To sample, or not to sample ...

[Duncan Bennett]

Hi All

I'd be glad of some advice on this one:

I received an email from a company I do some work for asking me to submit a quote for the ten year inspection of an address which comprises three blocks of flats -each with four floors.

Each block has a distribution board for the communal lighting. Each flat has its own metered supply.

Would it be best to quote for testing each flat along with the communal DB, or should I quote to test and certificate for the communal services, and then maybe one sample flat from each floor?

There are 4 x flats on each floor and the buildings are circa 25 years old.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Tioraidh

Dunc

 

[Andy78]

Totally depends. How long ago was the last test ? do you have the papers from the last test ? Any results or remarks on that paperwork give cause for concern ?

If you are going to sample you should be sampling a percentage of each DB, not a selection of DBs. I have no idea how you could justify missing out 75% of the dwellings with no test and inspection.

 

[Duncan Bennett]

I should say that the company asking for the quote have just taken over the factoring of these buildings. I think the takeover process from the last factors was a tad acrimonious. They haven't supplied - or referred to - any test certificates, and I think they might not have all the changeover paperwork sorted out just yet.

 

[Andy78]

Nothing to stop you quoting for differing amounts of sampling then, with 100% recommended as there are no previous records. You say they are doing their 10 year inspection and test ? it should be 5 years max for rental property.. .this could also add weight to a 100% test and inspect.

See section 3.8.4 in GN3 as a guide to setting sampling.

 

[Pete999]

If there is no evidence of any previous tests, I personally would quote per flat and per Communal DB times it by the number of flats and communal DBs, explain to the client your reasoning and take it from there.

 

[telectrix]

deffo inspect and test each flat as a separate entity. each flat can then have sampling applied according to what condition it's in on 1st sight.

 

[dingledong]

I agree with tell
Give them a price per flat rather than a price for everything it will look better

 

[telectrix]

i'm sampling now. hobgoblin, strange, it's taken 3 pints and i'm still not sure if i like it. have to try another 3.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

The properties need to be viewed before making this kind of decision.
If it appears that no alterations have been made, and the electrical equipment looks to be in good repair, then sampling is an option.
However I would always prefer to fully test something like a flat or house, as it should not take that long.
The fact that there is a number of flats to test, shouldn't make any odds.

 

[Duncan Bennett]

Nothing to stop you quoting for differing amounts of sampling then, with 100% recommended as there are no previous records. You say they are doing their 10 year inspection and test ? it should be 5 years max for rental property.. .this could also add weight to a 100% test and inspect.

See section 3.8.4 in GN3 as a guide to setting sampling.

Thanks, Andy. I should have said that the individual flats are all owned by the tenants. It's a kind of (but not exclusively) retiree's place; the comunal areas are looked after by a factor, but the flats themselves are owned.