Conforming with regulations?

Conforming with regulations?

9:24 AM, 21st November 2022, About 2 years ago 22

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Hello, I have 2 questions about the practical approach to meeting regulations.

I have just requested an electrical safety check which the property has failed with a number of C2 faults. I have asked for an estimate for rectifying the faults which the electrician is preparing, but he has said that he can’t do the work until the new year.

That leaves me in breach of the law as the faults should be rectified within 28 days.

Chatting informally to another electrician he said they don’t like checking each other’s work and if he was to take it on he would have to start again with all checks.

Any advice please?

2nd question. If major repairs are necessary, maybe hypothetically electrical or maybe mould (we don’t have any), can this be grounds for a landlord to evict a tenant in order to carry out the work.

If not, how are we supposed to get it done?

Thank you,

Bob


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Jessie Jones

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9:57 AM, 26th November 2022, About 2 years ago

The New Year isn't that far away and the chances of finding another electrician who can do the testing and any remedial work between now and the holiday period is probably not high. To some extent you have to 'risk manage' this.
One factor you might consider is whether the C2 fault can be readily isolated from the rest of the system. For example if it is in the upstairs lighting circuit, can the fuse at the fuse box be removed, and rely on floor lamps for a short while? One of my properties was unsafe because there was only one double socket in a bedroom and the electrician felt that there was potential for this to be overloaded. I had additional sockets installed but I wasn't going to get stressed about it and it did take some time because I had to give the tenants time to temporarily relocate whilst I had other work done.
One bit of advice I would give is that when you need an EICR, ask the electrician for a thorough, but informal report in the first instance, and not a full EICR. A full EICR does indeed trigger your 28 day time frame. An informal report should not cost you any more if the same electrician goes on to do the remedial work and then the full EICR.
A slight side issue. If the property is in a Selective Licensing area, or in an HMO, then I would probably treat this a lot more urgently. Council Licensing departments seem to be driven by prosecutions, fixed penalties and any excuse to identify a 'rogue landlord'. Areas not covered by these schemes are generally policed by the Trading Standards departments, who are a lot more sensible and understand such concepts as holiday periods and tradesman availability.

Alan Walton

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2:06 AM, 22nd April 2023, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by David at 21/11/2022 - 17:51
You just need paper work for the work done. This would contain test results for the whole building or just the circuit worked on plus a few supply tests. This all depends on what work is done.

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