EICR and new regs

[somean49]

I have a furnished holiday let [FHL] The place is 300 miles from my home. I have to ensure the place is safe for my own peace of mind let alone my legal obligations.
1. I have encountered a problem with an electrician whom I contracted to provide a EICR. I know the tradesman is NAPIT registered and previous conversations have told me he knows his stuff. He has done minor works very well. I happily follow his advice and so on. He completed the inspection in May 2021 and understandably wanted payment before issuing the certificate. I paid but still have no certificate. He says he left it in the CU in the property and possibly it has been removed by either letting agent. One letting agent has retired and the other hasn't got the cert. I have asked him to issue me with a replacement many times but he has not done so. What can I do?

2. Following the Grenfell disaster various other requirements have descended onto FHL landlords. I have contracted another local sparky who 'walked the course' with me to explain the new requirements. He and possibly co-workers have worked in the property recently. I now need to know what I need to hold to prove the works have been done. Can anyone advise me please?

 

[Andy™]

small claims court for payment since work has not been complete and your report may magically appear... or then get someone else in to do another

 

[Murdoch]

And a call to NAPIT.

Leaving a copy of the EICR by the consumer unit is unacceptable imho

 

[binky]

it's not legal to withold the cert - I forget where I read that, think it was NICEIC guidelines.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

I have a furnished holiday let [FHL] The place is 300 miles from my home. I have to ensure the place is safe for my own peace of mind let alone my legal obligations.
1. I have encountered a problem with an electrician whom I contracted to provide a EICR. I know the tradesman is NAPIT registered and previous conversations have told me he knows his stuff. He has done minor works very well. I happily follow his advice and so on. He completed the inspection in May 2021 and understandably wanted payment before issuing the certificate. I paid but still have no certificate. He says he left it in the CU in the property and possibly it has been removed by either letting agent. One letting agent has retired and the other hasn't got the cert. I have asked him to issue me with a replacement many times but he has not done so. What can I do?

2. Following the Grenfell disaster various other requirements have descended onto FHL landlords. I have contracted another local sparky who 'walked the course' with me to explain the new requirements. He and possibly co-workers have worked in the property recently. I now need to know what I need to hold to prove the works have been done. Can anyone advise me please?

Is this a typing error... "May 2021", Or are you only just chasing up paperwork, three years after an electrical inspection has been completed?

I am not aware of any domestic sized CU's that have any suitable location where an EICR could be left... If it is "in the CU" you would need to remove the cover to access it.. which is NOT a safe procedure to be recommend for any customer to undertake due to the accessibility of live parts.

Also an EICR is a condition report NOT a certificate.. and the report will have had a recommended next inspection date,
which could have already expired, so the old report would now be useless and as such the original electrician could claim to have no obligation to keep copies of any expired reports....

However as with most things paperwork related nowadays it is probably stored electronically somewhere, rather than hard-copy,
so providing a reasonable filing method is used, if someone really wanted to it should not be too much hassle to re-issue a copy!

But it is probably easier to just cut your losses and get a new EICR completed.

The general guidance in BS7671 for issuing certificates or reports for alteration or inspection work, is that a copy should be given to the person ordering the work.. which to my interpretation is either via e-mail, post, or handed to the customer if they are local, but not generally left in a CU!

 

[binky]

2. Following the Grenfell disaster various other requirements have descended onto FHL landlords. I have contracted another local sparky who 'walked the course' with me to explain the new requirements. He and possibly co-workers have worked in the property recently. I now need to know what I need to hold to prove the works have been done. Can anyone advise me please?

They should be issuing paperwork for any works done, and having worked in the property could do another EICR for you. Holiday lets tend to get a bit 'battered' so it wouldn't be a bad idea just to get another EICR

 

[somean49]

Is this a typing error... "May 2021", Or are you only just chasing up paperwork, three years after an electrical inspection has been completed?

I am not aware of any domestic sized CU's that have any suitable location where an EICR could be left... If it is "in the CU" you would need to remove the cover to access it.. which is NOT a safe procedure to be recommend for any customer to undertake due to the accessibility of live parts.

Also an EICR is a condition report NOT a certificate.. and the report will have had a recommended next inspection date,
which could have already expired, so the old report would now be useless and as such the original electrician could claim to have no obligation to keep copies of any expired reports....

However as with most things paperwork related nowadays it is probably stored electronically somewhere, rather than hard-copy,
so providing a reasonable filing method is used, if someone really wanted to it should not be too much hassle to re-issue a copy!

But it is probably easier to just cut your losses and get a new EICR completed.

The general guidance in BS7671 for issuing certificates or reports for alteration or inspection work, is that a copy should be given to the person ordering the work.. which to my interpretation is either via e-mail, post, or handed to the customer if they are local, but not generally left in a CU!

No typing error. I have repeatedly over the intervening months asked for the cert/report. I have had the impression that the bloke has been distracted by marital problems and health issues. Certainly agree about the electronic copy. I have tended to feel sorry for him and given him the benefit of the doubt; as well as being distracted myself by health and business troubles.

 

[somean49]

They should be issuing paperwork for any works done, and having worked in the property could do another EICR for you. Holiday lets tend to get a bit 'battered' so it wouldn't be a bad idea just to get another EICR

That's a very good steer for this problem

 

[Murdoch]

Don't use this spark again!

 

[somean49]

This query should probably be in another thread but I can't find one that fits. Now at the FHL to open for the season. Some building works are being done (usual hospital job) Builder has to run power from inside the property. But there is a proper exterior waterproof socket outlet available. He says that is not switched on, ie the socket is switched from within the building. Assuming that is a correct assessment, how safe is that? A high-draw power tool, say a power washer or similar, might overload the wiring? Or am I just over-thinking or over-cautious?

 

[Andy™]

how is a switch going to stop something overloading the wiring?

 

[binky]

This query should probably be in another thread but I can't find one that fits. Now at the FHL to open for the season. Some building works are being done (usual hospital job) Builder has to run power from inside the property. But there is a proper exterior waterproof socket outlet available. He says that is not switched on, ie the socket is switched from within the building. Assuming that is a correct assessment, how safe is that? A high-draw power tool, say a power washer or similar, might overload the wiring? Or am I just over-thinking or over-cautious?

A power washer is probably around 1500watts, a standard 13amp plug is capable of around 2500watts, so not likely to be an issue. A standard double socket is usually rated at 20 amps which is around 5kw, and the wiring should all be rated accordingly.