Electrical Installations

haverhillhammer

When I installed my new kitchen last year, I did the electrics myself,as it wasn't a new installation, just replacing old sockets for new.

I have just sold my house, and the buyers solicitors are asking about this work.

What should I say? There is mention of BS7671 certificates and such like.
Is it okay to just say I did it myself?

olly300

Sorry electrics in kitchens and bathrooms even replacements have to be done by a qualified electrician, or be inspected by the council building control department. You are not suppose to even change a light fitting yourself in those rooms. (I'm doing some electrical work and asked an electrician this.)

Have a look at this wickes leaflet: http://www.wickes.co.uk/content/ebiz/wickes/resources/images/gil/910.pdf

In other words you will have to pay for the work to be inspected and verified as being up to standard, or give money to the vendor to do it. Do whatever is quickest.

haverhillhammer

Ok, thanks for the info.

silvercar

I would say "please rely on your own surveys" or whatever the legal words are. If they want to get the work inspected they can.

Those regulations only came in recently, whose to say when the work was done.

To put some realism into this, is there any reason to expect the new owners not to be able to live in the property as you have done now? If they want an inspection then let them. Just because the house is changing hands does that mean the electrics suddenly become unsafe?

If you want a house that meets current standards in all aspects you should buy a new build!

thesaint

olly300 wrote: »

Sorry electrics in kitchens and bathrooms even replacements have to be done by a qualified electrician, or be inspected by the council building control department. You are not suppose to even change a light fitting yourself in those rooms. (I'm doing some electrical work and asked an electrician this.)

Have a look at this wickes leaflet: http://www.wickes.co.uk/content/ebiz/wickes/resources/images/gil/910.pdf

In other words you will have to pay for the work to be inspected and verified as being up to standard, or give money to the vendor to do it. Do whatever is quickest.

Either the electrician you asked is telling porkies in order to get more work, or you've misunderstood him.

olly300

thesaint wrote: »

Either the electrician you asked is telling porkies in order to get more work, or you've misunderstood him.

Nope. I understood him perfectly and he wasn't going to charge me to do it as he thought the regulations where over the top where it came to people replacing old stuff with new stuff in bathrooms and kitchens. (This is the stuff the OP is posting about.)

Not doing it now at the moment due to the space where the light is situated next to the shower curtain. Going to have to do it when I fit the kitchen and need the electrics moved in there.

thesaint

What the OP is talking about is different to what you posted, please read the 1st paragraph of your post again, if you believe it to be correct, I will post the same information in the D.I.Y. section of this site and see.

To clarify, I understand from your post that you are saying:

Electrics in kitchens and bathrooms, even replacements have to be done by a qualified electrician or be inspected by the council building control department. You are not suppose to even change a light fitting yourself in those rooms.

kingkano

I also understood this to be the case. All electrical work in bathrooms and kitchens (and gardens and conservatories - areas that have access to water I think it is basically) is covered by the new part-p regulations and has to be undertaken by a qualified professional or inspected....??? Unless I completely misunderstood the stuff I read at the time. You can't even supposedly change a light switch in these areas!!

Hence why the Op is being questioned by solicitors. When this is done you get a safety certificate either from the inspector or from the Part P qualified person (who can self-certify their work as safe) - I can tell you this bit for a fact as I just got one for my new kitchen installed to sell the flat.

Remember none of part p is any bother to people unless you are selling or renting the place out. The only way out of it is to say it was done before the regulations. Could be a problem if the Op has already stated it wasnt.

The only difference I can see is OP stated no rewiring just changing sockets. Im not absolutely positive thats not allowed but I have a feeling it isnt from how heavy handed the literature I read sounded.

thesaint

I understand that there are restrictions, what I don't believe is the last paragraph in my post.

I will research if needed, but I refuse to believe that I would have to get an electrician(or get the councils building controls department to inspect) to replace my 1way/1gang lightswitch to one exactly the same in my kitchen.

haverhillhammer

I have spoken to 3 different electricians today.

They have all said that what I have done is okay.I have replaced what was there, not done a new installation.

BobProperty

Like for like replacement does not fall under the remit of Part P.
I'll post a link in a bit when I find it.
There you go: http://wiki.diynot.com/electrics:part_p:diy_electrical_work_and_the_law

The author of that, Ban-All-Sheds, is usually pretty reliable on the technicalities of the rules.