Electrical Certificates
As a homeowner you are the person responsible for the safety of any electrical installation in your own home. Since 2005, all electrical work in dwellings in England and Wales whether carried out professionally or as DIY, and whether or not the work is done as part of a project overseen by Building Control, must meet the requirements of Part P of the Building Regulations. This applies to new buildings and to any alterations or additions to the electrical installations of existing dwellings, including full or partial rewires.
The regulations state that anyone carrying out electrical work in a dwelling must ensure that reasonable provision has been made in the design and installation of the electrical installations in order to protect any persons who might use, maintain or alter the electrical installation of that dwelling from fire and injury, including electric shock. Compliance with the rules is intended to keep you and your family as safe as possible from electrical hazards. Having the right certificate provides you, as the person responsible for the safety of an electrical installation, with a declaration that the new installation, or alteration or addition, is safe to use at the time it was put into service. Broadly there are two certificates you should have in place.
Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC)[edit]
An EIC must be issued for all new electrical installations. It may also be required for an alteration or addition to the installation – depending upon whether or not a new circuit has been installed. They can only be issued to a homeowner by an NICEIC registered contractor.
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)[edit]
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a check on the electrical wiring, sockets, consumer units (fuse boxes) and other fixed electrical parts at the property, and must be carried out by a qualified and competent person. Landlords with properties in England and Scotland, and new occupation contracts in Wales, need to conduct an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) in order to rent them out.
Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificates (MEIWCs)[edit]
Where an alteration or addition is carried out but does not include a new circuit, a MEIWC may be issued by an NICEIC registered contractor.
Legal Basis[edit]
With all building work, the owner of the property (or land) in question is ultimately responsible for complying with the relevant planning rules and building regulations (regardless of the need to apply for planning permission and/or building regulations approval or not).
Therefore, failure to comply with the relevant rules will result in the owner being liable for any remedial action (which could go as far as demolition and/or restoration). The general advice is to always discuss your proposals with the relevant Local Planning Authority and Building Control Service before starting work.
See Also In Chimni[edit]
Chimni Wiki Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
Chimni Wiki Home Information Packs - HIPs
Other Interesting Web Sites[edit]
http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guides-and-advice/building-regulations/england/
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/
References[edit]
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