Non notifiable diy work

[securespark]

You want to be telling your building inspector to learn how to do his job, extension of existing circuits requires no further inspection by anyone, he might want a minor works certificate which you can download and complete yourself but that's as much as he can do about it.

Except the little Hitlers have you by the goolies and will insist on whatever bit of paper they think they need or else they won't sign off your job.

There's nothing worse than somebody who thinks they know everything.

 

[ebee]

Well, kif you feel it is appropriate, you could always threaten to sue the inspector for not acting as per their official office or some such thing.
Apparently you sue them as a private individual and it could cost them thousands.
Surprisingly their employer (in this case the council) very rarely covers them for this on their insurance and they are unlikely to have it personally.
Research it, then once armed sufficiently just inform them that is what you are considering. It often works and they will have a tendency to act more reasonably. It is surprising how often people in authority tend to assume some authorities they just do not possess.

Actually suing them should be avoided because it can be time consuming and costly. But the threat can often work.

PS - I am not giving an opinion, in this case, whether the officer is over assuming their actual powers, that`s for you to consider and take the next step if you feel it is appropriate.

I have been to court a few times (not a lot) and to date have lost a case. However I find that reasonable calm persuasion is usually the best way in the first instance.

I did once, a few years back, insist that a very large national company take me to court but they never did.
I withheld around a thousand pounds they had invoiced me for and sent many reminders but I stuck to my guns and refused to pay them.
They did not take me to court, despite my insistence because they knew they were in the wrong and would lose.
That would have been very bad publicity for them.
I made two others aware of their similar actions but they still paid up.

 

[Adam_151]

@ebee

That doesn't sound quite right to me, generally the council will have Vicarious liability for the actions of employees when acting in an official capacity, as long as they arn't completely overstepping the mark in terms of whats reasonble for the employer to have control over.

i.e. The council are liable if the inspector is very over-zealous on what he'll sign off on, but not if he looses the plot and comes back in the night and burns down your building project

 

[ebee]

You say it doesn’t sound quite right to you. I agree it didn’t sound quite right to me (not as I expected it to be) but I was told that by a few different people who I think should know far more about these things than I do. I did say research it, as I would advise anybody to do so.

A bit like the giving advice say on electrics , example a PIR, and needing insurance cover for six years after you cease giving advice. I would have naturally assumed if you are insured then you are insured for what you did at the time whether by design and install etc or by the giving of advice. I still can’t get my head around needing that insurance to cover you for a period after the event even though you were actually covered at the time of the event. That could mean if you trade for a year you would need 1 + 6 years insurance to cover for your wrongful advice