Insurance require board upgrade

[Rob_the_rich]

I have a client (of a builder client) who has been told by his insurers that the assortment of consumer units he has should be upgraded to the latest standards, and that only their own electricians can do the job.

It is a large house (single phase TNCS 100A) with various small dbs, none of which have RCD protection and a couple have bs3036 fuses with what looks like asbestos in the carriers.

The owner of the house is quadriplegic and has 24 hour carers.

I know that it is not a requirement of bs7671 to upgrade to a new CU but I am a bit concerned that the hasawa imposes duties on the owner to ensure the welfare of his employees, as it won't be him who replaces a blown fusewire.

I am also concerned that any advice I give won't come back to bite me.

Any thoughts?

 

[Rob.]

There are no regs to back their claim up, an I'm not sure legally how the insurers stand on having only one of their own electricians do it. Seems a little dodgy to me. 

 

[Evans Electric]

OK  Insurance is their business and they are not happy with the fuseboards  for whatever reason .  Do they think theres a fire risk ? 

Not much anyone can say or do about that .

However , they can't stipulate that ONLY THEIR  electrician can do the work , IMHO .      They don't own the property . 

They could and probably do ,   stipulate an NICEIC electrician does it ,  many do , be that right or wrong is another debate .  

 

[binky]

since when did insurance companies have their own trades? Sounds very fishy to me.

 

[Rob.]

I suppose it's not an electrical firm that is owned by the insurance company or that would be very precarious. 

I believe when they say "their electricians" it will be a choice between a few companies that have contracts with them. Much in the way car insurance companies stipulate repair work must be done at certain approved garages. Or this is my personal understanding of it anyway. 

 

[Rob_the_rich]

Just thought, I am not sure whether the insurance company are providing ordinary household insurance. But it could be that they are paying out on life insurance and are therefore the "employers" of the carers. In which case it could be their duty to ensure the carers' welfare, thus the upgrade and use of own sparks working to hse guidelines. Don't know.

 

[Rob_the_rich]

Just spoke to builder. The insurance company is just providing household insurance apparently, and the carers are employed by the council. He will get back to me with more details tomorrow, but we both don't want the owner to get ripped off, he has enough to contend with.

 

[Tony S]

Carers allowance is usually paid by the DWP, not the person being cared for. (It is deducted from their disability payments.) Where the employer’s responsibility begins and ends or even who the employer is I can’t work out.

 

[apprentice87]

This gentleman MAY get "direct payments" from the council to fund his care. He MAY employ people from an agency, in which case insurance is the agencies problem, or he MAY employ carers directly, in which case HE is the employer and has to arrange his own employers liability insurance and a pension too!!

If the council provide care directly, it is not a question of carers allowance, council provided staff would not get this. The council would pay them, and the person they care for would have to pay an assessed charge to the council from their own money. [they might equally be assessed as NOT having to pay]

Carers allowance is usually paid to a relative of the person being cared for as compensation for not being able to have a job as they are caring for someone..

I suppose the council insurers might want an electrical cert, but i doubt it.. As for them saying that only THEIR electricians can do it, is obviously pidgeon-poop. It MIGHT be different if they were installing or maintaining a supply for medical equipment though..

john..

 

[Tony S]

This gentleman MAY get "direct payments" from the council to fund his care. He MAY employ people from an agency, in which case insurance is the agencies problem, or he MAY employ carers directly, in which case HE is the employer and has to arrange his own employers liability insurance and a pension too!!

If the council provide care directly, it is not a question of carers allowance, council provided staff would not get this. The council would pay them, and the person they care for would have to pay an assessed charge to the council from their own money. [they might equally be assessed as NOT having to pay]

Carers allowance is usually paid to a relative of the person being cared for as compensation for not being able to have a job as they are caring for someone..

I suppose the council insurers might want an electrical cert, but i doubt it.. As for them saying that only THEIR electricians can do it, is obviously pidgeon-poop. It MIGHT be different if they were installing or maintaining a supply for medical equipment though..

john..

Wrong on so many points.

 

[Rob_the_rich]

I should know more about the situation tomorrow. Let's see.

 

[apprentice87]

Wrong on so many points.

I doubt that... Point them out...

john..