ELECSA Certification Scheme ELECSA advice needed please

[ste_miller21]

hello. I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice to a simple question.

How long does it take from booking an assessment with Elecsa till having the assessment?

I'm interested in joining Elecsa but I just wondered how long people have to wait. any answer would be great.

 

[Tuttle]

I phoned them a few weeks ago and asked that very question and they said four to six weeks.

Since then I have applied online to join and my assessment date is almost exactly one month after the date I applied.

 

[ste_miller21]

I could do with it been a quick date like yours. I've already changed a C/U for the assessment and extended a 32A ring by braking the ring and adding another 7 sockets. so works done and I've read up on regs ect.

 

[Tuttle]

You could phone them and ask them. I've spoken to them a couple of times now and they were very helpful.

 

[1shortcircuit]

I could do with it been a quick date like yours. I've already changed a C/U for the assessment and extended a 32A ring by braking the ring and adding another 7 sockets. so works done and I've read up on regs ect.

Elecsa require that you notify them of the said work within 20 days Get your assessment booked and then make sure the work can still be notified within the 20 days

 

[hyperloop]

No they dont , I asked them - they can assess you for any job done in the last 12 months - I even mentioned i'd read online about the "20 days" - answer from them - wrong, 12 months. wish people would stop giving false info!

 

[cbw]

False info is a bit strong!

My understanding is that you are legally required to notify what you have done within 30 days.

Elecsa 'like' to be notified within 20 days thus allowing them 10 days grace.

12 months??????? I think you are wrong!

 

[danzor]

You can always call elesca and ask for a cancelation slow. I had my assessment within 10 days of applying

 

[PB1]

When I applied i got an assessment within a couple of weeks. i was surprised how quick it was because I'd heard it might be 6 - 8 weeks but i think Elecsa are pretty quick.

 

[Richard Burns]

No they dont , I asked them - they can assess you for any job done in the last 12 months - I even mentioned i'd read online about the "20 days" - answer from them - wrong, 12 months. wish people would stop giving false info!

Assessment of a job for joining Elecsa can be a job completed within the last 12 months.
A Building control compliance certificate (part P) must be received by the customer within 30 days, therefore notification of the job to Elecsa must be done within 20 days to allow them time to send it on. If you undertake a job that is notifiable then, if you are not registered, you should inform building control beforehand and pay their fee (yeah right)

When I had my Elecsa assessment they suddenly came back with a date after one week, which caught me on the hop but did mean I was quick enough in notifying. (however I did decide that I had not completed the installation until Elecsa had assessed my work and so the completion date was the date of my assessment, possibly!)

 

[hyperloop]

Appologies all, confusion reigns! Ive done a rewire for my assessment and paid the BC their fee to get it notified (£120) . You should do this on any job your using for your assessment.A job for the assessment must have been completed in last 12 months - thats what I was referring to.

 

[Tuttle]

Appologies all, confusion reigns! Ive done a rewire for my assessment and paid the BC their fee to get it notified (£120) . You should do this on any job your using for your assessment.A job for the assessment must have been completed in last 12 months - thats what I was referring to.

The problem with notifying Building Control is that the fee can vary a lot from council to council. I wouldn't have minded paying £120 but when I told my local building control that I intended to change my consumer unit for an ELECSA assessment they wanted £415. At that point I started to wish that I hadn't spoken to them!

I've heard that the fee can be as low as £80, but I've also heard of a couple of other councils charging around £300.

Luckily I managed to wriggle my way out of paying in the end by telling the building inspector that I had spoken to ELECSA about it and they had confirmed that I would be able to notify the job through them after the assessment.

 

[hyperloop]

Blimey £415! thieving shysters. My local authority wanted to see insurance, calibration certificates , qualifications etc so they were happy they wouldnt need to send anyone out to further test it dont know if that made a difference. All authorities should have the same charge though.

 

[Tuttle]

He said that they have an arrangement with NAPIT. I guess they pay NAPIT a fixed amount per notification to take responsibility for work done by unregistered installers. I think BC basically do whatever is easiest for them and don't want to have anything to do with electrics anymore, i.e. leave it to the schemes and only want a bit of paper to put in their file.

They were very helpful though and I didn't have to try too hard to talk my way out of it. Failing my assessment would have been expensive though - I would have wasted my money on the assessment and then I would have had to pay BC £415, luckily that didn't happen!

 

[hyperloop]

I felt a bit cheated paying £120, the guy from building control popped in looked behind a switch and just said, can you send a copy of the test certificate when your done, thanks and that was it!