Wiring & buildings regs - how do they know?

[Paul5152]

I did a lot of electrical work in our house (replacing the CU, fixing errors in the existing circuits (radials with 32A fuses, lighting circuits with 16A fuses etc), adding sockets, rewiring kitchen, adding power to outbuildings etc) when we moved in 10 years ago (and subsequently as we found problems, until 2005 when the rules changed). Obviously this was before building regs applied to electrical work, so we didn't need to do anything with the LABC.

I've seen comments here about people needing certificates if they came to sell their house and had done work themselves *now* - but how would a potential buyer know that I had done the work prior to 2005 so it didn't need a certificate?

 

[Fred_Fanackapan]

Pre-harmonised cable core colours, date code (if any) on CU etc. ?

 

[Paul5152]

I can see a date code (if there is one) on the CU helping there (but I could have had it in a box for a while..)

Cable colouring changed in 2004 and AIUI the old colours were allowed until 2006, so that's a bit of an iffy check, since Black/Red cabling could have been used after 2005 and Blue/Brown cabling could have been used before 2005... (the IEE should have changed the colours at the same time as part P came into effect, at least then they'd know that blue/brown was subject to part P)

 

[mattylad]

They will know only by your telling them & thats only if/when they ask.

Unless you wrote "I installed this ere - 17/03/06" on everything

 

[mattylad]

By the way, the local authority building departments WILL know, because the LABC spying act of 2005 gave them permission to fit bugs & spy cameras in all home while you were out.

They have been watching your every move.
They also commented that you missed the earth sleeving off the socket in the corner of the lounge.

 

[Paul5152]

They also commented that you missed the earth sleeving off the socket in the corner of the lounge.

Argh! I'll fix it! I promise!!!

 

[sm1thson]

They will know only by your telling them & thats only if/when they ask.

when you sell a house it is perfectly normal to have to sign a legal declaration prepared by the solicitors saying something like "has there been any building or electrical work done on the property in the last 5 (for example) years? if so supply details below...."

if you say yes the solicitor will ask for the relevant certificates, if you say no and when the new people move in they suspect you have and look into things further you will have to pay the cost of any necessary work to get it put 'right' and the ball will be in their court as to what electrician they use etc.

 

[Jaymack]

I've seen comments here about people needing certificates if they came to sell their house and had done work themselves *now* - but how would a potential buyer know that I had done the work prior to 2005 so it didn't need a certificate?

Horse tied up at the front door, spurs on your safety boots, quivering bottom lip, sweating, licking of lips, not eyeballing, blinking rapidly and length of nose are all giveaways. Or how else would your spouse recognise you were telling porkies?

Regards

 

[ColJack]

I asked the girlfriend once how she could allways tell when I was lying..
she said "Your lips move..."

 

[ban-all-sheds]

By the way, the local authority building departments WILL know, because the LABC spying act of 2005 gave them permission to fit bugs & spy cameras in all home while you were out.

They have been watching your every move.
They also commented that you missed the earth sleeving off the socket in the corner of the lounge.

But the way they sell subscription access to the cameras in the bathroom is a great way to bring council tax down....

 

[mattylad]

WOuld you like the URL of the webcam link?
its www.##########

Seriously though, the whole part P thing is full of holes that will allow us to get away with not notifying, so its all up to the OP if he wants to or not.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

But like anything you do that requires Building Regulations approval, lack of it could bite you years down the line..

 

[Paul5152]

Seriously though, the whole part P thing is full of holes that will allow us to get away with not notifying, so its all up to the OP if he wants to or not.

Well, all the work I did WAS before 2005. However, I was thinking of doing some notifiable extra work which was related to the earlier work, and was slightly worried that the inspector would think that some of the work I did then should have been notified as well - IYSWIM.

BTW, here, in Kirklees, they are a nightmare. If you are not a 'registered electrician' they want to charge you £150 on top of the already expensive £120-ish for a small job. AFAICS, that means that everyone has to pay this extra £150 unless they can self-notify. So, even though I've done & documented all the BS7671 tests, that doesn't count. Even though I've done C&G 2931, that doesn't count. AFAICT, part P says that if I'm a 'competent person' (which C&G 2931 should prove, although even that isn't strictly necessary) then my test certificates should be good enough. I may as well not bother doing the tests myself...

It's no wonder people might not notify small jobs! To put an extra socket in the kitchen, £120 is bad enough, but £270 is just silly. It would be cheaper to get a 'proper electrician', but having seen the mess that *some* of those make, I'd rather do it myself.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Paul5152]

I could, but the LABC would ignore that and still want to charge me the extra £150 for their own test - even for the 10 minute tests required by the 'Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate'.

ISTM that the BCOs don't understand electrics AT ALL, so they just go over the top on safety even for minor jobs where the Approved Document P says they don't need to.