Failed EICR and accidental landlord

Neb13

@moneysavinghero I do not think it is advisory but seems strange he wont supply me with report!  

AdrianC

"Needs rewiring, mate" could be anything from "The CU is not up to current regs, and I'm about ready to book my holidays" through to "I ran out of there to fetch my rubber boots and gloves from the van".

SallyDucati

Is this an electrician you have used before and trust? 

Neb13

AdrianC said:

"Needs rewiring, mate" could be anything from "The CU is not up to current regs, and I'm about ready to book my holidays" through to "I ran out of there to fetch my rubber boots and gloves from the van".

But quoting me 4.5k is for a full rewire.  I know the CU needs updating, I can afford that but I cannot afford 4.5k! 

AdrianC

Part P of Building Regs requires the entire electrical system to be tested and shown to be up to scratch if major work such as replacing the CU is done. So if the rest of the electrics are shonky, then - yes - replacing the CU will require the rest to be done.

Why does the CU "need" updating? It may very well benefit from being updated, but that's not the same thing.

But this is all speculation until you get the paperwork.

The one thing we do know for a fact is that what you can or cannot afford is, unfortunately, not relevant as far as your legal responsibilities to your tenant are concerned.

Neb13

AdrianC said:

Part P of Building Regs requires the entire electrical system to be tested and shown to be up to scratch if major work such as replacing the CU is done. So if the rest of the electrics are shonky, then - yes - replacing the CU will require the rest to be done.

Why does the CU "need" updating? It may very well benefit from being updated, but that's not the same thing.

But this is all speculation until you get the paperwork.

The one thing we do know for a fact is that what you can or cannot afford is, unfortunately, not relevant as far as your legal responsibilities to your tenant are concerned.

He said it had no RDC (or RCD?) The problem is, without a job I cannot take out a loan to cover repairs so I have no idea what I am supposed to do?

AdrianC

A non-RCD CU alone would probably just be a C3.
https://www.electriciansforums.net/threads/eicr-and-rcds-is-it-a-c2-or-c3.172686/

An RCD is the thing that turns the power off sharpish if live meets earth. Before they were ubiquitous in CUs, people plugged them in to sockets then plugged their lawnmower in to the RCD.

FreeBear

Neb13 said: The problem is, without a job I cannot take out a loan to cover repairs so I have no idea what I am supposed to do?

Have a chat with your bank. If you can demonstrate a steady & reliable income from the rent, they may well give you a small loan. With interest rates as low as they are at the moment, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Robbo66

AdrianC said:

Yes, the s21 notice you would give them is currently six months. That may return to the normal two months shortly, as pandemic precautions retreat.

However, it's likely that the lack of a current EICR will invalidate the s21 notice. AIUI, the situation is not clear, because it's not been tested by courts yet, but it's very likely they will take the same line as GSCs.

I doubt it would invalidate your buildings insurance, unless the claim was for damage caused by an electrical fire caused by a fault identified on the EICR.

What does the EICR actually say?
C3 points are not a fail - they are merely "not up to current regs" - nor do they have to be.
C2 points are a fail, and potentially dangerous.
C1 points are a fail, and currently dangerous.
If you have C1s and C2s on the EICR, then your priority should be the safety of your tenant, not the paperwork. I'm sorry that you're running a business with inadequate capital for predictable costs, but that is not your tenant's fault.

There is currently no link to the EICR and serving a section 21, this may change in the future but at the moment not a requirement

wilfred30

Until such time as you actually receive the EICR, you can't really do anything.  A text message doesn't cut it.
You need written proof that it definitely needs a rewire and I personally would be a tad suspicious of an electrician who hasn't sent it to you despite your requests.