Is this a legal installation.

[Robert B]

Hi, new here, and after a little help.

Had a firm put a new towel radiator in ( electric and central heating) for my daughter. She live 250 miles away from us.
The central heating part was put in fine. I had serious concerns about the electrical installation. A new circuit was added, with its own RCD. This was placed in a cupboard (not in the bathroom). I raised concerns as there was not a switch to turn the towel radiator on/off other that pressing the test button on the RCD. A new switch was added.

The photo below shows the switch & RCD, both have been boxes were stuck on the wall with double sided sticky tape and no screws used at all. The circuit was all wired up and running. My daughter sent me the photo. When challenged a few days later I was told, Oh it is only a temporary installation. However they left it live a running.

Had I not challenged the wiring it would have been left like it. Would an installation like that be legal and be able to be certified?

I did get them to come back and screw the boxes to the wall; so all safe now.
The second photo shows the fix, you can clearly see no screw hole for the RCD or Switch but can see the remains of the double sided tape.
Thanks in advance for your help as I did not know where to turn for help

 

[Octopus]

Has your daughter paid their invoice? Did she receive a certificate?

 

[Robert B]

I have not received a certificate as yet.
I am at present in consultation with the national chain as this was part of a complete bathroom installation.
As for payment, the money had to be paid upfront unfortunately. There are, as you can imagine, other problems but they are related to the plumbing and administration. I don't want to name the company while these discussions are on going. However if the original fit was illegal or un certifiable it would be useful in discussions that are to follow. RB

 

[Octopus]

Not sure how you will prove its unfit unless you actually get a certificate from the installer and pay another installer to retest the circuit.

Is it a new circuit added to the fuseboard? Has this been notified to LABC?

It all sounds really rubbish - but unfortunately this is fairly typical of "bathroom" companies!

Paid upfront - why does ANYBODY do this?

 

[Robert B]

Paid upfront - why does ANYBODY do this?

Because of an interest free credit offer. Though now wish it was otherwise!

nothing has been notified to anybody as yet, as far as I know.
the new circuit may have been taken from the heating circuit for the gas boiler. However I will ask the question if a the new circuit starts at the consumer unit. Good question thanks.

 

[Pete999]

I wouldn't pay until I get a cert, out of interest where did the guy leave his horse

 

[Darkwood]

Very rough work, maybe not breaking any regs (rough work may still comply 'pic 2 not 1'), the installer has either lack of pride in his work or lack of experience to realise even in pic 2 that this is poor workmanship.

It isn't hard to actually use backboxes with knockouts so the flexi-conduit can be correctly glanded, nor to screw the saddles so they at least are level to each other, btw unless the cables were prone to been knocked and damaged they could have remained clipped direct although not like the rough example in pic 1.

I would be emailing the company expressing your not happy with the quality of work, do all by email only so all correspondance can be printed out for later reference, although lesson learnt - never pay upfront for any work of this nature as you don't know what your getting until its finished, your with-holding of payments is your right until the work meets a satisfactory standard.