Very well explained, Manator.
I only have one issue with a couple of the points you raise.
Yes, the 'Regs' aren't law.
Yes, the 'Regs' may contain minor faults.
Yes, you can have 'departures' from the 'Regs'.
BUT.......you cannot sign this:-
FOR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, INSPECTION & TESTING
I being the person responsible for the Design, Construction, Inspection & Testing of the electrical installation (as indicated by my signature below), particulars of which are described above, having exercised reasonable skill and care when carrying out the Design, Construction, Inspection & Testing, hereby CERTIFY that the said work for which I have been responsible is to the best of my knowledge and belief in accordance with BS 7671:2008 amended to .......... (date) except for the departures, if any, detailed as follows
......if your installation doesn't comply with the
current edition of the 'Regs'
and you haven't listed any non-compliance as a 'departure' on the form.
If you are signing the above declaration, it either complies or it's a departure, regardless of what
we might think are 'errors' in the 'current' 'Regs'.
Until they are corrected they are the 'Regs'
This was my argument in the first place, until comments ridiculing my knowledge of 'SELV' etc started to crop up - none of which had anything to do with the point I was making.
For anyone who doesn't agree, maybe we could add a line to the above declaration - it could go something like:-
FOR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, INSPECTION & TESTING
I being the person responsible for the Design, Construction, Inspection & Testing of the electrical installation (as indicated by my signature below), particulars of which are described above, having exercised reasonable skill and care when carrying out the Design, Construction, Inspection & Testing, hereby CERTIFY that the said work for which I have been responsible is to the best of my knowledge and belief in accordance with BS 7671:2008 amended to .......... (date) except for the departures, if any, detailed as follows, or any regulations I don't want to follow.