New Kitchen - Minor Works Certificate Legal Requirement, Scotland?

sdl811

:(Hi, looking for some advise.

I live in Scotland and have just had an iundepent fitter install a new kitchen, he used an a third party electrician to carry out the following.

Remove and Install new celing lights, ther were 5 lights now there is 12. From an existing Circuit

Remove all sockets and install 3 single sockets

Replace the cooker switch, circuit was already existing.

install spured switches for all integrated appliances and cooker hood, 7 in total all from an existing circuit

Move a socket and water heater switch to diferent location

All work has been complete however when I ask for an Electrical Installation Certificate I was told not needed and a Minor Works was all i needed.
Now when chasing that up I'm now being told that I don't need a Minor Works Cert as it's not a legal requirement.

He has offered to produce a MWC for an additional cost. I did state at the outset I wanted a cert to cover the work. I've not fully paid for the job and am loafed to pay until I am sure about the certificate requirement.

Does anyone know if it is a legal requirement to provide a certificate for work? if it is where can I see proof.

Many thanks.

Owain_Moneysaver

The Building Standards Scotland require the work to be carried out to the IEE Wiring Regulations or an equivalent standard of safety. See here.

The IEE Wiring Regulations require a certificate to be issued for all new wiring. Given your description a Minor Works Certificate would probably be appropriate.

A "reasonably expected standard of workmanship" would include the relevant certificate.

And 12 new lights on an existing circuit sounds too much to me - a lighting circuit is usually rated at 6A and each lighting point must be rated at 100W or actual load if greater.

sdl811

For got to mention the lights are all g10's off a socket circuit (Thats how it was previsouly wired, the electrician reused the same circuit)

I'm still none the wiser thou if legally I need to be provided a certificate or not.

Is it ok not to have one? are there any issues if I sell the house later on?

I'm also concerned if something were to happen due to the installation I'd have no come back.

baldelectrician

Ask him if the electrics are carried out to the wiring regs- he will say something along the lines of 'yes, of course....'
When he says this ask him for certs as the regs require a cert

I would suggest you ask for a minor works for each certificate

Is the electrician registered?

CyCo_2

You should have been issued a "Domestic Electrical Installation Certificate" which is a LEGAL requirement for any new electrical work, to prove said work has been carried out to conform with BS7671.

Any electrician who is NIECEIC registered will know this is a legal requirement. So it sounds like the one you had isn't registered.

baldelectrician

CyCo wrote: »

You should have been issued a "Domestic Electrical Installation Certificate" which is a LEGAL requirement for any new electrical work, to prove said work has been carried out to conform with BS7671.

Any electrician who is NIECEIC registered will know this is a legal requirement. So it sounds like the one you had isn't registered.

It isn't a LEGAL requirement, maybe a building regs requirement

The NICIEC don't write the regs- they only give the impression they do

In Scotland there are 2 schemes for electrical work, SELECT and NICIEC. The NICIEC have less electrical companies than SELECT in Scotland

sdl811

Still no clear answer to my question.....

baldelectrician

As you stated you wanted a cert at the start I would insist on that before / at the same time as final payment

You are not legally required to have a cert, but as you asked for one at the start this forms part of the contract.
And as the guy never mentioned additional cost when you mentioned the cert I would think he's pulling a fast one

He has probably used an electricain who does not know how to test

Insist on the cert before you pay in full