PROPOSED ELECTRICAL LEGISLATION

Back around 2005 when the Government were introducing Home Condition Reports that were to be required for the sale of domestic properties I considered doing the training course and qualifying, I bought the RICS Home Inspectors handbook and still keep on a shelf  it under my desk, actually I have it in front of me now.


The report writing was to be very specific to the extent that you had to use standard reporting software that used set phrases and descriptions, the intention was that if a client commissioned a report they would get an identical report utter regardless of who wrote it, you should not have been able to tell who wrote the report by looking at it and reading it, there was to be no individual flourishes or personalisation that would set one inspectors report apart from the standard.


There were three condition rating codes:

Code one- No repair is presently required. Normal maintenance must be undertaken.

Code two- Repairs are required, but the home inspector does not consider these to be either serious or urgent.

Code three- Defects of a serious nature exist or require urgent repair.


The book and training course gave very detailed explanations and guidance on how structure and fabric of the building should be coded on the Home Condition Reports, if at all, which obviously they should do as they are training for inspectors.


The 18th edition course and training does not even cover the coding of issues for an Electrical Installation Condition Report and they certainly doesn't go through the outcome decision making process. I have now taken three Wiring Regulations courses, the full 16th, the 17th update and the full 18th, not once has any guidance or training on coding for EICRs has been given. The simple truth is most electricians are making codes up on the hoof, it is not a defined process.


NAPIT have actually nailed it with NAPIT Codebreakers, particularly if you use NAPIT Desktop for producing the reports because it's preloaded into the reporting software, when you code an item on the schedule of inspections it brings up a choice of entries for the observation which can then be tailored for the particular circumstances. I have bought the lady in charge of maintenance at one of the letting agents her own copy of NAPIT Codebreakers to keep in her office desk so that if there are any queries as to how I have coded issues on an EICR she can quickly check using the reference number what the NAPIT recommendation is to see if I am following a defined process or making it up on the hoof.


When I did the 17th update course the lecturer said to me that any one who could look things up quickly in the Argos catalogue could pass the exam, actually going beyond just picking the correct reference in the regulations book to pass an exam and applying it to coding an EICR is a process that many people seem to get to grips with.


Andy Betteridge

Back around 2005 when the Government were introducing Home Condition Reports that were to be required for the sale of domestic properties I considered doing the training course and qualifying, I bought the RICS Home Inspectors handbook and still keep on a shelf  it under my desk, actually I have it in front of me now.


The report writing was to be very specific to the extent that you had to use standard reporting software that used set phrases and descriptions, the intention was that if a client commissioned a report they would get an identical report utter regardless of who wrote it, you should not have been able to tell who wrote the report by looking at it and reading it, there was to be no individual flourishes or personalisation that would set one inspectors report apart from the standard.


There were three condition rating codes:

Code one- No repair is presently required. Normal maintenance must be undertaken.

Code two- Repairs are required, but the home inspector does not consider these to be either serious or urgent.

Code three- Defects of a serious nature exist or require urgent repair.


The book and training course gave very detailed explanations and guidance on how structure and fabric of the building should be coded on the Home Condition Reports, if at all, which obviously they should do as they are training for inspectors.


The 18th edition course and training does not even cover the coding of issues for an Electrical Installation Condition Report and they certainly doesn't go through the outcome decision making process. I have now taken three Wiring Regulations courses, the full 16th, the 17th update and the full 18th, not once has any guidance or training on coding for EICRs has been given. The simple truth is most electricians are making codes up on the hoof, it is not a defined process.


NAPIT have actually nailed it with NAPIT Codebreakers, particularly if you use NAPIT Desktop for producing the reports because it's preloaded into the reporting software, when you code an item on the schedule of inspections it brings up a choice of entries for the observation which can then be tailored for the particular circumstances. I have bought the lady in charge of maintenance at one of the letting agents her own copy of NAPIT Codebreakers to keep in her office desk so that if there are any queries as to how I have coded issues on an EICR she can quickly check using the reference number what the NAPIT recommendation is to see if I am following a defined process or making it up on the hoof.


When I did the 17th update course the lecturer said to me that any one who could look things up quickly in the Argos catalogue could pass the exam, actually going beyond just picking the correct reference in the regulations book to pass an exam and applying it to coding an EICR is a process that many people seem to get to grips with.


Andy Betteridge