Safety concerns

[Gabo]

Hello there,

I’m glad I found this place, and I hope I can get some useful advice.
My girlfriend is about to move into a room in an office building, that room was not meant to be initially occupied, but now it is. and in this room there is a big consumer unit (probably for the whole floor, 6 or more rooms). I don’t know much about this but I have serious concerns. I think It maybe not safe to live in that room. Can you please let me know and give me some advice?
Unfortunately I don’t have pictures, but I may be able to provide at some point soon. But its like this one 5 times larger, in different compartments. http://www.kde-electrical.co.uk/uploads/images/consumer-unit1.jpg
She don’t know when the system was checked last time.

Thanks a lot in advance.

G

 

[Marvo]

You'll need show us a photo or two of the actual panel rather than just one that's similar please. Without seeing it and with the info you've given it's impossible to advise really.

 

[Gabo]

Hello Marvo,

Thanks for your reply I will take some pictures tomorrow or at very late Monday and upload attach them.

 

[driverman]

The trouble is, as i see it, if any of those MCB's trip that supply other circuits to other flats / buildings etc, access will be required into your gf flat. It always goes wrong when no access can be made i.e away on holiday!

 

[Guest77]

Hello there,

I’m glad I found this place, and I hope I can get some useful advice.
My girlfriend is about to move into a room in an office building, that room was not meant to be initially occupied, but now it is. andin this room there is a big consumer unit(probably for the whole floor, 6 or more rooms). I don’t know much about this but I have serious concerns. I think It maybe not safe to live in that room. Can you please let me know and give me some advice?
Unfortunately I don’t have pictures, but I may be able to provide at some point soon. But its like this one 5 times larger, in different compartments. http://www.kde-electrical.co.uk/uploads/images/consumer-unit1.jpg
She don’t know when the system was checked last time.

Thanks a lot in advance.

G

Hi Gabo, when you say "maybe not safe" can you please clarify why you feel this is the case?

 

[Gabo]

Hello there,

Thanks a lot for the responds.
MDJ: My concerns are because this building is an office space that now is use as a guardian property, this room was not going to be use for any purpose, and there are going to start works in the building soon. This is an office building that hasn't being use in a while and a part of it will be going to be redone.
Here are the pictures of the Consumer unit:

Thanks

 

[Marvo]

It's a bit of a birds-nest but most of the wiring on the right hand side looks like data cabling. Just close the doors, put a lock on them if there's toddlers around and I wouldn't see a problem with it.

 

[cobrauk]

When you say move into a room do you mean to live or work as a office, if the later just close the doors nothing to worry about

 

[Gabo]

Thanks guys,
she will be living in that room. I just asked a couple of guys from a shop and they told me to have it check buy an electrician before considering anything and also said that they wouldn't live in that room, plus its against the law? Cant afford the 100/200 quid that it may cost... I should talk with the owner/agency and ask for a revision of it before taking a decision is made, what's your thoughts?

 

[Marvo]

I'm unsure why you were told it's against the law to live there and I'm not sure why someone wouldn't want to if the cupboard doors were closed and secured. I don't know what the rest of the room looks like but what's in the cupboard isn't a hazard to anyone in the vicinity unless they go deliberately fiddling around in there. Maybe there's some weird UK laws that say you can't live in a room with a CU or DB but I don't see the problem.

 

[ifindoubtdont]

If it's in an enclosed cabinet then no problem, the cabinet is there for your safety. Just don't open it and start poking your fingers in (dangerous). In pic 2 there appears to be some paperwork that more than likely relates to these CU's. Without seeing this paperwork I couldn't specifically say it's ok but because it's there it's is a good sign. As your girlfriend is going to be a guardian it might be worth a punt to try and get the rent the rent reduced. On the safety side I don't think there will be a problem, maybe just disruption if they need to work on the electrics.

 

[Des 56]

If I were to make a safety comparison between being in the vicinity of those services with the doors closed/locked and your girl operating her washing machine, I personally would expect more chance of injury getting a bad back bending down to empty the tub

As you would do when doing the washing and ironing,don't let little ones make play with grown up toys then all should be fine

 

[Gabo]

Thanks for the numerous answers guys. Much appreciated.
My concerns has to do with the fact that that room had a "no entry sign" and there are a lot of work major works to be started in the building (lot of work already undergoing in the surroundings). Plus it hasnt been confirm when was the last time the electricity system was properly check (maybe this is the most important things to check?). I reckon If that wasnt the case there would be very little risk.
Personally I had two previous experience of consumers units in my property smelling like burn and one of them having to replace part of the unit/ having to change fusers due to overheating. One of them looked something similar to this pic (we figure out that it was that it wasnt check for a long time)
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s228/mogthefrog/Fusebox001.jpg
Thanks!

So far I can see that the main issue to consider would be the disruption in case they need to access the consumer unit.