Trying to get a domestic electrical safety certificate...

[Armourer]

I am trying to get a domestic electrical safety certificate so I can rent out my house in Southampton but my electrician has come up with £300 of remedial work before he will pass it. He claims the pendant light in the bathroom breaks IP rules and the law and that I can be prosecuted for it. Now I know it’s a very good idea to have it changed for IPx4 rating but it’s over 2m from the bath/shower and so only just inside zone 3, well out of reach (high ceiling), cord operated and never had any condensation on the lead. Installed before 1999, not regulated and certainly not a criminal offence! In the kitchen he reckons that a 32 A 1.5m radial to one double socket for tumble dryer and washing machine (max load 5kW) needs to be uprated. Yet by my calculations the 2.5 mm2 cable could happily run 7kW over 10m. Some others I won’t bore you with, so my question is what action could/should I take with an electrician who is either incompetent or (more likely) just trying to pad a bill and expects to be paid his inspection fee and how do I go about finding a decent electrician if I can't trust an NICEIC contractor.

 

[Plonker 3]

Could you scan the report in forums to see, then we will be able to make more comment on the report for you.

 

[Sintra]

Well TBH he is correct by saying that the 1.5mm cable protected by the 32A OPD needs upgraded. The pendant light issue could be sorted for next to nothing by changing the standard lampholder to a TRS lampholder.

EDIT

Sorry 1.5M of 2.5mm cable. Still a 2.5mm cable can not be protected by a 32A OPD but the solution here would be to decrease the OPD.

 

[monkeyelectric]

I am trying to get a domestic electrical safety certificate so I can rent out my house in Southampton but my electrician has come up with £300 of remedial work before he will pass it. He claims the pendant light in the bathroom breaks IP rules and the law and that I can be prosecuted for it. Now I know it’s a very good idea to have it changed for IPx4 rating but it’s over 2m from the bath/shower and so only just inside zone 3, well out of reach (high ceiling), cord operated and never had any condensation on the lead. Installed before 1999, not regulated and certainly not a criminal offence! In the kitchen he reckons that a 32 A 1.5m radial to one double socket for tumble dryer and washing machine (max load 5kW) needs to be uprated. Yet by my calculations the 2.5 mm2 cable could happily run 7kW over 10m. Some others I won’t bore you with, so my question is what action could/should I take with an electrician who is either incompetent or (more likely) just trying to pad a bill and expects to be paid his inspection fee and how do I go about finding a decent electrician if I can't trust an NICEIC contractor.

Is the £300 including the original inspection fee?

 

[plugsandsparks]

sounds like the kitchen socket is a spur off a 32A ring ??? - or is the whole circuit a radial ??? as mentioned would need to see the test sheet.
If it really is a radial , downgrade breaker and tell renter to not use both appliances at the same time

 

[Deleted member 9648]

2.5mm radial just needs a 20a OCPD.....Pendant based on your description should not attract a code.
First port of call if you have employed an NICEIC contractor and you are not happy is the NICEIC complaints proceedure.

 

[Octopus]

Not enough information BUT asking for an EICR does not guarantee a "satisfactory" outcome.

 

[Sintra]

Just use a 25A breaker job done.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

2.5mm radial just needs a 20a OCPD.....Pendant based on your description should not attract a code.
First port of call if you have employed an NICEIC contractor and you are not happy is the NICEIC complaints proceedure.

And good luck with that, but worth a try !

 

[Plonker 3]

What did the contractor say when you raised these queries with them?

 

[rattlehead85]

The pendant issue if outside zone 2 and not reachable by persons readily standing in a bath or shower would warrant only a C3 at worst. Only attribute this due to conditions of dampness and rising steam. Certainly not a danger just a non compliance depending on how you view the fitting and the conditions it is installed in,
The 1.5mm2 cable is a C2. £300 does appear to be a bit steep. How big is the dwelling?

 

[moose]

The Light Fitting what was his grade for it C3 or ?

Im thinking the Sparky could be looking at the fact that a radial 2.5mm has exceeded the 2kw rating for a radial but im looking at long periods of time on the radial( Reg 433.1), providing reasonable sharing of the load around the ring circuit as well, thats why a Washing machine and a Dryer could be best served on maybe two seperate fused Spurs on the ring etc.

The Periodic report is the report You should have been using not a Insulation Report anyway.

 

[Armourer]

No, the inspection fee is separate. £240+VAT is for replacing a socket, couple of marker sleeves, derating an MCB by swapping for an unused one, replacing main earthing conductor wire, replacing & re-siting bathroom light and uprating 1.5m radial. Bout an hour if he stops for tea. Small 3 bed semi btw.

Radial is direct from consumer unit in kitchen, 32A MCB, so yes if there's a reg I'm not aware of regarding 32A radials and 2.5mm cable over such a short distance I'll just derate to 25A. Thanks Sintra.

No ratings at all have been provided for any faults so unable to say whether they are C2 or C3, sorry.

 

[Octopus]

No, the inspection fee is a separate £115. £300 is for replacing a socket, couple of marker sleeves, derating an MCB by swapping for an unused one, replacing main earthing conductor wire, replacing/resiting bathroom light and uprating 1.5m radial. Bout an hour if he stops for tea.

Well over an hour but certainly not £300 worth, I would agree with that.

Have you paid him for the inspection?

 

[Adam W]

How many kids does the electrician have?

 

[Armourer]

How many kids does the electrician have?

I don't know, but I've got 3 if that helps.

 

[Octopus]

Can you list the C1, C2 and C3 "faults" the report lists so we can comment on them constructively?

Then you could go back and ask for a quote for those you need and see what the revised price is.

You should also tell him that you will be getting competetive quotes too.

Cowboys like this damage the reputation of the profession.

 

[Adam W]

I don't know, but I've got 3 if that helps.

Find out. If you have more than him you may be able to use that to negotiate a discount.
"I've got three kids to feed!" etc.
Apparently it works like that.
You might be shooting yourself in the foot if he's got more though, so best to find out discreetly first.

 

[Armourer]

Can you list the C1, C2 and C3 "faults" the report lists so we can comment on them constructively?

Then you could go back and ask for a quote for those you need and see what the revised price is.

You should also tell him that you will be getting competetive quotes too.

Cowboys like this damage the reputation of the profession.

This is the only report I have received although I had commissioned an inspection for a Landlord's Safety Cert. No mention of that though. By the sound of it I should have received an EICR with C rated defects - is that right and is it a standard form? Do all defects need to be rectified for the Landord's Cert or just C1's?

Circuits are not numbered on outside but MCB 4th from left is burglar alarm and 500W security light so No 2 and 3 appear to be the same. Telephone conversation was confusing but I was threatened with prosecution if the bathroom pendant light (in zone 3) was not changed.

 

[Octopus]

View attachment 16973
This is the only report I have received although I had commissioned an inspection for a Landlord's Safety Cert. No mention of that though. By the sound of it I should have received an EICR with C rated defects - is that right and is it a standard form? Do all defects need to be rectified for the Landord's Cert or just C1's?

You need to ask him to place C1 (worst) C2 (medium) C3 (observation) against his notes - looks to me as if he is trying to baffle you.

#4 is only relevent if you have metal switches or sockets.