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Discuss BAD wiring- what can the customer do? in the Electricians' Talk area at ElectriciansForums.net

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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!



P1080351.JPG

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!

P1080388.JPGP1080348.JPG


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!

P1080372.JPGP1080381.JPGP1080371.JPG

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!

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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 dont know how long you have been a Spark, but you will see a lot of this, and most of it will be a lot worse believe me. this sort of stuff is common place in my experience, and yes some of it is by registered and qualified Sparks. Fortunately there are those of us who like to sleep at night, so we work properly. It is this minority that give the rest of the trade a bad name. all you can do is keep taking the photo's for you archive like i do, and sort out the mess. The worst job i have seen was by a DIY'er, he had spurred a radial off ring final and added 4 twin sockets wired in 0.75mm 2 core flex, the stuff that is on pendants all protected (or not as the case was) by a 3036 30a rewireable fuse, not an earth in sight. His comments "it cant be that bad cos they all work".

Cheers........Howard
 
Sorry buddy this is not my area but nice piccys of top quality workmanship there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It must be a nightmare when you say to a client your house is a nightmare and needs a rewire...especially if they think your the one who's pulling the wool over their eyes.sure one of the guys on here will have an answer.
 
Sorry buddy this is not my area but nice piccys of top quality workmanship there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It must be a nightmare when you say to a client your house is a nightmare and needs a rewire...especially if they think your the one who's pulling the wool over their eyes.sure one of the guys on here will have an answer.

Yeah, i always feel bad when i have to tell them that, but more so in this one when i told her all about the Part P stuff, and that i was registered with NAPIT!
 
I personally dont have a problem telling her majesties public the truth, and i always advise them to get a second opinion to mine in cases like this if they have any doubts. It is just this sort of thing that keeps the roof over my head. Not wishing anyone any harm or injury, but long may this type of workmanship continue, it keeps me busy, very busy.

Cheers...........Howard
 
Did you mention you have allready started rewiring? if so bit late now. although through experience of simmilar issue of napit i believe not agreat deal would be done about it rotten to the core.
 
Did you mention you have allready started rewiring? if so bit late now. although through experience of simmilar issue of napit i believe not agreat deal would be done about it rotten to the core.

Yep, already started. I never in million years thought that she would turn up with a certificate! Thought it had been some un registered cowboy, turns out to be a registered one! Luckily, regardless of the faults on the circuits, the lack of knowledge re the earthing arrangement cant be argued with if NAPIT do send an inspector!
 
Who's going to prove who done what? she moved in after the work was done. So a mistake or two was made on the test sheet over the earth system and earth size.

Poor workmanship just endorses the fact that part p does nothing to help its paying members, just gives the good guys of the part p a bad name.

More of this should help get rid of part p and its members.
 
I think just the one example should be enough to lead to the suspension of his membership! Or is it that they would rather get his annual fee, than protect the unwary public?
 
That sums it up, doesn't it ?

The standard of work is awful, the chances of any action against the previous installer(s) are probably non existent.

On another note, can anyone understand why someone would buy a house for say £200,000 and not have the services checked by the relevant trades?

It just amazes me, people buy a second hand car for say £5000 and get a mechanic to check it over! Weird!
 
I think just the one example should be enough to lead to the suspension of his membership! Or is it that they would rather get his annual fee, than protect the unwary public?

Like Golden Boy says, i think that sums it up too - there is no way they would suspend someones membership! They just want the money, after all they are a business at the end of the day, although their reputation will go down hill with work like this!
 
The standard of work is awful, the chances of any action against the previous installer(s) are probably non existent.

On another note, can anyone understand why someone would buy a house for say £200,000 and not have the services checked by the relevant trades?

It just amazes me, people buy a second hand car for say £5000 and get a mechanic to check it over! Weird!


IQ, i agree with what you say about the survey. The house was 300k and the lady opted for the middle of the three surveys possible! She is now in dispute over the survey too, not just over the electrical system either! The surveyor was supposed to have spent 3 hrs at the house and there is no way he has! Prior to seeing the so called certificate, i was starting to think those HIPS pack were a good thing! Obviously not really, as the same person would've signed the job off anyway!
 
We're involved in a similar case now, a 'surveyor' has created his own inspection sheet with 'sockets', 'lights', 'fuseboard', 'RCD', he has then ticked a box saying 'OK' for each of those 4 categories.

After moving in, the new owners began to have doubts and asked us to carry out a PIR.
Besides incomplete rings and borrowed neutrals, I'll post a picture of the incoming RCD device when I get to a pc, it's worth seeing!

The new owners are now talking about a claim against the 'surveyor' for the cost of the PIR and remedials.
 
The surveys should include at least a PIR! Probably like the surveyor who has looked at the property you refer to, the one here will be some type of civil engineer who really has no idea re the electrics (or much else judging by the state of this house!) He has missed woodworm and damp too. I suspect my customer will get her survey money back, but very much doubt that they will give her any more, but worth a go, Cheers
Looking forward to seeing the photos!
 
The major problem with this is as we all know the certificate basically covers you as far as when you get in the van and drive away. There is no way anything can happen to the original sparks that did the mare because his argument will be well my cert was sept 09 and your work is Jan 11, so you can't prove negligence.

As everyone says the best you can hope for is to be honest and up front with your customer. Advise her in writing what the problems are and even recommend that if she is not happy with your survey on the installation you have no objections to her calling in another contractor to also do a PIR, but of course at her own expense.

