One thing I really dont get:
Everyone on here is for installing RCDs in domestic properties so why is it when a proposal of a change of law regarding having them in all rental properties everyone objects to them.
Most of you are looking at this and saying that the landlord wont do it - he wont have a choice!
Plus honestly if you went into a rental property and they wanted a shower what would you do? - install an RCD at a cost of how much? Instead of putting that RCD outside of the CU (which most do) why not put it inside instead?
We are all pushing for RCDs in all homes as it is so why are some of you against it being mandatory - it will make your life easier.
Plus we are not talking big money here either -these landlords get £400 - £700 per month (depending on the size of the property) they should be putting part of that back in.
Yes RCDs go home, yes they pack up but so does cookers, so do cars - they would not think twice about replacing them would they!
Like has been said endless times - mot of us are sick and tired of landlords/home owners putting their/their children/their tenants safety after their items (cars, etc)
I bet everyone here (who is an electrician) has a RCD in your home and every house you are connected with so why on earth wont you push for having them in every home by law?
Yes I know what you are going to say next - we are not pushing for every home - this is because we cant! Rental Properties are different - they are commercial and domestic at the same time as well as the landlord having someone elses life in their hands - different situation completely - the law can enforce different conditions on them where as they cant on a home owner.
Same can be said with Hotels, Pubs, Child Care facilities, etc, etc, etc.
Im not going to touch on EICRs because from what I see - everyone is for this!
The question is:
1 year and scrap in-between tenants
5 years with visual in-between tenants
In regards to enforcement as has been said - the LA licencing team (when it comes in for rentals) will enforce this and everything else imposed on landlords.
I know the complications which goes with this - but thats on their heads not ours or the landlords
I dont have an RCD in my house. I also have a load of rather shoddy DIY wiring that the previous owner did that I haven't done anything about, and I've been here 3 years.
Why?
Because its perfectly safe so why bother?
Maybe Ill stick a new board on when I sell to add value but who knows.
This whole thread all smells a bit too nanny state to me. Yes RCD's are a good thing, yes I agree that new installs should have them, no I do not agree that we should force a financially struggling british public to spend even more of its hard earned cash on something rather pointless.
The whole thing is completely unenforcable anyway, your wasting your time and everyone can see it but you....
You can't chop an RCD into the tails these days cos it will knock out the whole install in the event of a fault, so it would, more often than not, mean a CU change, but you cant do a CU change unless there is bonding etc and all circuits are 100% up to scratch so in some cases this would mean major work/rewire just to be able to adere to your silly RCD rule.
Personally I think you are attempting to change the UK laws purely to give your self more work.
Oh and Nick....Have you actually properly researched how many people are killed in the UK, let alone wales, every year by the
fixed wiring in their home. It probably accounts for about 1 in every 50 000 deaths, and I'd guess a good number of them were doing a bit of DIY electrics when they bought it.
There are far more important things to be campaigning about.
Edit:
People who intentionally keep their declared earnings low in order to cream huge sums of money out of the poor downtrodden tax payer for example....