point is concerned, if you had done the work, would you not undertake exactly the same tests, and document all the results in much the same manner, even if you were not self-certifying the work?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Georgie73]

I am not unhappy about the price of the work - it's a little more than what I had hoped but I don't consider it unreasonable. It's just that we was negotiating price and he threw this comment in which started me worrying about the possibility he might not be qualified.

I don't know his company name yet - and there doesn't seem to be an option of searching under name. I guess when he comes tomorrow I can ask to see his NICEIC card.

 

[riveralt]

but as far as the above point is concerned, if you had done the work, would you not undertake exactly the same tests, and document all the results in much the same manner, even if you were not self-certifying the work?

£100 to supply fit, test, certify and register a new consumer unit is very cheap.
£100 to test, certify and register a new consumer unit is very reasonable.
£100 to write a certificate for a new consumer unit and give to the customer is illegal.
I am not sure which one applies to the this customer or this electrician.
The focus has certainly been on the BAD electrician without hearing both sides of the story.

 

[JohnW2]

I am not unhappy about the price of the work - it's a little more than what I had hoped but I don't consider it unreasonable. It's just that we was negotiating price and he threw this comment in which started me worrying about the possibility he might not be qualified.

As I've just implied in my response to riveralt, maybe he expressed himself badly - i.e. maybe much of that £100 he quoted was for testing and documentation which he would actually still have to do (and, presumably, charge for) even if he wasn't goint to 'self-certify' the work (as a NICIEC 'scheme member' - if that is indeed what he is).

If he is not a member of a scheme which allows him to certify, £100 would not pay the LABC fees in (m)any areas - £200 - £400 is more common.

Kind Regards, John

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If they only registered 5 jobs a year than, I could understand a little reasoning behind a £100 charge. I understand that not only does the notification fee, upfront costs of registration and Insurances need to be factored in.
But when I quote it's all-in, I inform the client that they will receive notification of compliance and an EIC on completion.
Seems odd that anyone would do it differently!

 

[JohnW2]

£100 to test, certify and register a new consumer unit is very reasonable.
£100 to write a certificate for a new consumer unit and give to the customer is illegal.

That was my point - maybe he expressed himself badly and was actually quoting for the former of those (plus the latter) but expressed it in a way which made it sound as if it was just for the latter.

The focus has certainly been on the BAD electrician without hearing both sides of the story.

Exactly - hence my 'possible benefit of the doubt' comment above.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Georgie73]

£250 to install, test and register. He did want £350.

I've started using professional trades for regular repeat business and I've been told by other professionals that I should be paying regular day rates (professional rates) because of this.

E.g. Property empty - no carpets or furnishing - no other trades to work around. Straight forward rewire of 2 bed bungalow. This took two electricians 2 days and for labour only, I was charged £800. I was happy, £200 per person per day.

I was hoping this electrician who has been recommended would charge me £200 as it's less than a days work (but round it up) and it is one person. I am ok with £250, but it was the fact he was after £350. Not good when I would hopefully want him as a repeat trader.