I think it won't go that far as it seems she trusts you and as the good fortune to have found someone honest and concerend about the situation.
 
I just find it rather amazing that someone is in the position to purchase a 300K home and hasn't got the sence to call trades people in to check out the property.

My word, nothing stranger than folk.
 
I'm alittle out of depth here but when I registered with NAPIT they made absolutely certain I carry indemnity insurance - surely the remedial work would be covered by this insurance on grounds on bad design if nothing else
 
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i can agree that the wiring 'could' have been altered between the cert being issued, and the time that i went - however unlikely, but the earthing arrangement hasnt been altered from TNC-S to TT, as recorded by the person completing the certficate - would you put that down to negligence or incompetence? I dont agree with TonyS 'so a mistake or two was made on the test sheet' - going off that, everyone might as well make it up!

What do you guys think about the indemnity insurance point leo has made - would that cover it? Or is that more for accidents occuring on a site?
 
i think idemnity insurance is more to do with giving bad advice or poor design, anyway, to make any sort of claim, you would have to find out who installed it in the first place. maybe there is a napit reg. no. on the cert.
 
i think idemnity insurance is more to do with giving bad advice or poor design, anyway, to make any sort of claim, you would have to find out who installed it in the first place. maybe there is a napit reg. no. on the cert.

Thanks for that re the insurance, it couldnt be as easy as going to his insurance! There is a name, and company name and address on the cert so no problems tracing him
 
Thanks for that re the insurance, it couldnt be as easy as going to his insurance! There is a name, and company name and address on the cert so no problems tracing him

sadly you'll get nowhere following him down the insurance route - that's just for accidents and proven loss after poor/bad/wrong advice , however his insurance company would be interested to know that his work is an accident waiting to happen - talk to NAPIT, if only just to let us know what they have to say

but i suppose if your house insurance company knew you have dodgy wiring they might also ponder upping your premiums as well
 
I think I should be keeping my trap shut as I'm really not keen on the idea of increasing our insurance premiums because of bad workmanship but, this is from an insurance website. Thing is, it does look like a legal battle given the reassurance that it covers legal fees - is that reassurance?

Electricians Insurance | Electrical Contractors Insurance

Do I need Electricians & Electrical Contractors Professional Indemnity Insurance?

Professional Indemnity Insurance for Electricians or Electrical Contractors covers your business against claims by customers who have suffered financial loss as a result of using your services. Your Electrician's or Electrical Contractor's professional indemnity insurance would cover compensation claims and legal fees.
 
Below is a picture our guy took from the PIR I mentioned earlier, the 'surveyor' had ticked a box for RCD protection among other things:

The enclosure was unfixed on a shelf below the CU exactly as in the picture.

Our guy removed the lid, lifted the enclosure to look inside and the red line conductor fell straight out of the terminal!

I wonder why lights were flickering when the shower was running!!!!

The PIR has 39 defects comprising of: 20 X code 2, 2 X code 1 and 18 X code 4 not bad for 8 circuits!

There were class 1 light fittings with the cpc's in connector blocks, pushed into the ceiling, no main protective bond to the water service, smashed accessories, and on and on!

The main point is that the 'surveyor' had ticked 'OK' for 4 categories that were far from OK!

If it goes to court and we get the expert witness role, I'll do a court diary thread!
 

Attachments

  • RCD JB.jpg
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Thanks IQ

You say surveyor, I take it that it was not a PIR and documents issued for the survey (or was it?).

Out of interest what was the other code 1
 
IQ thats bad , but how many times have we heard about these surveys , how many times do we come across dodgy wiring like this , 2009 it was done still its no excuse , biggest problem is how much work was done buy the guys that did the work and what was it like before they started we dont know the limit of the work i know id have insited it was sorted no excuse for the sockets weve all used crimps to extend cables in sockets at some time but not like that the first thing i would do is a full PIR to highlight any other defects it could be sorted or may need rewing and untill the full extent of the installation is inspected i couldnt comment
 
IQ

On what grounds might it go to court? No one as been hurt, but the potential was there?

Obvious thing to me is, money as been taken for work which was not fit for purpose?
 
@tony mc This was a 'surveyors' report and he had made up a tick box sheet to incorporate the electrical installation into his 'survey'
One of the ticks was for 'RCD protection' the 'RCD' was in fact used as an expensive Henley block, as you can see in the picture!


@nickblake Apart from the obvious danger that existed on this installation, I'm angry that these idiots are taking inspection work away from businesses such as ours by offering clients an 'umbrella' survey that isn't worth the paper it's fabricated on.

Joe Public doesn't appreciate the difference between the rubbish produced above and a full Periodic Inspection until these situations arise!
 
IQ

On what grounds might it go to court? No one as been hurt, but the potential was there?

Obvious thing to me is, money as been taken for work which was not fit for purpose?

Hi Tony, it can go to court if the client decides to sue to recover financial loss caused by negligent error or negligent omission.

The survey stated that the electrical installation was 'safe and in good order' !
 
Short circuit.

I really hope you do something about this.

You have the details of this person. Report them.

I have given the customer the details of NAPIT and how to complain, and i know she will do it. I personally think it is more her place to complain than mine, but when NAPIT come out, i will tell them my findings.
 
Short circuit, please let us know the outcome. It will be interesting to hear what NAPIT have to say inregard to this matter.

All the best.
 
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