No certificates for electrical work.

[TonyWarrington]

I have had a couple of jobs done by a qualified electrician who had been recommended to me. Fitting of spots and extractors in two bathrooms and fitting of CU in another property. The spots etc fitted many months ago and the CU within the last 3 months.

While I like the guy and trust his work he does seem to have a problem with producing the required paperwork (whatever that is!). Other than an invoice have had no certification. I have asked him several times and he admits that he is behind as he now does mainly large industrial type work rather than private homes.

I am trying to contact him again, so far without success.
My question is what could the consequences be without the required documentation?

 

[JACKC]

Sounds to me like as an industrial electrician he may not have bothered with Part P registration as he doesn't need to bother with domestic work. Ask him what Part P profesional body he is registered with, NICEIC, NAPIT and ECA are the main ones I believe. If he won't tell you his membership body or number then he probably isn't registered and should not be carrying out notifiable work. He could find himself in trouble with the local authority. It is a requirement to issue certificates after testing as per BS7671 so it should be done. Did he test anything before powering up?

 

[streetlighter]

Knowing Warrington Borough Council they probably wont be too ar**d about part P and missing test cirts.

 

[TonyWarrington]

I do believe that he is Part P registered he started working for himself on domestic then began to take on more industrial. His business card and invoices quote Part P registered and display NAPIT Part p and also TrustMark.

He did undertake tests before powering up

As I said I trust that the work he has done for me has been carried out properly - even though I am not qualified to make that judgement.

What is the position if I cannot get hold of him to issue certificates. Suppose we decide to sell property and have no evidence that the work has been carried out by a properly qualified person?

As a matter of interest does the issuing of certificate cost the issuer anything?

Is WBC that bad then?

Thanks for your help

 

[Taylortwocities]

First off , go to www.napit.org.uk and look him up - type in his postcode and you should find him.
If he's not there then try www.competentperson.co.uk just in case he's no longer with NAPIT)

If he is a member and is not responsive then call NAPIT (or whoever he's registered with) and raise a complaint.

The work must be notified by him and you must have Electrical Installation Certificates produced by him. WBC may not care but your buyer's solicitor will want the correct papers otherwise a future house sale will stall until its sorted. I know, I'm involved in sorting out non cert'ed work for two estate agents.

 

[TonyWarrington]

TTC, thanks for the info

Your last paragraph confirmed my main concerns.

Have checked Napit and he is listed. I intend to give him every opportunity to respond by sending him a few reminders. I suspect that he has just forgotten due to pressure of work. If that fails then I will be forced to make a complaint.

 

[ScrewForumIsJunk]

Not wishing to stir things up BUT it is the home owner that is ultimately in potentially trouble, not an unregistered electrician - he/she could be trouble for other reasons.

When you come to sell you home the buyers solicitor, if they are diligent, will perform their searches as normal and this may/may not include searches on any electrical work that should have been filed with labc. If it is not the it is the seller that has the problem, not some cowboy that may have done the work who is long gone.

 

[resq]

Don't wish to hijack thread but can I just ask, how do the solicitors know when the work was carried out. It may have been done prior to Part P regs coming out

 

[ScrewForumIsJunk]

They have ways and means I promise you that they do.

Do you know what a conveyance "search" is and what it involves?

 

[dingodeano]

They have ways and means I promise you that they do.

Do you know what a conveyance "search" is and what it involves?

No. tell me and how do they know if work was done prior to part p? just wondering thats all.

 

[GaryMo]

Not wishing to stir things up BUT it is the home owner that is ultimately in potentially trouble, not an unregistered electrician - he/she could be trouble for other reasons.

When you come to sell you home the buyers solicitor, if they are diligent, will perform their searches as normal and this may/may not include searches on any electrical work that should have been filed with labc. If it is not the it is the seller that has the problem, not some cowboy that may have done the work who is long gone.

For the fitting of downlighters and extractor fans? How will he perform a search with LABC for this type of work if nothing has been documented?
Will he bring his screwdriver?

 

[ScrewForumIsJunk]

Sarcasm is the lowest from of wit and he highest form of vulgarity.

Facts remain - it IS the home owner that is prosecuted for work done that does not meet the building regulations. The onus lies with home owners to ensure that trades people follow the rules.

 

[GaryMo]

Please answer, I'm curious as to how the solicitor will identify an extra socket, a newly fitted extractor fan, a ceiling rose changed for 6 downlighters etc etc.

The system isn't as perfect as you make it out to be.

 

[Click-Sure]

GaryMo raises a good point. I REALLY don't want to stir up the whole part P debate again, but how the hell can you tell when electrical apperatus was installed? I can hazard an educated guess, but even then only ball park, so how would a surveyor know?

Pyrsimian cable has year of manufacture on I noticed the other day, used some T&E with H2007 and then some with H2008 on it!

 

[TonyWarrington]

I think the main thing to accept as stated here is that the home owner/seller will be held responsible for work done that does not meet regulations. However I am unsure if a home owner could actually be prosecuted for work done that does not meet these regulations unless it could be shown that he deliberately set out to flout regulations or gave misleading information

Interesting points being raised here how would anyone know or find out if the seller did not disclose info?

In my own case this would be easy to prove. My bathroom work involved lighting and extract into a new en suite facility in bedroom which was not part of the original build. The CU work would also be obvious that change had occurred due to the age of the property.

I certainly would not want to run the risk of future legal actions by deliberately misleading buyers by not disclosing to the best of my knowledge information requested of me by a buyers legal representative.