NAPIT electrical testing exceeds new regulation requirements?

If NAPIT insist on 18th edition compliance in its entirety then every EICR will need a metal consumer unit replacement. Looks like NAPIT will lose its members a lot of work.

They will be testing to 18th but anything that complies with previous versions will be just an advisory unless it is deemed to be dangerous. I had an EICR done recently in Scotland and the metal fuse box thing was just an advisory

Reply to the comment left by Rennie at 26/05/2020 - 15:12
Thats good to know Rennie. Some electricians are telling people that its compulsory.

To clear up any confusion.

Since time began all EICRs have been completed with reference to the latest edition of the regulations in play- even tho the regs change every few years (eg 2008 17th edition, 2011 ammendment 1 ,2013 amm2, 2015 amm3, 2018 18th edition and we just had amm1 to the 18th edition a few months ago. Amm 1 was already being worked on in 2018 before the 18th went to print the same year!)

The vast majority of changes are not retrospective and just get a fault code 3 applied for any non compliance (recommended improvement but still a pass- like an advisory on a car MOT) as long as the installation was installed to the regs of the day and its integrity has not been compromised since. So that will take away all your fears on your plastic consumer units etc- plastic was fine until 2015.

Some inspectors will either lie to leverage work or tell you that their personal opinion is 'the law' again to leverage work. Inspectors should be speaking with the voice of BS7671 (wiring regs) and nothing else in spite of their own preferences. Buyer beware of cheap sounding inspections they can cost you dearly!

In terms of what we call 'sampling' then Guidance Note 3 from the IET states a minimum of 30% of the outlets of each circuit are dismantled for inspection and testing. Depending on the inspectors findings then the sample size could be increased to 100%.

However as long as I've been registered all my registration bodies have required '100% sampling 100% of the time' regardless of the guidance from the IET.

To be honest I wouldn't have it any other way- 'its my ass in a sling' if I pass an installation as safe based on sampling and an incident occurs based on something ive not inspected.

In honesty my feeling about sampling on a residential property is that its just downright lazy (and in my opinion shows a foolish inspector for obvious reasons). And as for cost then dependant on where you live of course then typically a quality EICR will cost around £200-£250 which will be good for up to 5 years and take 5 or 6 hours to complete with the 7 pages of paperwork that needs to be generated- its time consuming to do a proper job.

Is £40-£50 a year a lot to ask of a landlord for a quality job?

Been a registered installer and Inspector for many years now by the way.

Hope this helps

Re, will an existing Edition 17 Cert be valid until its expiry, regardless of change of tenancy after 1/4/21 -

From the ( bizarrely still separate website of ) RLA ;
The Government is due to publish guidance on this matter at the start of June 2020.
This guidance will confirm that EICRs performed prior to the 18th Edition but less than five years old will be considered valid for the purposes of this regulation.

@paullandlord, thanks for the detailed post. I wonder if I could ask your opinion on the below?
I had inspections carried out on all my properties in 2018. In one property (that was rewired in 2008) I had a couple of C3 notes and one FI. The ‘FI’ related to a circuit that the electrician could not identify. I’ve checked and it doesn’t seem to be connected to any lights, sockets or appliances (everything still works when the MCB is turned off). The report is marked as ‘satisfactory’.
From what I have read online, an ‘FI’ code would actually mean the report is ‘unsatisfactory’. My electrician disagrees though and says everything is safe and I should just leave the breaker on this circuit off, but if I want he will come back and disconnect this circuit (chargeable of course so he doesn’t see why I want to spend the money!) I tried to get an answer from NICEIC and they said it shouldn’t have been marked as an ‘FI’ code but couldn’t say what it should have been marked down as instead!
To add to more confusion, I asked my letting agent if it was satisfactory. They passed it to their contractor who said the ‘FI’ wasn’t an issue, but they thought the lack of RCD protection would be a C1 notification and offered to come and do a new report. I declined as the CU was installed to the regs of the time in 2008 and there is RCD protection for the appropriate circuits (just not a split RCD protected CU as required in the later regs!)
Any thoughts on the best way forward would be appreciated! The new legislation does seem to be very badly written!

In Scotland, an EICR carried out within the last five years is still valid, irrespective of changes in Electrical Wiring Regulations.

Reply to the comment left by AP at 30/05/2020 - 08:40
It would seem reasonable that an EICR marked Satisfactory is accepted as such, without delving into the individual fault codes. Especially in the is case where you have sought a second option and appears a not a critical issue.

It always amazes me how Landlords will look for the cheapest option when Electrics are concerned ,yet every year pay a (Gas Safe) man to come and do a 10 minute inspection on a brand new boiler and cooker hob.
A Electrical Inspection Condition Report can take into account every bit of wiring inside /outside the building take hours of coordinating with the Tenant where everything is located.
As a Landlord myself and NICEIC Inspector I have been at Landlord meetings with local Council and noted a absolute shock /horror on landlords faces when asked are their Tenants Safe ,After a Fire last night
A Fire has to be lucky once to see the consequences
Landlords have to be sure all the time
My advice would be to get a Full EICR and change that old fuse board in the hallway /sited under the stairs it does not bear thinking about what could happen ,while your clutching a old scrape of paper the mate gave you down the pub saying it will be all wight mate

Reply to the comment left by Gary Nock at 26/05/2020 - 09:52
I have seen NAPITs webinar on the dreaded EICRs in the PRS during lockdown, as I am a NAPIT registered electrician and a landlord. They DO NOT expect every rental to meet 18th Edition regulations. So don't worry.... They expect experience and the use of their EICR codebreakers book to be used. Obviously there are electricians out there from all registered bodies that will take the.....
The 100% you make reference to related to the circuits of the dwelling. All circuits, i.e. 100% are to be tested, it is not acceptable to do less in domestic situation really (large commercial and industrial settings sample circuits). Obviously 100% of sockets and fittings aren't required to be examined unless faults, or non compliance is found.