I have been told that there is to be a review of Part P in May of this year and they will be looking at:
- • Refining list of notifiable jobs
• Amending guidance on inspection and testing
• Adding guidance on accessibility of consumer units
• Amending guidance on upgrading existing installations
• Role of local authorities in inspection and testing
• Building control charges
Anyone know what might happen to Building Control charges, will they be making them more affordable depending on the
As I understand it, the reason behind the review is to try and standardise the approach Local Authoriities are taking toward Part P implementation, in particular relating to testing and inspecting and the charges incurred.
This transcript from the planning portal highlights may be one of the reasons why this review is deemed necessary.
Local authority inspection and testing of electrical installation work in dwellings
Where electrical installation work in dwellings is carried out by an installer registered with an authorised Part P competent person scheme (see Schedule 2A of the Building Regulations 2000, as amended), there is no requirement to submit a building notice or full plans to the local authority. Regulation 16A authorises the local authority to accept a certificate from the person carrying out the work as evidence that the requirements of Regulations 4 and 7 have been satisfied.
Where, however, notifiable electrical installation work is to be carried out by a person not registered with a Part P competent person scheme, a building notice or full plans must be submitted to the local authority. Under section 91 of the Building Act 1984 local authorities are then under a duty to enforce the relevant building regulations in their areas. Regulation 18 allows local authorities to make such tests as may be necessary to establish whether building work (including electrical installation work) complies with the requirements in Schedule 1 to the Regulations.
There have been reports that some local authorities are asking householders to have electrical installation work inspected, tested and certificated by someone other than the person carrying out the work. Section 33(2) of the Building Act 1984 (which would give power to local authorities to require persons carrying out building work to carry out such reasonable tests, at the person's expense, of or in connection with the work for the purpose of enabling local authorities to ascertain whether the work complies with the requirements of the Regulations) has not been commenced. This means in our opinion that local authorities do not have the power to require householders to retain an electrician to test and certificate the work in accordance with BS 7671.
Local authorities which have adopted such a practice should discontinue it immediately.
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I'm of the opinion that if it is standardised and LABC become responsible for providing an electrician to certify the work, this can only be achieved by the electrician supervising most of the work - otherwise it would be difficult for him/her to be able to sign the work off as meeting BS7671.
If this were to happen then I would imagine that the fee charged would increase significantly - unless an exemption is made to LABC employed electricians to test and validate other peoples work - which kind of defeats the object.
