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I've had an EICR on the house in Reading that I rent out with some unsatisfactory points and I'm looking for some advice.

Broadly, there are no big surprises because I know that the CU is old, has no RCDs and needs to be changed out. But:

1) Circuits not buried more than 50mm....the house was built in the 1980s (with old red/black T&E) and the cable depth is what it is. Is this an item that they have to report and I just need to ignore?

Actually I doubt that the cable depth is more than 50mm even in my brand new house as it's only slab n dab plasterboard and the total depth is not even 50mm...but that's a different issue. This house is brick & breeze-block.

4, 9) Ceiling rose needs replacing, unswitched socket. I don't mind paying for things I can't do, but I'm perfectly capable to do this myself - but would I then need to get another EICR to show a clean report? So is there a real benefit to get the same sparky to fix this? If it's done at the same time as the CU presumably the cost will be quite small as the call-out is covered.

2) Identification on light switch wires - what is needed? Sounds like something else I can do. But see next point - if all the switches need to come off anyway to find an earth leakage, perhaps the cost is quite small?

10) High earth leakage readings...this is the big issue. What I've been told is "However if a new consumer unit was fitted the RCD safety devices would be continually tripping as there are three circuits that contain earth leakage currents that would be high enough cause constant tripping. There are other relatively minor issues that are fairly common and relatively easy to rectify. So, before we can even consider changing the consumer unit these faults need to be found and rectified. There are three circuits that need investigating, the two main socket outlet circuits and the downstairs lighting circuit. These will not be easy to find and remedy but I would suggest that myself and another electrician would spend a day there and see what we can find, this would be at a cost of £500.00."

I suppose what I'm concerned about here is:
a) is there anything I could do myself to trace these faults?
b) does it need two people and is £500 for a day reasonable
c) it doesn't actually give me any guarantees that they'll find the faults, so it's really just taking a punt
d) they could find it in an hour and I'd still need to pay for a day. But (for example) if that was the case, the rest of the day could be used to fit the new CU and not charge for that again....

Thoughts?

Thanks
Phil
 

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  • 2019 EICR UNSATISFACTORY_Redacted.pdf
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Part of the op was concerned about paying money - completely relevant.

I will not help people like this with electrical advice for free.

All the advice he needs is on post 2, and the only thing I would add is get others to quote.....
 
The whole EICR is a shambles. But I suspect quality was not on the ops list of priorities when choosing a contractor.
please expand on that .what do you think makes it a shambles?
 
Just had a quick look at the eicr:

R1 + R2 looks like they've been calculated as Ze is stated 0.35

No r1,r2,rn on ring circuit filled in

Suspect Ze might not have been measured as stated 0.35

No RCD test results filled in yet they've said;

Advice on Unsatisfactory EICR report 20190313_112901 - EletriciansForums.net
 
Personally, I think the report is clutching at straws to get extra work.

Why do I say that....

Item 1. The 18th edition does not 'require' cables to be buried more than 50mm.
Item 8. Main earth undersized. If there is evidence of thermal damage, I'd C2, but with no evidence I'd C3 it.
Item 9. Unswitched socket outlet. Show me a regulation unswitched socket outlets contravene.
Item 10. As @telectrix has already pointed out, high earth leakage on circuits where IR is claimed to be >100 Mega ohms.

Just my tuppence worth :)
 
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