EICR report took 3 months to be sent to me...

[Shamus]

Hi

I'm looking for some advice please.

I had an electrician do an EICR on my home at the beginning of April 2021. It then took them till July to send the report. In the report they listed several things with a C2 "Potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial action required."

One of the things they listed as a C2 actually went wrong towards the end of June resulting in me having to call out an emergency electrician on a Friday night (not cheap!). If they'd sent me the EICR straight after doing it then I would have carried out the work required and avoided paying for an emergency electrician!

The electrician that did the EICR is now demanding payment. However, they knew that there were potentially dangerous issues in my home but it then took them nearly 3 months to tell me about them! Surely this is a questionable level of service and standards? Am I within my rights to not pay for this EICR?

Thanks

Shamus

 

[Mike Johnson]

Pay them the cost of the EICR minus the cost of the emergency call out, explain the thinking in a letter to them.

 

[Shamus]

Pay them the cost of the EICR minus the cost of the emergency call out, explain the thinking in a letter to them.

that's exactly what I was thinking Mike. I just wanted to ask the question here before doing it so I could get some more advice.
Have they broken any electrical standards though? Surely in any line of work that deals with Risk, if you are aware of a risk/hazard but say nothing about it, then you are failing in your duty...?

 

[westward10]

What were their terms and conditions and what was the issue which needed the emergency call out.

 

[Shamus]

What were their terms and conditions and what was the issue which needed the emergency call out.

They didn't tell me their terms and conditions, they didn't even tell me there was a charge for the report (in my naivety I assumed I would just pay for all the things that needed correcting).

On the report this is the C2 that caused a problem:
"Outside IP JB Not Glanded Correctly Allowing Water Ingress & No CPC Continuity On Armouring "

 

[westward10]

There should not have been an extra charge for the Report it should have been costed into the overall price. Did they hold you to ransom for a further charge.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Don't think they have broken any electrical standards unless the premises are rented, but leaving you uninformed of "Potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial action required." is unprofessional at the very least irrespective of any terms and conditions if any, did you actually see or sign a contract with them? if no then it's your word against theirs to any terms and conditions that you or they wish to apply, in other words you can say anything that you verbally agreed to apply to the terms of work they carried out, and they accepted those terms by performance of the work, equally they can say the same, I would just pay less the amount for the emergency call out and see how it works out from there.

 

[Mike Johnson]

One thing is not clear, what prompted the electrician to carry out an EICR in the first instance?

 

[littlespark]

There is a big difference between a C2, potentially dangerous and a C1, immediate danger.

The electrician may have judged it a C2, not believing it could get worse in such a short period of time.

Did he mention this to you at the time? Ie, “try not to use that until it’s fixed”

it was water ingress to an outside joint box, you say?
What was it supplying? Did it really need an emergency electrician call out ?

I’m not trying to excuse the lateness in issuing the report, but maybe this particular chap has had a bad turn following COVID? We dont know.

 

[Shamus]

There is a big difference between a C2, potentially dangerous and a C1, immediate danger.

The electrician may have judged it a C2, not believing it could get worse in such a short period of time.

Did he mention this to you at the time? Ie, “try not to use that until it’s fixed”

it was water ingress to an outside joint box, you say?
What was it supplying? Did it really need an emergency electrician call out ?

I’m not trying to excuse the lateness in issuing the report, but maybe this particular chap has had a bad turn following COVID? We dont know.

Hello
In my job I have a part time role as a Trade Union H&S rep. I would get into a lot of trouble if I did a risk assessment of a site and then took nearly 3 months to let people know of potential dangers...

They didn't mention anything at the time. As they left they said they'd get in touch soon with prices to sort the issues out.

Regarding the emergency call out. When the electrics went out they went out for the whole property. It was the emergency electrician who came out and identified where the problem was.

Yes, the company blamed the lateness of the report on covid and being really busy...

 

[Shamus]

One thing is not clear, what prompted the electrician to carry out an EICR in the first instance?

we live in an old house and were waiting to have work start on an extension. we were told to make sure our fuse board was suitable before the work started and the company said they would need to do an EICR as well

 

[Mike Johnson]

What company said they would need to do an EICR as well, the Builder or the electrician who is going to be putting in the electrics for the extension? Also who told you to ensure your existing fuse board was suitable?

 

[Mike Johnson]

Yes, the company blamed the lateness of the report on covid and being really busy...

Don't forget to use the same excuse for the lateness in paying them. ?

 

[Shamus]

Don't forget to use the same excuse for the lateness in paying them. ?

Nope, they add on a £25 admin fee if I take more than 7 days to pay....

 

[Shamus]

Don't forget to use the same excuse for the lateness in paying them. ?

something else I have just noted. The EICR has been signed off (inspector and Tester) by the owner of the company, NOT the actual electricians who came out. Is that allowed...?

 

[Mike Johnson]

Was that in the terms and conditions that you signed at the beginning of the contract, and don't forget to add on an administration fee and costs for the three months you have been waiting for the EICR where you incurred additional cost for the bridging loan you took out to cover the costs of the extension which has been unable to be started because of the lack of certification.

 

[Mike Johnson]

something else I have just noted. The EICR has been signed off (inspector and Tester) by the owner of the company, NOT the actual electricians who came out. Is that allowed...?

Section 9 on the EICR should make that clear, the words I/We should be crossed through as appropriate.

 

[Shamus]

Section 9 on the EICR should make that clear, the words I/We should be crossed through as appropriate.

Section G: the "I/we" hasn't been crossed out at all.

 

[ipf]

Regarding the emergency call out. When the electrics went out they went out for the whole property. It was the emergency electrician who came out and identified where the problem was.

Are you saying that water ingress to an external box caused a power loss to the whole property????

I'm thinking the only 'box' susceptible in such a situation would belong to the supply authority.

RCD main switch or something?

More information is needed. All sorts of thoughts.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Section G: the "I/we" hasn't been crossed out at all.

Then the EICR has not been filled out correctly, another reason to delay payment, until you get a correctly filled out report.