It’s highly recommended to work with a registered electrician if you need any electrical work completing in your home or workplace. A registered electrician will likely carry out any electrical installation or repair work, whilst giving due consideration to the necessary safety requirements.
You can also expect that the work will be in line with BS 7671 requirements for electrical installations, which is the national standard across the UK. It wouldn’t be necessary for you to have any direct dealings with Building Control. Also, when the electrician has completed the work, they should give you the following certificates:
- A Building Regulations Compliance Certificate, confirming that the work they’ve completed is in line with the building regulations.
- A Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (where applicable) or an Electrical Installation Certificate, confirming that what they have done is in line with BS 7671.
You can access a formal complaint procedure if the electrical work completed by the registered electrician does not comply with Building Regulations requirements. You also have the choice to take out an insurance-covered guarantee when the electrician in question undertakes the work. Afterwards, you can make a claim if it’s discovered the electrical work is unsatisfactory and does not comply with Building Regulations.
For every periodic testing, inspection and electrical installation that’s completed, be sure to obtainall the relevant paperwork. Every report and certificate must include the test results and schedules of each inspection.
There are several types of electrical certifications available; that which you’ll receive depends on the type and extent of electrical work, testing or inspection that’s been undertaken. The electrical certification which could be issued include Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificates (MEIWCs) and Electrical Installation Certificates (EICs). These certifications are essentially declarations that the new addition, alteration or installation is safe for use, as at the time the report was made.
It’s essential to hold on to these certificates, because they serve as a basis for future testing and inspections. They can also help you avoid exploratory workat a later date, which can easily become costly. Also, if a third-party ever makes a claim, stating an electrical installation caused an injury or fire, the certificates can be used as documentary evidence to prove that the installation wascompleted to satisfactory levels of safety.
An EIC will indicate whether the electrical job in question is an alteration, an addition or a new installation. Alterations apply where there has been an extension or modification of existing circuits; for instance, if new sockets have been added. Additions apply when one or more new circuits have been added to an existing installation. Meanwhile, new installations refer to entire installations that have been installed as new or when a complete rewiring has taken place.
It’s advised that you only use a registered electrical contractor who can provide the appropriate certification for the work they complete. Always confirm with an electrician that they are NICEIC registered and will issue a certificate.