Worried about Eletrical Installation

[Don94]

Hi,
I am new to the forum really need some advice on some electrical work I had done about 4-5 years ago.

I had a new kitchen installed including re-wiring . The old wiring was not good and was all replaced with new sockets etc. The consumer unit was replaced with a new one as well. I have recently been told that the installation should have been registered. As far as I know this wasn't done.

The guy doing the kitchen arranged for the electrical work to be done and it looked like it was being done to a good standard, and hasn't given any problems. l took photos of the work being done as a record

I know I should have known better, but I do not have any certificates etc.

I am now very worried about the whole thing. What should I do?

I can longer contact the guy who did the work.

I know I have been a bit naive. Can I get the work tested to see if it is all ok and to satisfy regulations or am I in trouble?

I wish I knew about this forum then

Don

 

[Adam_151]

Having a perioidic inspection report done should show up if there is anything to worry about

The non-notification issue is one that you cant really do a great deal about now, unless you can persuade the LABC to accept the PIR (depending on findings) as proof the work meets part P1 under a regulisation building notice

Or you could just sit on your PIR happy until the time comes you need to sell your house and you'll probably have to invest in some minor cost (in grand scheme of things) of some libility insurance to cover work that wasn;t signed off properly incase it gives any issues

EDIT: If you post the pics here, we can judge the installers competance for you

 

[riveralt]

Yeh gods man.......what have you done..........expect the knock on the door at 3am

You cannot undo the past - you have two options..

Firstly, do nothing - you may have a problem when you come to sell the house but maybe not - it depends on the type of questions you are asked by the solicitor acting for the buyer.

Secondly, for piece of mind, you might want to engage an electrician qualified to conduct a Periodic Inspection Report. This will give you a list of any issues (or not) that you might have with the whole of the installation and will probably satisfy any buyers solicitor and possibly the Local Authority Building Control should someone 'rat' you out.

 

[Don94]

Thanks for the quick replies. I will definitely get an inspection done asap. hopefully there will not be any problems. I have only started to worry now because I want to get my shed rewired and somebody I was talking to about it told me about the mistake I have made. How will this affect any further wiring I intend having done e.g. the shed. I want to make extra sure it is all done properly now I know. Iwill try to upload photos tomorrow evening. Thanks for the advice so far.

Don

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ask electricians to quote for the shed wiring and the PIR - should be cheaper than doing them as two separate jobs.

 

[SimonH2]

As a thought, how much work is needed to count as "an installation" ? EG, if an electrician removed all the breakers from a board and re-istalled them, could that legitimately count as having installed a) the breakers themselves, or b) the board ? I guess worst case is he actually drops the tails and re-connects them.

I'm thinking that given the scale of fees charged by my LABC, it could be cheaper to get an electrician to "change" the board - assuming he's prepared to put his name to what's been done.

 

[riveralt]

I'm thinking that given the scale of fees charged by my LABC, it could be cheaper to get an electrician to "change" the board - assuming he's prepared to put his name to what's been done.

Yes but he/she should do a PIR before fitting the board.

 

[SimonH2]

I'm thinking that given the scale of fees charged by my LABC, it could be cheaper to get an electrician to "change" the board - assuming he's prepared to put his name to what's been done.

Yes but he/she should do a PIR before fitting the board.

Which is sort of relevant. But I was getting at, if the board has been changed and not correctly notified, there are only two routes to compliance with Part P now : get LABC to deal with it, or get an electrician to change the board again and certify it. Given the costs for our LABC, and especially adding the 50% extra for post-fact rectification of non-notified works, it might be cheaper to get someone in to change the board again*.

Either route would get you round the "oops I've had illegal work done" problem.

* Bear in mind that the parts are already paid for assuming it's a new board and up to current spec.