New Electrical Installation Condition Report Rules July 2020?

Reply to the comment left by Proffessional tradesman at 16/07/2020 - 22:01
As for the comment regarding the fusebox being metal to protect it from a fire in the property, total uniformed tosh!
The new consumer units are metal to contain a fire when the poorly fitted internal components start to burn. According to the Niceic and the Manufacturers several house fires had been reported (by fire officers) as eminating from the fusebox. Obviously putting a metal enclosure around the poorly fitted parts wont stop them burning, better to make sure those parts are well fitted and regularly checked. Connections inside a fuseboard will not necessarily stay tight forever.

Reply to the comment left by Neil Patterson at 15/07/2020 - 13:46
A metal consumer unit is not a requirement.
It's not dangerous to have a plastic one. Being fire rated doesn't mean it can withstand a fire in the house as I've seen some one comment on here. It means that if a fire were to originate from within the fuse board it would contain the fire for long enough for the user to notice before fire broke out whereas a plastic one would melt. A few fires were started this way going back 10 years or so ago so the fire rated CCU (consumer control unit) came about.
Furthermore an EICR should be conducted upon a new tenancy as tenants can do anything while they are in your property without your knowledge. I've been in properties where tenants have added sockets (poorly), tenants can smash accessories and not inform you. I've even seen grow rooms set up in the loft and meter bypasses. The price of an EICR is well worth it to save you a court battle I'd anything happens to your new tenants. A judge will ask you why you didn't get it checked.

Reply to the comment left by Proffessional tradesman at 16/07/2020 - 22:01
I was just about to reply with pretty much the same answer- refer them to page 87 of GN3 from the IET which stipulates the frequencies for all different building types and use.

To be honest I must have written on at least for or five similar posts on here over last few months that infer- sorry no some people have actually said on here- that we are ripping them off- "its an easy quick buck for them" is a quote off this thread.

As an honest sparks of many years and always giving an honest and quality service I get fed up of being slagged off and my integrity questioned.

If only people realised the work involved and the hours you put in to getting them a 'satisfactory ' result from quite often their pigs ear of botched DIY installations that date back to the 70s. The view from Joe Public seems to be 'everything switches on so it must be safe'. Ha yeah right.

Reply to the comment left by paul landlord at 16/07/2020 - 22:34
The bottom line is, unless the installation is wired to the 18thed you can only code 3. Or FI. And quite rightly too, the regs, have always made clear, an installation made to a previous Ed is not necessarily unsafe. In fact, if someone came into my property and started picking unwarranted holes, I would ask awkward questions, like "can you explain why my plastic board is less safe than a steel one without an rcd upfront"?

Reply to the comment left by UKPN at 16/07/2020 - 23:35Thankyou- but you are not telling me anything I dont know and with respect I would suggest I am more in a position say what i can and cant do than you- I am fully aware of BS7671 and experienced in coding. I have no problem with what you say there. If you look at my previous posts over the months I have been advising 118 readers in just this way to avoid being ripped- i hate anybody in my business cheating unsuspecting customers.
However on this specific question I refer you to the regulations which do state '5 years or change of tenant'. Its black and white and you or anyone else can see this- I've even given the document to refer to.
You can choose to follow it or not (most dont). Its no odds to me. But the regulation is what it is no argument.

Oh and by the way an FI is a fail for your info so you dont want that result

Question: I can understand the need for an elec inspection on a singe let of a whole dwelling, but what about an HMO being let room by room? Thanks

Reply to the comment left by Freda Blogs at 17/07/2020 - 12:38
Really you should get the single room tested as there could be damage or alteration done by the tenants during the time they were there. You could negotiate with your electrician over price as it wouldn't take very long to test one room and there would probably in most instances be only two ccts involved one for lighting and one for sockets. The report can state in the limitations section that only the room in question was tested.

My electrician had a fire in his house a few years ago. He had a major insurance claim and left the house in his night clothes. The cause of the fire was the defective refrigerator. The Grenfell fire was started in a refigerator.
My electrician had a tip top system in his house let down by a refigerator .
This regulation does not cover white goods. White goods are the significant proximate cause of household fires. As usual nincompoop Politicos shutting the wrong stable door after the horse has bolted.

The EICR needs sorting out. a landlord i know had an improvement notice after a council private renting inspection. There is the original 1950 china rewirable fusebox and rubber insulated wiring in the house, no earth on lighting, which has brass lights and switches. The electrician decided to ignore that, and test the relatively new consumer unit that supplies the utility room - with 2 sockets and 2 lights. He deemed that unsafe as it had no RCD and replaced it, issuing a certificate that was sent to the council.
The tenant was worried and paid for their own inspection, which noted all the failures. They sent it to the council, who said they could not accept that as it had not been paid for by the landlord. They accepted the certificate for the new consumer unit in the utility room, and would take no further action.
Both electricians are NICEIC registered of course.
Reminds me of the stories of MOT and Gas safety certificates written in the pub.

where did this requirement originate? reference