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PROPOSED ELECTRICAL LEGISLATION

John Peckham
The government have produced draft regulations on the periodic inspection and testing of domestic installations.


It can be found here http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2020/9780111191934


I have serious concerns with the proposed definition of "qualified" as it does not require anyone to have any qualifications whatsoever , so it does not do what it says on the tin. It perpetuates the current practice of any knuckle scraping half whit who does not know their amp from the elbow carrying out inspection and testing. Without setting out defined required qualifications it becomes unenforceable.


Unless an MP makes an objection as Secondary it will become law without debate. I have written to my recently Knighted MP this morning to explain my views on the proposed legislation and in particular the definition of "Qualified" that contains no requirement to have any qualifications. 


Unless the government gets any objections these Regulations will become law. Only an MP can get proposed secondary legislation changed.


You may wish to join me in writing to your MP?
  • 0

    Sparkingchip:

    I have recently been working on an electrical installed to14th Edition Wiring Regulations, over the last fifty odd years there have been various alterations and additions.


    There is more way I would have signed it off as fit to use by tenants renting the house, but the homeowners have been using it without any concerns.


    The new consumer unit has a label on it saying that metal lights and switches that require an earth connection cannot be installed and those that were installed have been stripped out and replaced with plastic fittings.


    The general standard of electrical installations in England is far lower than most people think they are, the requirement that every tenanted home is going to be certified as being up to a minimum standard in fifteen months from now with any remedial work completed is very ambitious.


    Andy Betteridge.


     




     

    And although that installation is now considered safe for use by homeowners, it is not considered safe for use by tenants.


     Andy Betteridge
  • 0
    Based on government figures I estimate that every single registered electrician in England has do at least forty to fifty EICRs for rented homes owned by private landlords each in a year for landlords to comply.


    Considering that some registered electricians have never inspected and tested a domestic electrical installation then completed an EICR that’s a big ask.


    22% of 4.8 million homes plus 20% of the remainder as existing certification will require updating with 42,000 registered electricians to undertake the work comes out at 43 each, but the total number electricians includes those in Wales, so take those out and that pushes it up yo around fifty each.


    Then after first year it drops back to around twenty five to thirty each.


    However the government reckons that we are already doing an average of twenty or more each.


    So either the electricians already preparing EICRs have got to do more than double their usual number of EICRs or other people have got to change the type of work they do.


    Then there is the remedial work to be done, all in all I not sure the figures indicate that the government target is achievable.


    Andy Betteridge.

  • 0
    The thing is John... I have seen, and known about, anyone doing their own CCU change / installations... The last one was in 2014 when I was doing a full referb in Kennington, London... I asked him if he had the 2391? He didn't know what that was... what a 2381 or 2381-200?? 


    He didn't have a clue as my guess is... he pays his mate say a £100 for a cert. So, really, sadly, nothing will change and let's face it, before part P... I had no problems.


    regards... Tom



     

    John Peckham:

    The government have produced draft regulations on the periodic inspection and testing of domestic installations.


    It can be found here http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2020/9780111191934


    I have serious concerns with the proposed definition of "qualified" as it does not require anyone to have any qualifications whatsoever , so it does not do what it says on the tin. It perpetuates the current practice of any knuckle scraping half whit who does not know their amp from the elbow carrying out inspection and testing. Without setting out defined required qualifications it becomes unenforceable.


    Unless an MP makes an objection as Secondary it will become law without debate. I have written to my recently Knighted MP this morning to explain my views on the proposed legislation and in particular the definition of "Qualified" that contains no requirement to have any qualifications. 


    Unless the government gets any objections these Regulations will become law. Only an MP can get proposed secondary legislation changed.


    You may wish to join me in writing to your MP? 




     

  • 0

    -2400-:

    In the definitions: 




    “electrical safety standards” means the standards for electrical installations in the eighteenth edition of the Wiring Regulations, published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the British Standards Institution as BS 7671: 2018(5);





    but then footnote 5 refers to BS IEC 60364-8-1, which I believe correlates to Appendix 17 Energy Efficiency of BS 7671

    (5)  BS IEC 60364-8-1(2018 edition). Copies can be obtained from the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Michael Faraday House, Six Hill Way, Stevenage SG1 2AY.





    seems like an error?

     




     

    I have had an excellent letter from my MP, he points out that:


    “This covers how electrical installation can be done in an energy efficient manner, which BS 7671 has had requirements on in Appendix 17 since the update in 2018.”


    Over to you to tell me how you are going to deal with these requirements in the preparation of an EICR.


    Andy Betteridge
  • 0
    Yep I got a reply from my MP in a letter on Housepaper all nice and posh.


    Thanks..........................

    I believe Stat Inst already been passed by house and come in force April..........


    I have written to ministry ref your concerns ............................................
  • 0

    ebee:

    Yep I got a reply from my MP in a letter on Housepaper all nice and posh.


    Thanks..........................

    I believe Stat Inst already been passed by house and come in force April..........


    I have written to ministry ref your concerns ............................................




    Not according to this. Scroll down to part B, item 11.

  • 0
    I now realise the government have played a blinder, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations state:


    “electrical safety standards” means the standards for electrical installations in the eighteenth edition of the Wiring Regulations, published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the British Standards Institution as BS 7671: 2018(5);


    also:

     

    Duties of private landlords in relation to electrical installations




    3.—(1) A private landlord(7) who grants or intends to grant a specified tenancy must—




    (a) ensure that the electrical safety standards are met during any period when the residential premises(8) are occupied under a specified tenancy;




    Which means that the requirements and processes that are to be implemented are to be decided by the IET.


    Which allows my Member of Parliament to finish his letter by saying:


    "If you would like further clarification, I would recommend contacting the Institute of Engineering and Technology who will be able to answer any technical enquiries you may have.”


    So it is up to the IET to decide how we play the game, not the government as the government are legally passing the responsibility to do so to the IET, not the ESF, NICEIC, NAPIT or anyone else, just the IET.


    Andy Betteridge


  • 0

    Chris Pearson:




    ebee:

    Yep I got a reply from my MP in a letter on Housepaper all nice and posh.


    Thanks..........................

    I believe Stat Inst already been passed by house and come in force April..........


    I have written to ministry ref your concerns ............................................




    Not according to this. Scroll down to part B, item 11.


     




    Cheers Chris I`ve emailed your link to him.

    Not sure why they post reply rather than email. It`s got a portculis in top LH corner that makes the letter too heavy to lift with one hand

  • 0

    I have had an excellent letter from my MP, he points out that:


    “This covers how electrical installation can be done in an energy efficient manner, which BS 7671 has had requirements on in Appendix 17 since the update in 2018.”



    Oh dear, more misinformation and confusion. I guess it's too late to point out that Appendix 17 is merely informative, not normative, and contains no requirements at all - just recommendations, which may legitimately ignore while still claiming BS 7671 compliance.

      - Andy.
  • 0
    And has nothing to do with safety.


    The properties cannot be let without a current energy performance certificate which is lodged online for anyone to view, adding comments about potential energy savings to a safety report when a specific energy report has already been compiled just deflects from the purpose of the safety report.


    Adding bumf to a safety report is inappropriate.


    Andy Betteridge 

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