Do you have to become Part P registered to certify work?

[Bear2016]

Hi

I was wondering if someone could offer some advice?

The business is doing a lot of kitchen and bathrooms and every so often they need a new cooker circuit or extractor fan, FCU for a standalone oven that sort of thing. At present I wire it in test it and then a lad I know comes and test it and signs it off for me but this has become a pain as I have to wait for him and his work load is increasing as is mine.

I've spoken to NAPIT and they have said I can become Part P registered however I have no intention of doing full rewires or changing CU and it seems like a lot of cost and work for something simple like adding a cooker or oven to a CU. If the CU needed upgrading I'd sub it out to an electrician as I just don't have time to do that sort of thing with multiple projects on the go.

Is this really the only way to be able to certify a new circuit apart from BRegs? NAPIT were going on about 3 phase and commercial stuff and that I could change CU and do rewires and I just could not get it through to them that is not what my business does.

Do all kitchen & bathroom fitters become Part P to wire in a circuit?

Many thanks

 

[Octopus]

I was making a general point Bear.
I've been in the trade for 35 years and I wouldn't be able to assess a persons competence just by looking at a few certificates, so what chance has a person sitting behind a desk at LBC?
Not sugesting for one minute that you don't go down that route, I would.
Just saying that part or the regs is flawed.

Not sure the schemes are the right answer either ........................ they "inspect" 1 or 2 jobs - which are the ones the installer suggests .................... nobody in their right mind would take an assessor to a job thats below par .................

AND the schemes seem to do nothing about complaints..................

What a fantastic situation......................

I was on a job moving a BT point recently. The builder was Part P registered and his work left a lot to be desired ...................

 

[andyb]

Not sure the schemes are the right answer either ........................ they "inspect" 1 or 2 jobs - which are the ones the installer suggests .................... nobody in their right mind would take an assessor to a job thats below par .................

AND the schemes seem to do nothing about complaints..................

What a fantastic situation......................

I was on a job moving a BT point recently. The builder was Part P registered and his work left a lot to be desired ...................

It's not perfect by a long way Murdoch, but it's better than just showing a certificate to someone who has no electrical knowledge.
It might only be 2 jobs but it's 2 jobs more than the LBC see, and they're both inspected by a qualified electrician/engineer.
Then there's the fact that you need to show you know how to undertake testing to the latest regs including answering various question. You are required to show your test equipment including callibration evidence, show your insurance documents and show all the necessary publications relevent to the work you undertake, ie regs, on-site guide, part p doc and so on.

 

[Bear2016]

It's not perfect by a long way Murdoch, but it's better than just showing a certificate to someone who has no electrical knowledge.
It might only be 2 jobs but it's 2 jobs more than the LBC see, and they're both inspected by a qualified electrician/engineer.
Then there's the fact that you need to show you know how to undertake testing to the latest regs including answering various question. You are required to show your test equipment including callibration evidence, show your insurance documents and show all the necessary publications relevent to the work you undertake, ie regs, on-site guide, part p doc and so on.

TBF you do not know who is looking at the certs and it could be a trained spark with a lifetime of electrical knowledge? I have been informed they do have some working for the LBC
LBC will certainly inspect or check the first few jobs or appoint someone else to check my work which I strongly agree with. The idea is they perform these checks ascertain what you are competent at how you have done the testing and collate that information and give you a risk factor for the work you do. This can vary from needs further checking of your work on future jobs or that you are competent to perform that particular work again with no further inspections required.
As a limited company and part of the councils trusted trader scheme the LBC will already know that I have insurance as it is a requirement for them and Trading Standards. I also had to provide them with documentation of any calibrated equipment and regulation books I work to which also included me proving I had copies of Part F,G,H and P. When the renewal comes up I will have to submit it all again.
Obviously this is just for my company but as you have said I am unsure whether LBC would check those things but as a TT member I have to check that all my subcontractors are insured for the work they do and part of the Construction Industry Scheme.
If I were to undertake full rewires, CU I understand the necessity for the schemes but for those of us who do the odd little bit here and there it is not practical. If I come across a house that I think needs a rewire or a CU done I get a subcontractor in who does it for me who incidentally has exactly the same qualifications as me but I would deem more competent than I to do that sort of work. Hence why I call in a pro!
I guess the bottom line is whether you agree with it or not the facility to do what I am asking is there and should not be a battle to try and get a LBC to abide by the rules but instead the schemes and LBC seem to have forgotten about it and want you to join the masses of paying out your hard earned money for not a lot in return.

 

[Octopus]

^^ I see more poor installs in kitchens and bathrooms by so called "fitters" than any other work on lecky in houses

 

[Bear2016]

^^ I see more poor installs in kitchens and bathrooms by so called "fitters" than any other work on lecky in houses

C,mon every trade has their rouge tradesmen who have no pride in their work or respect for their customer and have a "that will do attitude" Sorry you seem to have found so many but its certainly not how my company or subcontractors conduct themselves.

 

[Wilko]

The LBC challenge is to determine competence in each and every case. As you will hear and read competence is a topic of hot discussion. In this less than perfect world the CPS does give LBC a way. While there are other options available, I think LBC choose this path as its minimum work and responsibility for them to achieve their bit. The other paths are clearly possible but the saying "lead a horse to water ..." comes to mind.