Discuss Is there an annual landlord inspection which is visual only? in the Periodic Inspection Reporting & Certification area at ElectriciansForums.net

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Morgan keith

Hi chaps. Been working in solar PV for the past couple of years so a bit out of the loop with annual inspections etc. However a guy at the local pub asked if I would be interested in doing an 'annual landlord inspection' for his insurance. He seems to think that in the past sparkies have just come in and done a visual check of the electrics (Mainly appliances) and just checked nothing's broken or hazardous etc. I have got the 'Electrical installation condition report' forms but was just wondering if there is such a thing as just an annual visual check? Cheers
 
NICEIC do a visual condition report. about as much worth as an ash tray on a microlight.
 
Hi Keith
There is such beast as a Visual Condition Report for electrical installations. Wether it would satisfy for insurance purposes I don't know. Personally they have little value. A little like a mechanic saying you have safe car without lifting a spanner.
I work for letting agents and they always have Electrical Installation Condition Reports done every 5 years and for those properties that I have tested I do free visual checks on change of tenancy.

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I wonder if the landlord in question would go to a garage, get the mechanic to look at his car for a few minutes then accept his diagnosis that the brakes were fine or that the engine was running perfectly. Madness
 
Thanks guys. Yeah that was my next thought. Am I right in saying that if a PIR has been done within the last 5 years you only have to do a Visual Condition Report annually or upon change of tenancy? Just wanna have my facts sorted. Will try talk him into doing a Electrical Installation Condition Report either way but I know some people aren't willing to pay a little more for the extra time if someone else is willing to just do a visual check.
 
Thanks guys. Yeah that was my next thought. Am I right in saying that if a PIR has been done within the last 5 years you only have to do a Visual Condition Report annually or upon change of tenancy? Just wanna have my facts sorted. Will try talk him into doing a Electrical Installation Condition Report either way but I know some people aren't willing to pay a little more for the extra time if someone else is willing to just do a visual check.
See Tel's comment, maybe show it to your prospective client
 
I know they're a ridiculous and pointless idea, but better than not having anything except just an Electrical Installation Condition Report done every 5 years. I will convince him into doing a full Electrical Installation Condition Report. If his not up for that I'll do his visual inspection over a pint at the pub ;-)
 
I know they're a ridiculous and pointless idea, but better than not having anything except just an Electrical Installation Condition Report done every 5 years. I will convince him into doing a full Electrical Installation Condition Report. If his not up for that I'll do his visual inspection over a pint at the pub ;-)
How is it better than nothing mate? I honestly wouldn't waste my time doing one of these things because other than a nick in the insulation or a burnt socket front (for example) what is looking at something really going to tell him. Does he think that having one of these done will prevent his insurance company refusing to pay out if something were to go badly wrong? They will refuse I guarantee it and depending on your insurance you could find yourself in front of someone in funny clothes and a wig too.
To be honest, if he's adamant he wants one of these you may as well sit in the pub and do it for all the use it is. Easy money for you though
 
The way I look at it is, if I were to do a 'Visual' inspection and I saw something suspect, I'd fail it, can't tell without testing.
So the VI overall would be a Fail, so full testing would be required, which renders the whole thing a bit of a pointless exercise!
I and most others on here, wouldn't sign off a dubious install as a Pass.
 
Well it's better because I might save the tenant's child's life by spotting and changing that socket that had the plastic front fallen off of it leaving the live terminals exposed. Or by notifying them that his daughters hairdrier plug with the back fallen off of it is in fact dangerous. Or that his 2 bar electric radiant heater without a guard on is lethal. Like I said- I'm going to convince him to do an EICR.
 
OK fair point I suppose mate. Wasn't having a pop at you by the way it just annoys me that these things have crept in by the back door and are now seen by some (all of whom are landlords and tighter with their cash than a frog's backside) as a perfectly legitimate thing to have done
 
I don't think a Visual Inspection is so valueless. In addition to a 5-yearly EICR, a check of the state of the electrics between tenancies is valuable for the landlord or agent because it gives them a list of items which need to be fixed to ensure accessories are all undamaged and serviceable for the next tenants. Things such as broken sockets, damaged flex cables, exposed live parts, scorch marks suggesting overloading, loose ceiling roses, any evidence of tampering with the installation etc. For the inspector there is usually some follow on work if problems are found. An agent I work for has a large number of student properties and it's amazing how much abuse a house can get from boistrous youngsters. I don't know if this has ever been tested legally but I think a 5 yearly EICR and visual inspection between tenancies with follow up repair of reported problems would show that the agent was exercising a reasonable duty of care.
 
No worries mate. I value everyone's opinions. I'll tell him it's the full EICR or nothing. I saw online a company was advertising to do visual condition reports for £35! They wouldn't even be there long enough to finish their cuppa tea!
 
a visual inspection does have it's place. same as non contact voltage detectors. both are a first line stab at finding faults. a bit like with your car. switch the lights on, see if they work. OK, they light up . who's then to tell if there's not a cable overheating, close by the leaking fuel line, just waiting to barbeque the driver and passengers.
 
I don't think a Visual Inspection is so valueless. In addition to a 5-yearly EICR, a check of the state of the electrics between tenancies is valuable for the landlord or agent because it gives them a list of items which need to be fixed to ensure accessories are all undamaged and serviceable for the next tenants. Things such as broken sockets, damaged flex cables, exposed live parts, scorch marks suggesting overloading, loose ceiling roses, any evidence of tampering with the installation etc. For the inspector there is usually some follow on work if problems are found. An agent I work for has a large number of student properties and it's amazing how much abuse a house can get from boistrous youngsters. I don't know if this has ever been tested legally but I think a 5 yearly EICR and visual inspection between tenancies with follow up repair of reported problems would show that the agent was exercising a reasonable duty of care.

if it's students, then it should be left alone with all faults un fixed. might get the lazy buggers out of bed if the mattress becomes live.
 
The visual inspections are not that bad come on.. Especially in places like rented accommodation, student lets, comprehensive schools where equipment is likely to get abused and damaged, the amount of times I've done work in comprehensive schools and have seen sockets completely smashed off the wall with cables exposed, grid switched with the switched and neons pushed in and live parts exposed. And nothing is done about it. This visual inspection is a good idea for stuff like this.

Your are comparing an installation to a car? But that's not the purpose of the visual inspection, the purpose is what I've stated above. Broken equipment exposing live conductors, not if it has a low IR, that is for the periodic eicr
 
Last domestic EICR i did 3 weeks ago had ;

x2 code 1's
x4 code 2's
x6 code 3's

of those 12 defects , 10 were identified by visual inspection , 2 were identified by testing.
Yet the general concensous on here is that a visual inspection on its own is worthless , very strange outlook really when you consider most code 1's arent discovered with any cable testing at all.
Well give the landlord a full EICR every time tenants move out if it makes you happy , all he is paying for is sheet after sheet of numbers and tickboxes that only an electrician understands , not really much use to the customer is it ?

Oh and the example of car mechanicals doesnt hold water either.
During an MOT absolutley no parts are removed during the inspection , its very thorough but remains entirely visual.
Yet some argue a visual has no value...................Department of Transport clearly disagrees.
 
During an MOT absolutley no parts are removed during the inspection , its very thorough but remains entirely visual.
Yet some argue a visual has no value...................Department of Transport clearly disagrees.

MOTs...rolling road for brake test, pipe on exhaust for emissions, etc.
Sounds like testing to me. :)
 

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