Are we keeping a list of LABCs who don't understand Part P?

[ericmark]

According to my MP the councils are to be given more discretion as to what they charge. 6 months ago when my MP told me that in Wales all the councils charged £100 plus vat for first £2000 worth of work. So be aware there may be resent changes.

As it was the council is responsible for the safety of the installation once they take the money, and any testing required to ensure that, they must do.

But they only issue a completion certificate they do not have to issue the BS7671:2008 type installation certificate, and there is it seems, not need for one, the provision of an IET style certificate is optional.

However if you do a sub-standard job and they issue a completion certificate I would not fancy your chances of taking them to court for dereliction of duty. Even if a third party did the work I think you would not get much redress from local council although their professional Indemnity Insurance should cover any mistakes they make.

As a fully qualified electrician I took my degree in electrical and electronic engineering and it did not teach me what is required to be an electrician. So even if you did continue to become chartered it still does not mean you have the skill and knowledge required to undertake electrical work to the required standard. Neither does being a member of the IET help. Of all the exams I have done the only one which could be seen as showing one has the knowledge required is the C&G 2391 and even that does not prove you have the skill.

However you have no need to prove your skill. If you fill in the installation certificate you have to say you have the skill but you do not need to prove it. However you would be libel for any mistakes.

As to if you would want to fill in the paperwork is up to you?

Personally I would not give a dam about what the council did or did not do I would want to live in a safe house and I would inspect and test all my work to my satisfaction. As to if I would forward that to council is another matter?

If you forward it and there are mistakes then they are responsible for highlighting them. i.e. down stairs lighting with ELI of 8 ohm should fail if no RCD should they fail to point this out then they would be libel. So better in some ways to have it checked by them.

However if you don't submit it they will need to test so they may also find some physical fault. They also may fail you on a technicality socket too low or other non danger related fault.

However as daft as it seems I have not seen anything other than do it again and do it properly. There does not seem to be any fee charged for re-test.

 

[Donkmeister]

Thanks for all the help guys, it's all a lot clearer now.

BCO has responded to my e-mail simply stating that a Building Notice is sufficient. So, I'll submit one when I've finalised my design, with a fairly top-level description of the tasks in hand - that way I won't have to submit updates if I have to make changes to the design once I've started.

I'll issue the BS7671 certificate to the Officer on completion as per BAS, and await the Completion certificate in return.

Hopefully by going through the approved channels, I won't come acropper in a few years when I sell the house!

 

[LiamPope]

So have they agreed they'll accept your EIC or will you have to get it tested by a registered spark? Out of interest who are you corresponding with at Bedford LABC?

Liam

 

[davelx]

Add The London Borough of Sutton to the list!

They:

a) will not test, or arrange or pay for testing
b) require an EIC signed by a competent electrician
c) define "competent electrician" as one who is a member of a Part P scheme
d) thus charge £200 for doing SFA.