Newton Electrical Contractors Ltd; Electrical Testing in Harroagte, are Part P and NICEIC registered Domestic installers that can provide for all your electrical certification needs.
On January 1st 2005, new Part P Building Regulations were imposed in England and Wales to cut the number of fires, injuries and deaths caused by faulty electrical installations and to make it harder for 'questionable builders' and DIY enthusiasts to fit electrical installations in an dangerous condition. Part P is anticipated to increase the safety of households by improving the design, installation, inspection and testing of installations in domestic dwellings when these installations are being newly built, extended or altered.
The hazards posed by unsafe electrical installations and appliances are; electric shock, burns and other injuries arising from fires in buildings ignited by electrical apparatus overheating or building up hazardous currents causing 'arcing'. Installations that are properly designed, fitted, tested and commissioned in accordance with British Standard BS 7671 (a requirement of Part P) will help reduce these risks.
From 1 January 2005, individuals carrying out electrical work in domestic dwellings and external gardens in England and Wales will have to follow the new Part P regulations.
The Scope of Part P
Part P pertains to the following areas:
- Dwellings.
- Combined dwellings and business premises having a common supply (such as shops, pubs etc).
- Common access areas in blocks of flats (but not lifts).
- Shared amenities in blocks of flats (such as laundries, gymnasiums etc).
- Outbuildings, including sheds, garages, conservatories and greenhouses.
- Garden lighting and external power supplies.
- Special Locations and Installations.
The following are classified as special installations or locations:
- Locations containing a bath tub or shower basin.
- Swimming pools or paddling pools.
- Hot air saunas.
- Garden lighting or power installations.
- Solar photovoltaic power supply systems.
- Electric floor or ceiling heating systems.
- Extra-low voltage lighting installations, other than pre-assembled, CE-marked lighting sets.
- Small scale generators such as microchip units.
- All electrical installation work in such areas (as well as in kitchens) will need to be notified, or self-certified by a prescribed competent person, even if only 'minor works'.
How to meet the new rules:
Prior to any of the above work being carried out by yourself, you must under law, inform the local authority building control that you intend to carry out the electrical work. Once this work is completed the local authority will task an inspector to inspect and test your work (at your expense) (some local councils charge approximately £350.00 for this service). If this work is carried out to a satisfactory standard, the council will issue a Part P Certificate and log the work against the premises. If the work is not up to current regulations they will instruct you to correct any remedial works and inspect this once complete
Why should I use a contractor or installer who is registered with a competent person scheme?
For the purposes of Part P, the Government has defined ‘Competent Firms' as those registered under the NICEIC Approved Contractor scheme, the Domestic Installer Scheme or the Electro Technical Assessment Scheme.
- Members of schemes can deal with all the new rules for you.
- Members are qualified to carry out all electrical work.
- Members will issue direct to you a certificate to confirm their work follows the new rules.
- Members will inspect and test their own work, then inform building control that the installation work carried out meets the British Standards and issue a Part P direct to you.
- NICEIC Domestic Installers have insurance-backed guarantees for the work carried out, should it be required.
- You will have access to a formal complaints procedure, if you are not happy with any part of the work.
If you decide against using a registered firm to carry out any work for you, please bear in mind the following points:
- There is no guarantee that the electrical installation is safe.
- You will have no official record of the work you’ve had carried out.
- You may have difficulty selling your home if you do not have the right electrical safety certificates.
- Your local authority’s Building Control Department may insist that you put right any faulty work.
What will happen if I do not follow the Building Regulations?
- The electrical installation might not be safe.
- You will have no record of the work done.
- You may have difficulty selling your home if you do not have the right electrical safety certificates under HIPs.
- Your local authority's Building Control Department may insist that you put any faulty workmanship right.
Failure to comply with the requirement is a criminal offence. Local authorities will also have the power to insist on the removal or alteration of work that does not comply with the Building Regulations. Registration with a Competent Person scheme (such as the NICEIC) is not compulsory. If you decide to use a firm that is not registered, you must ensure that the firm uses competent qualified electricians and that they submit notification of the work and arrange for it to be inspected and certified by your local authority's Building Control Department on completion. Part P applies to all electrical installation work carried out in domestic dwellings.
Contractors self-certifying compliance with Part P will also have to certify compliance with other relevant parts of the Building Regulations that have been affected by the electrical work, such as Part B (fire safety), Part F, Part M (accessibility) and Part L1 (energy conservation). Part P does not cover the inspection and testing of existing electrical installations. However, any remedial work carried out to correct non compliance in a PIR will come within the scope of Part P.
Don’t risk a hefty fine or your life, make Part P compliance a necessity and have a competent electrical contractor or installer carry out electrical work in your home and garden. Please find below a diagram of the scope of Part P to assist you:
