How can I find a reputable Electrician in the UK?

EvilHamster

Hi all.

I am looking for a reputable and professional electrician to do a small job (electric shower). I took the first electrician I found in the phone book. It was a whole scam organisation called rightio. HORRIBLE company.

I have since been looking for a reputable electrician. Someone who is vetted and checked by an official organisation. I was thinking something like the city council. But I did not find an official recommendation list from them.

I then looked at things like mybuilder . com They seem to have better reviews, but from other reviews I have heard that they are not vetting the repairman. So I am less willing to trust them as well. Is there really no government organisation or something like that where one can be sure that the person one hires is actually a trained expert and has a honest work ethics?

I can not be the only person in the country who wants something like that. How do you guys go about it? Sure, if you or your friends know someone, than you can simply call them again, or they can recommend someone else. But what if you do not know anyone, nor your friends? How do you get started?

Cheers everyone.

J_B

Son in law is an electrician.
He is registered and tested by the NICEIC

Look here ...

http://www.niceic.com/

EvilHamster

Is NICEIC a legitimate organisation? As in, are they affiliated with the trading standards or city council or something like that? and do they vet their workers?

TheCyclingProgrammer

EvilHamster wrote: »

Is NICEIC a legitimate organisation?

Yes they are:
http://www.niceic.com/find-a-contractor/why-choose-us

They aren't the only ones, the electrician I regularly use is with NAPIT.

always_sunny

mybuilder.com?
Unless someone local to you can give you a name and number it's going to be a guessing game!

Tammykitty

Another vote for NICEIC


As well as requiring proof of qualifications, insurance etc, They inspect their members work annually

EvilHamster

Fair enough. I will try NICEIC. Lets hope for the best. It is so sad to see so many people in this are being more scammers than professionals, since it is an honest job at heart and I feel sorry not just for people like who got scammed, but also for the honest professionals doing their job the way it's meant to be done .. .

Cheers all.

Annie1960

Or Which? Trusted Traders. This scheme used to be run by the local Council, but Which? took it over.

They check qualifications, work, and paperwork such as insurance.

http://trustedtraders.which.co.uk/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=**B2B-Brand%20%7CE&utm_term=which%20trusted%20trader&utm_content=Trusted%20Traders%20%2Fe

Risteard

You want an NICEIC Approved Contractor (not Domestic Installer) or an ECA member.

EvilHamster

@Risteard

Sorry, what is the difference between Domestic Installer and Approved Contractor? It is a small job, 1h max I hope. Do Contractors do jobs like that?

Risteard

EvilHamster wrote: »

@Risteard

Sorry, what is the difference between Domestic Installer and Approved Contractor? It is a small job, 1h max I hope. Do Contractors do jobs like that?

An Approved Contractor is assessed on all types of work. A Domestic Installer is, as the name suggests, assesed only on domestic work and may not be qualified or experienced in other types of work.

An Approved Contractor is regularly assessed on five different jobs - a Domestic Installer one.

The qualification requirements for a QS (Qualified Supervisor) in the Approved Contractor scheme are much greater than those in the Domestic Installer scheme.

The Roll of Approved Contractors has been around much, much longer than the Domestic Installer scheme which is simply to do with notification of domestic electrical work to the Council in England & Wales only.

ECA Registered Members are also assessed on all types of electrical work - the assessments are in fact often carried out by the NICEIC under the deemed to satisfy route.

Whilst many will do a small job of 1 hour maximum duration you must be prepared to pay for (substantially) more than one hour given all the time and cost involved in attending your job.