Refund from electrician - Report to body? What do I do?

lucarunsthishouse2107

Hello out there!

I'm hoping one of you lovely ladies and gents will be able to help and advise what my next steps are going forward.

My partner and I are in the process of renovating our first home together, it's an old house so electrics needed upgrading and some alternations for our new kitchen.

Before we ripped the old kitchen out, we did the usual check a trade review, general internet stalking. A chap came around, quoted, he wasn't the cheapest, but he was registered with Storma, took the time to explain things I didn't understand, all in all, seemed like a lovely guy.

He originally quoted £650 for 6 spotlights being installed in the kitchen and an upgrade to the box in the cellar and issuing a certificate.
There was a problem with the earth wire that prevented him signing things off so went to work on another job whilst we got this sorted. (We work 12 hour shifts, days and nights so wasn't possible to ring the day off). This was sorted, we asked him to return to fix one switch and sort another, he said that we never discussed the jobs that I asked him to do. I couldn't quite remember if I had or hadn't (as a number of issues/stuff going wrong with the house had arisen at the time) so I paid him an extra £150 as requested.

It took ten weeks to get the electrical certificate issued. Started off nice, then got heated, but he eventually sent this over and we cleared the air.

7 Months later...

Two days ago, our Stoves range cooker just stopped working. Did the usual, checking the box in the cellar etc.. Called Stoves ready to beg them to send an engineer - talked them through what I'd done, explained I'd checked the fuse in the plug that it's plugged in, in which she explained it shouldn't be on a general plug into the wall.

Obviously this has been installed wrong, so I called the Electrician who installed it - left a voicemail and text, went down the route of offering to pay for extra work on cooker, if he could give me a call as I just wanted to speak to him - not leave him an angry voicemail and never call!
He text back saying he was at hospital and he'd call me later. Turns out he's become a grandparent again, I said congratulations etc, speak to him soon.

24 hours later, he hasn't called back, so called someone else to come fix. They're here at the moment, just finding problem after problem.
So far, so wiring is burnt out at the back of the range making it more dangerous and the original electrician has ignored the warning about what what it should be installed on in big letter at the back of the oven.
The correct wire that originally should have been installed to the range is hidden behind units banded with electrical tape and still switched on.
The readings on the certificate are for the loose wire in electrical tape meaning he's lied on the report too.

Current electrician is going to take pictures and write me a report of what should have been done and what it's been left like..

But my questions is, where do I go from here? Do I just ask for the money I've had to pay for correction, do I ask for my full money back on jobs he did? £780? Do I complain to STORMA?

If anyone out there can give me some guidance, I'd appreciate it!

Heedtheadvice

From what you write the competence of the electrician you employed for the various jobs would seem to be in doubt. Presumption you live in England....?



In general terms:

Stroma Certification does provide a six year guarantee scheme for consumers where the members work does not meet standards (and the electrician cannot rectify) plus they also should audit work of their members and ensure training and documentation meets the need - all for Notifiable (Building Standards) work. Self Certification for part P of the building regs really requires being a registered electrician (there are other methods but unlikely in your case).
You however also have a a legal responsibility. Did you ascertain if the work was notifiable or not? It could well be that it was not but as you mention the consumer unit.......


See info produced at https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/find-an-electrician/building-regulations/
for general guidance.



Did you check that your electrician was actually a member of Stroma? If not then it has been illegal, I understand, and you should contact Trading Standards.



It would seem that you have not given your electrician much time to rectify the serious problems (just 24 hours?).....but they would seem to be of his making and you probably have no confidence in his/her competence!


Stroma say the members complaints process should be exhausted prior to them gettig involved but it would be my opinion, for what it is worth, in this case getting in touch with them amd explain the situation to see what they say. https://www.stroma.com/certification/consumer-advice
Have a read of their web site.



Your new electrician's report could be key to other matters -it ought to be and Electrical Installation Condition report. Have you employed one from a recognised trade body - and checked that registration with the body?

Risteard

I'm a bit confused.

On one hand you state that he added six downlights and replaced the distribution board. As such I'm not clear as to what his connection is with the cooker wiring.

lucarunsthishouse2107

Thank you for your reply.

