I never like to complain about others peoples work, but this job takes the biscuit! Sorry about the long thread too, but this is the worst i have seen in a long time!
I got a call out over the christmas to a bungalow where the RCD kept tripping.
I had a quick look around and found that there was nothing plugged in, the lady had just bought the house and moved in a few days before but not yet brought her furniture etc. The fault was traced quite quickly to the socket circuit (IR reading 0.2!) and then we found water under the floor and joint boxes lying in the water. In the joint box was 2 x 2.5 T & E, which hadnt been cut, they had both had the sheath removed and then crossed over so in effect the ring was crossed!
After a bit more look around we found that the ring main showed a ring in the kitchen, but in fact that too had been crossed somewhere and that ring was fed from a single 2.5 to another JB in the loft. 2 of the sockets had 4 sets of cables in! Some of the cables fell out the terminations as the cover was pulled forward! The lady had bought the house as the kitchen was fairly new and she thought the house didnt need any work doing to it!
At the same time the kitchen was fitted, they fitted new LV down lights and cupboard lighting! This was the first thing i saw over the kitchen, which says it all about the wiring in the house!
I explained all about the dangers and bad wiring practice saying that everyone needs to be Part P registered and comply with regulations. I was asked my advice on what to do and i said she needed the house rewired!
I have been doing the rewire over the last few days and she came with a 'piece of paper' she found amongst all the paperwork she got with the house!
I was mortified today when she presented me with a Minor Works Certificate from a NAPIT registered electrician which was dated for sept 09 for the alteration to the kitchen ring main! She doesnt have a one for the lights.
The first and most glaringly obvious point from the certificate, is that this so called registered electrician (who recorded his position as 'Inspector') is that he thinks it is a TNC-S system - hmmmm.... dont think so mate!
He also recorded the earth (that goes to the rod directly below the board) as being 16mm, when it is actually 10mm!
so.....
What can the home owner do about this? apart from complain to NAPIT. Can she go back to the tester and claim any compensation? To be fair, or kind of, i think the so called inspector has gone along and signed off the work of some one day wonder spark, or kitchen fitter who thinks he's a spark cos it looks easy!
Will the LABC tell her what work was notified to them - ie the kitchen ring or the lights in the kitchen, or will they refuse!
Any suggestions chaps?
I got a call out over the christmas to a bungalow where the RCD kept tripping.
I had a quick look around and found that there was nothing plugged in, the lady had just bought the house and moved in a few days before but not yet brought her furniture etc. The fault was traced quite quickly to the socket circuit (IR reading 0.2!) and then we found water under the floor and joint boxes lying in the water. In the joint box was 2 x 2.5 T & E, which hadnt been cut, they had both had the sheath removed and then crossed over so in effect the ring was crossed!
After a bit more look around we found that the ring main showed a ring in the kitchen, but in fact that too had been crossed somewhere and that ring was fed from a single 2.5 to another JB in the loft. 2 of the sockets had 4 sets of cables in! Some of the cables fell out the terminations as the cover was pulled forward! The lady had bought the house as the kitchen was fairly new and she thought the house didnt need any work doing to it!
At the same time the kitchen was fitted, they fitted new LV down lights and cupboard lighting! This was the first thing i saw over the kitchen, which says it all about the wiring in the house!
I explained all about the dangers and bad wiring practice saying that everyone needs to be Part P registered and comply with regulations. I was asked my advice on what to do and i said she needed the house rewired!
I have been doing the rewire over the last few days and she came with a 'piece of paper' she found amongst all the paperwork she got with the house!
I was mortified today when she presented me with a Minor Works Certificate from a NAPIT registered electrician which was dated for sept 09 for the alteration to the kitchen ring main! She doesnt have a one for the lights.
The first and most glaringly obvious point from the certificate, is that this so called registered electrician (who recorded his position as 'Inspector') is that he thinks it is a TNC-S system - hmmmm.... dont think so mate!
He also recorded the earth (that goes to the rod directly below the board) as being 16mm, when it is actually 10mm!
so.....
What can the home owner do about this? apart from complain to NAPIT. Can she go back to the tester and claim any compensation? To be fair, or kind of, i think the so called inspector has gone along and signed off the work of some one day wonder spark, or kitchen fitter who thinks he's a spark cos it looks easy!
Will the LABC tell her what work was notified to them - ie the kitchen ring or the lights in the kitchen, or will they refuse!
Any suggestions chaps?
