Electrics - competent person - Part P

JennyW_2

My husband is an electrical engineer in the Royal Navy so therefore competent and qualified when it comes to electrical work.

We move into our new flat tomorrow and have plans for a new kitchen/bathroom, new lighting etc and of course this will involve electrical work.

Are we correct in thinking that as a competent person, he can carry out the electrical works but we would have to get the works checked and inspected by a "registered electrician" in order to obtain certification?

Skiduck

"With certain exceptions, when it is proposed to carry out electrical installation work in a dwelling or an associated garden, conservatory or detached outbuilding in England or Wales, notification of the proposals must be given to a building control body before work begins, unless the work is undertaken by a person or firm registered with a Part P self-certification scheme." NICEIC

notifiable works are: http://www.niceic.org.uk/downloads/Pocket%20Guide%208.pdf

New Rules for Electrical Safety:
"If you are planning to extend or alter the electrical installation in your home, such as providing extra sockets in the kitchen, or adding new ceiling lights, don't attempt it yourself. Ensure you employ a competent electrician.


The Government introduced a new law in January, which demands that most electrical work in UK households is only carried out by a ‘competent' person. Up to now, the electrical industry has maintained relatively high safety standards, aided by voluntary controls such as those practiced by NICEIC Approved Contractors. But with an increasing use and variety of electrical equipment and appliances in our homes, it is not surprising that we are exposed to an increased risk of electric shock and fires caused by faulty electrical installations.

In fact, according to Government statistics, every year 5 deaths and over 500 injuries are caused by faulty electrical installations in the home. Added to this, 12,500 fires caused by electrical faults, resulting in 25 deaths and 590 injuries every year, so it is not difficult to see why an electrical safety law needs to be enforced.

"The changes to the law are welcomed by NICEIC", says Director General, Jim Speirs. "Safe electrics in the home can be the difference between life and death for you and your family, but they are often overlooked in the long to-do list when buying, renovating or converting a house."

The NICEIC carries out regular assessments of its registered electrical contractors to ensure that they are and continue to be ‘competent' to carry out electrical installations. By looking at this website, you have already made a conscious effort to use a ‘competent' electrician. But what you now need to do is gain a better understanding of how the new law affects you, your friends and family. "
"You are. It will be a legal requirement for homeowners and landlords to be able to prove that all fixed electrical installations and alteration work have been carried out and certified by a competent person. That is, by an electrician registered with a Government approved body such as the NICEIC. "
NICEIC


From what I read from that, it looks like a competant person is a fully trained electrician.

"What is the electrical safety law?

Electrical safety requirements have been included in a new Part P of the Building Regulations. The Building Regulations deal with the health and safety of people in and around buildings by providing functional requirements for building design and construction.

The law states that anyone carrying out fixed electrical installations in households in England and Wales must ensure that electrical installations are:

- Designed and installed to afford appropriate protection against mechanical and thermal damage, and so that they do not present electric shock and fire hazards to people

- Suitably inspected and tested to verify that they meet the relevant equipment and installation standards "
NICEIC


full Part P rules here: http://www.niceic.org.uk/consumers/partp1.html

Ystrad_Lad

The cheapest way is as Skiduck says, if it is notifiable work, just get in touch with your Building Control office at your local authority and then let hubby do the job. If it isn't notifiable then no problem.

Building Control will send you a pack of forms. Return them with the fee, about £150. When hubby completes the work he needs to send them the appropriate inspection and test certificates which he completes in accordance with 16th Ed Wiring Regs.

It is then up to Building Control, they may choose to get the work checked (at their expense) or accept hubby's completed certificates.

Alternatively get an electrician. Some are registered with NICEIC but there are also several other bodies who run equivalent schemes. Many electricians don't bother to register because of the cost, they will do the work and inform Building Control themselves.

Which ever route you choose make sure you have the relevant completed certificates ie an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate and Building Control confirmation. In order to complete these documents hubby will need calibrated test equipment.

It may be cheaper to get an electrician after all!

JennyW_2

Ystrad_Lad wrote:

The cheapest way is as Skiduck says, if it is notifiable work, just get in touch with your Building Control office at your local authority and then let hubby do the job. If it isn't notifiable then no problem.

Building Control will send you a pack of forms. Return them with the fee, about £150. When hubby completes the work he needs to send them the appropriate inspection and test certificates which he completes in accordance with 16th Ed Wiring Regs.

It is then up to Building Control, they may choose to get the work checked (at their expense) or accept hubby's completed certificates.

Alternatively get an electrician. Some are registered with NICEIC but there are also several other bodies who run equivalent schemes. Many electricians don't bother to register because of the cost, they will do the work and inform Building Control themselves.

Which ever route you choose make sure you have the relevant completed certificates ie an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate and Building Control confirmation. In order to complete these documents hubby will need calibrated test equipment.

It may be cheaper to get an electrician after all!

what about if my husband carries out the work and pays for an electrican to come around and test the works and complete the certificates?

Skiduck

JennyW wrote:

what about if my husband carries out the work and pays for an electrican to come around and test the works and complete the certificates?

worth a try, but you may find it hard to get someone to do that. It's like fitting a boiler and asking a corgi registered installer to commision it - why should they after they have paid for certification and training?

Ystrad_Lad

Yes that's fine.

Some electricians are reluctant to sign off other people's work but I'm sure you will find someone.

weekendwarrior

The NICEIC website is outdated and has plenty of controversial subjects on it, take for example the paragraph above-

The Government introduced a new law in January, which demands that most electrical work in UK households is only carried out by a ‘competent' person. Up to now, the electrical industry has maintained relatively high safety standards, aided by voluntary controls such as those practiced by NICEIC Approved Contractors. But with an increasing use and variety of electrical equipment and appliances in our homes, it is not surprising that we are exposed to an increased risk of electric shock and fires caused by faulty electrical installations.

It was January 2005 when it was introduced, but the NECEIC website does not say this!





The official part p document can be found here-

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/en/4000000001253.html

There is a post Here regarding the confusion that has been caused by the NICIEC

JennyW_2

Ystrad_Lad wrote:

Yes that's fine.

Some electricians are reluctant to sign off other people's work but I'm sure you will find someone.

oops I pressed thanks instead of quote!

Well our current next door neighbour is an electrician so he may do this for us.

24_hour_sparks

an electrician like myself registered as an approved contractor and a domestic installer ( part p)are told that we are not allowed to notify other peoples work weather they are competent or not as the case maybe.


also once the relevent certificate has been signed by the person registered then he/she imediatily becomes responcible and liabile for that work, and if the house burns down, the book will be thrown at the person signing the certificate, not the person who installed it.

thats why most electricians who are registered and competent wont touch it with a barge pole.

thanks andy

Ystrad_Lad

Taking up 24 Hour Sparks' point, if you can't get an electrician to certify it then just inform Building Control before the work starts and it's then up to them!

Building Control's fee is likely to be less than the electrician's!!!!!!

FilthyLuka

Building control will often need to see the "1st fix" wiring prior to covering it over as well as the test info

if your husband does go do the DIY route rather than Registered Competent Person route make sure to make the application to building control before the works begin and find out what they need to inspect

last thing you want to do is decorate then have to chase all your walls out again!