EICR help please 6 flats in one house - shared CU's ????

[Mike LB]

I have been asked to carry out an EICR on a property which is 3 floors and has been split over the years as follows.
Ground floor apartment, 3 studios to first floor , 2 studios to attic conversion
The property was originally one house, then converted into two flats then what it is now.
In the entrance hall their is a cupboard (just been made fire proof) containing the service head, 3 phase, only two phases being used, so two meters.
CU1 serves ground floor flat with one B45 to a shower in rear first floor studio.
CU2 serves all 3 first floor studios on shared circuits and also lights to one of the top floor studios.
CU3 serves top floor studio (but not lights as this is on CU2)
CU4 is inside other top floor studio with its own armoured supply from the cupboard in the hall with all the other CU's.

Firstly is this acceptable that all the flats accept 1 all have shared circuits and supplies from various CU's
In terms of an EICR do I do one per flat or one per consumer unit, or one for the whole building with 4 different schedules of test results ?

Many thanks for your help
Mike

 

[Octopus]

Hum.... this one could get interesting.

How would you grade the issues you perceive??

 

[TJ Anderson]

If it is one supply and it is split up as you say then the only sensible thing to do is do one EICR for the installation as a whole. Is it labelled well or have you ascertained the way the circuits are spread across the DB's? Also, out of interest, how do the individual flats pay for thier electric, is it sub metered or just included in there rent?

 

[Mike LB]

Hi guys, nothing is labelled, so had to spend half a day working out what accessory was on what circuit. When I did my initial inspection of the CU's there are C1's in terms of IP2X on the top of enclosures, it all looks like a rats nest in the cupboard as it has been added to over the years and doesn't look like it has been carried out very professionally. Where the fire cupboard has been installed so tightly on the CU's it is very hard to get the front covers off and the plastic flip up lids wont fit at all and have been removed. On my initial inspection of the ground floor flat (where I started) I had a broken patress with a single socket hanging off it and another double socket on a lose wire spurred from that ! No earth continuity to a metal dimmer switch, no earth to a socket. CU1 has one RCD covering some circuits but not the lighting circuits and an cooker circuit and a socket circuit. I am going to put in a quote to upgrade/replace CU1 but it an ideal world it all needs ripping out and starting again properly, but it would be nice to have something definitive to advise the landlord as to why the CU's should be separate for each flat.
Thanks Mike

 

[Engineer54]

there are C1's in terms of IP2X on the top of enclosures,

Are you SURE you have the right code??

This is the sort of installation that as they say, sorts the men from the boy's!!

 

[Pete999]

Are you SURE you have the right code??

This is the sort of installation that as they say, sorts the men from the boy's!!

Think C1 is a bit harsh, more C2 I think

 

[andyelectric]

This sounds to me like an HMO situation where the landlord will include the cost of electricity in his tenants rent. The fact all supplies are mixed means it will need to be reported on as one installation.

Where the CU tops are only IP2X instead of IP4X, have you checked whether or not they are IPXXD. If so, no coding.

With so many units I would be looking at, how many showers and electric cookers are there and is the central heating up to scratch (HMO tenants with electric included are notorious for multiple portable heaters being used) . Their may be possible loading issues if usage is towards only 1 of the 2 phases.

 

[Octopus]

Why have you been asked to do the report?

 

[andyelectric]

Why have you been asked to do the report?

With this being an HMO 5 yearly inspection will be mandatory. And at 5 tenants, 3 floors an HMO licence will also be mandatory, so likely for licencing if HMO by landlord.

 

[Octopus]

With this being an HMO 5 yearly inspection will be mandatory. And at 5 tenants, 3 floors an HMO licence will also be mandatory, so likely for licencing if HMO by landlord.

Forgive me for pointing this out BUT you are not the OP.

 

[andyelectric]

Whatever..