Before employing the initial electrician I checked his registration on the STORMA website. When he quoted for the work, I specifically asked I'm happy for any extra work that needs to be done to ensure a certificate can be produced and electrics can be guaranteed for a number of years should we sell in the future.

Whilst I haven't given him much opportunity to correct the matter - from our previous correspondence, now that he's had his money, you have to hound him to get a response. Plus you are correct, I have no confidence in him to correct anything in my property. At this point I'm looking to know how to report this to STORMA and how serious they will take this as I'm not happy that he could potentially do this again to someone else. If he ends up refunding me for the cost I've had to pay to fix it that would be a bonus.

The electrician who has fixed this is NICEIC registered. I asked him to take photographs and write things up for me, do I need to specifically ask for an Electrical Installation Condition report?

lucarunsthishouse2107

Risteard wrote: »

I'm a bit confused.

On one hand you state that he added six downlights and replaced the distribution board. As such I'm not clear as to what his connection is with the cooker wiring.

Sorry this is my fault for being angry when typing this up and not explaining correctly.
When the electrician came to quote, we were installing a new kitchen, so the quote was for spotlights, extra sockets, installation of appliances (really just the cooker) plus any further work the house needed to be compliant enough to have a certificate and electrics guaranteed should we choose to sell.

In the end, the electrics were in extremely good shape, he ended up replacing the board downstairs, installing 3 extra plug sockets, 6 spotlights and connecting the cooker. Tested a range of sockets on different circuits around the house to complete the report he emailed to me.

Risteard

lucarunsthishouse2107 wrote: »

Sorry this is my fault for being angry when typing this up and not explaining correctly.
When the electrician came to quote, we were installing a new kitchen, so the quote was for spotlights, extra sockets, installation of appliances (really just the cooker) plus any further work the house needed to be compliant enough to have a certificate and electrics guaranteed should we choose to sell.

In the end, the electrics were in extremely good shape, he ended up replacing the board downstairs, installing 3 extra plug sockets, 6 spotlights and connecting the cooker. Tested a range of sockets on different circuits around the house to complete the report he emailed to me.

What you need to understand is that any certificate only covers the work carried out by the contractor. So his certificate for replacing a distribution board does not certify the existing installation. Nor can it offer any "guarantee" of the electrics.

The contractor is only responsible for his own work, but should highlight any issues with the existing installation which have been noticed whilst carrying out the works. (He is not required to go out of his way looking for these problems, however.)

Those fundamental to the safety of the work being carried out, notably Earthing and bonding, must be adequate for the altered circumstances. His work must not impair the safety of the existing installation, nor must the safety of his work be impaired by the existing installation.

So that is why I am suggesting that it is unclear as to whether the work the contractor carried out is relevant to the issues identified and whether you have any legal recourse.

Heedtheadvice

Risteard is right to be cautious. It is essential to get the details correct both to get proper advice but more importantly to be able to decide if and what action you take.


With regards to the recommendation I made about a report see https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/find-an-electrician/periodic-inspection-explained/guide-to-condition-reports/
In particular the Periodic report both goes a long way to meet your initial concern regarding the whole condition as it is not just visual but includes tests and could also record the work your NICIEC electrician does to make safe what he found. There would be a charge for the report (it may well be that the new electrician did the tests and recorded as such to enable production of an EICR -ask!). It also gives you something recognised if you take the matter further. As written above by R it is not a guarantee but -akin to an MOT test - the condition at the time of the 'inspection' and as such gives confidence.


What was in the original emailed 'certificate'?


Did it include what work was carried out and the testing to ensure correct operation of the new consumer unit (assumption here that is what the 'new distribution board' is.)


A change in consumer unit needs to comply with the current wiring regs BS7671 including it's performance and ensuring circuits it feeds operate safely. Testing helps to measure those and a certificate records it. In England it is notifiable under part P of the Buildig regs too.


As regards STROMA and their roll read (especially that regarding notifiable work and complaints) on their web site at https://www.stroma.com/certification/consumer-advice