40 year old house - original electrics

Toiletduck

sloughflint wrote: »

I probably don't want to ask this but why? We have metal fittings and no earthing.

Plastic fittings are not conductive so the fitting will not become live if it comes into contact with the live wire, whereas you could be electricuted if that were to happen with an un-earthed metal fitting.

Toiletduck

sloughflint wrote: »

So until finances permit rectification, just turn power off if touching any of the fittings?

Or put back the old plastic ones!

HugoSP

yorksguy11 wrote: »

But if some of the cables coming iinto the consumer unit are black rubber.......

They almost certainly will be

robby-01

The bottom line is that it needs rewiring.It may be ok it may not.The only way to confirm this is to get a full test/inspection done.
I have come across installations that are 40 odd years old and have been left unmolested since new and have been perfectly serviceable.I have inspected installations a qtr of that age that have been deadly.
As someone has said the problem comes when you want to add to or alter the installation this must be done to todays regs.
If it is 40 yrs old it is false economy to not consider a rewire.I have encountered many people who have spent thousands on their houses and neglected their wiring .It breaks their heart when you tell them that it needs rewiring and it makes a hell of a mess of new decoration.
I would get it done the cost is not great considering what you get and how long it lasts.