advice needed! victim of dodgy electrician

stripeyshirt

... we were told the wiring as it is is dangerous as the wiring has been run under the carpet, on top of the floorboards - and is not contained.

Also, some sockets have been spurred off the ring main (and in a chain) and are a lower amp than the fusebox.

All of the spotlights we have had installed are not earthed.

This is a hazard isn't it?

The building firm isn't Part P registered - or indeed registered with any trade body.

The second electrician did say that the fusebox installed was edition 16 not edition 17 - and that at the time it was installed it was edition 17 in force.

How many times do we have to go back to the builder? He sent around a 'qualified' electrician yesterday who was panicking when we insisted he tell us who he is registered so that we could phone them to verify it.

Jaynne

stripeyshirt wrote: »

... we were told the wiring as it is is dangerous as the wiring has been run under the carpet, on top of the floorboards - and is not contained.

Also, some sockets have been spurred off the ring main (and in a chain) and are a lower amp than the fusebox.

All of the spotlights we have had installed are not earthed.

This is a hazard isn't it?

Yes I think that pretty much qualifies as hazardous I'm afraid. You should only have a single spur off a socket not a chain. Not sure what you mean by lower amp than the fusebox unless there is a fused socket (which is allowed to spur off a spur).

Cable just run under a carpet speaks for itself.

I'm assuming the spots aren't low voltage as they wouldn't be earthed.

I certainly wouldn't want to live a long time with electrics in that state but if you don't put heavy furniture on the cable under the carpet and don't change the bulbs in your spots (from your description I wouldn't trust that there wasn't any lose wiring) you should be fine to look round and get some quotes to get it all sorted properly.

Don't pay that builder a penny if you have anything outstanding and explain that you want a qualified electrician to come and fix it all and that you will be asking to see proof of their qualifications when they arrive as the person he has sent round previously is a complete cowboy. Tell him you are giving him 7 days to sort it out before going to trading standards and the small claims court.

stripeyshirt

Thanks Jaynne - You have pretty much confirmed my feeling!

We wrote him a letter saying that he had 7 days to rectify it and he sent the same guy around who isn't registered!

We have already spoken to trading standards who couldn't offer a huge amount of advice with respect to recovering the costs but have put the complaint 'on file'.

We have an electrician who was recommended to us by a friend coming over on Friday to have a look and quote to make it safe. I don't think we can afford to have it all re-done as it should have been in the first place because of the decorating, flooring and plastering.

Has anyone had any experience of taking a builder or tradesman to the small claims court? Any tips?

Thanks everyone!

Leif

I don't think you would need a full replaster after chasing the wires into walls, as far as I know the channels could be patched, and with care be invisible. But you would need redecoration, and there might be damage to coving, though to be honest coving is easy to put up. So the cost might not be as high as feared. Someone in the trade might be able to confirm this. But you should not have to pay.

Trading Standards recently advised me how to deal with a rogue trader, which consists of sending a recorded delivery letter, quoting the Supply of Good and Services Act 1982, and then describing clearly what I asked the traders people to do, what they did, and why I am unhappy with the work. At the end I state what I want from them, and give them a fixed time period, such as 14 days or 28 days, to comply. Please check up with TS and not take the above as gospel, as I might have missed out something important.

If your builder is not willing to make good at his expense, then it might be worthwhile to have someone qualified inspect the wiring and then write a short report on their findings. I know you had someone round, but did they write down their findings? That will bolster your case. And when they say it is dangerous they might mean "there is currently low risk, but with time, the risk may become high", or something like that.

zax47

stripeyshirt wrote: »

... we were told the wiring as it is is dangerous as the wiring has been run under the carpet, on top of the floorboards - and is not contained.

Also, some sockets have been spurred off the ring main (and in a chain) and are a lower amp than the fusebox.

All of the spotlights we have had installed are not earthed.

This is a hazard isn't it?

The building firm isn't Part P registered - or indeed registered with any trade body.

The second electrician did say that the fusebox installed was edition 16 not edition 17 - and that at the time it was installed it was edition 17 in force.

How many times do we have to go back to the builder? He sent around a 'qualified' electrician yesterday who was panicking when we insisted he tell us who he is registered so that we could phone them to verify it.

Christ on a bike - wiring under carpets! :eek:

He was no electrician, that's for sure - did he tie his horse up outside?

Criminals like this - for that's what he is - give us real tradespeople a bad name.

I say sue - sue his !!!! off and to hell with him!

stripeyshirt

thanks for your help everyone!

I will come back and post the outcome of this mess...