DIY electrical work after 1st January 2005

[Uno Hoo!]

I'm fed up to the back teeth with the misleading information being given out by the media about the new 'safety law' which comes into being after 1st January next year. As an example, the BBC 'Good Homes' magazine states: "If you're thinking of tackling the electrics in your home DIY style, think again - from 1st January 2005 it will be illegal. The National Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) has passed a new safety law that renders all electrical work done by yourself, or an unregistered electrician, illegal."

Similarly it has just been announced on Classic FM news that DIY electrical work will be illegal after 1st January. This is complete and utter cobblers. The new law specifically exempts 'minor' electrical work such as adding extra power points and/or lighting points - and on the whole this is the sort of work that DIY electricians undertake. Only major work such as adding complete new circuits and work undertaken in bathrooms and kitchens comes within the new laws. Even the work that *is* covered by the new regulations is not prohibited to DIY'ers - anyone wishing to carry out such work has to notify the authorities and have the work inspected. Hardly

*illegal* ??

Why can the media never get anything right?

Kev

[Peter Crosland]

The National Council for Electrical

And since when was Parliament replaced by the NICEIC?

[:::Jerry::::]

Because it's been a long time since most of the media retained an expert in most subject I suspect, the average 'hack' could be writing copy on dog crap one day and cookery the next....

[Andy Hall]

Oh, didn't you know? ;-)

[Mike]

Or - "why spoil a good story with the truth".

[:::Jerry::::]

Trouble is, these (part time subject) hacks spoil a good story even when the truth makes it a good story...

[not]

Purely out of interest, can someone with reasonable elec. quals and experience now not do domestic wiring beyond what has just been described by the other posters here? By "someone/reasonable", I mean me with... Electrical apprenticeship (industrial) in the 70's (5 years + day release CGLI full tech cert (probably considered worthless today). Mainly 3ph. high current motor controllers, & industrial plant etc to elec. instrumentation and domestic wiring in the companies own housing. I'm still reasonably utd on the theory but way ood on the regulations. I also have a degree in elec. eng. (B.Sc) - but for most of the interviening years I've been involved in computer sodware (no typo).

Heading for retirement I did think of maybe returning to my short circuits days (part time) - but looks like the government has pressed the big RED button. Are there any exemptions possible? I don't really want to have to spend ££££££ on some registration scheme. Maybe I'll just sign on as unemployed instead :-)

[Lurch]

On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 15:40:11 -0000, "Peter Crosland" strung together this:

Shortly after the Mafia and Gestapo clubbed together and bought the NICEIC.

[Lurch]

On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 15:23:16 -0000, "Uno Hoo!" strung together this:

Yet if I went to a customers property and said "you can't do that, it's illegal. I'll have to charge you for doing that" I'd end up on electricians from hell or somesuch s**te. It's the little people that are getting trampled on again.

[Andrew Mawson]

Might be a big improvement !!!!!!

AWEM

[Ed Sirett]

Well this morning there was a _mostly_ balanced item on this subject on the Today program on R4.

It did cover the subject accurately except for mentioning several times that the regulations were designed to 'save lives' from dodgy wiring. As if people are dropping like flies from fixed wiring faults.

It left as an open question weather the BCOs would be able to meet the demand for inspections. It also mentioned the (nigh on certain IMHO) fact that diy electricals will go underground. It failed to mention that professional competant electrical work will very likely also do so.

Even if you agree with the idea that electrical work should be regulated the _timing_ of this introduction is arguably in error.

1) All the technical trades are currently subject to severe labour shortages. 2) The regulatory organizations have no incentive to expand. 3) The is a massive culture of diy elecrical work.

The introduction needed to be preceeded by a period where people have a chance to get the exam passes and join ECA/NICEIC volutarily. Making it known where and how to become qualified. Rather than leave it to peopl who are already very busy to find out for themselves.

The changes needed to be after a period of recuitment for the BC Office to get the inspectors they need. After January the LAs will need to recruit inspectors form amonst whom? qualified electricians! This will only make the labour shortages even worse!

Finally they needed to introduce this in the middle of a slump in building work not a boom.

I have it on good authority that a law which is not enforceable is not a law.

[James]

The Government are now giving publicity to Part P - unlike the way it was kept relatively quiet from the "person in the street" during the consulatation process! Would it have gone ahead had it received publicity then?

James

[Peter Crosland]

ROTFLOL! I certainly don't think it could be worse.

[Pete C]

What happens if you don't have a 'competent person' to do the necessary work, or don't have it inspected? Can you expect 'a knock on the door in the night'...?

cheers, Pete.

[:::Jerry::::]

With buyers packs and pre sale surveying etc. that is around or planned, I

*suspect* you won't be able to sell the property.

-- From address changed due to the individual.net FAQ / AUP changing.

[Andy Hall]

Oh, definitely.

BCOs have been issued with heavy leather uniforms and detector vans. :-)

The reality is that nothing will happen unless/until:

- Somebody informs building control. However, wiring is a lot less conspicuous than an extension.

- Some building work involving building control is started and they notice. Unlikely.

- Something bad happens like a fire.

- You want to sell the house. The buyer's solicitor will ask for certificates or ask if any wiring without inspection has been done. Presumably you would answer truthfully. A survey with electrical inspection would be done and corrections made if required, then a certificate issued.

[Dave Baker]

So you just say that any wiring changes were made before 1.1.2005 or by the previous owner or by a competent electrician whose details you seem to have lost while you were packing the house contents and no one will be any the wiser. Other than people who go out of their way to inform the local council they are about to make wiring changes I see no way of this legislation being enforceable. I'm certainly not going to pay it a moment's notice.

[Mike]

Didn't the House of Lords win the argument on this one and scrap/delay it ?

[Alan Vann]

Like the Daily Express which told us this week that "DIY electrical work will invalidate your home insurance policy" and that the wiring colours are changing to Blue for neutral and Black for live!!!!!

[Al Reynolds]

You'll just answer the question in the sellers pack about certification for electrical work with "no certificates are available" and the buyer can then get their own inspection. Or you pay for an inspection before you get the sellers pack and include that. Either way as long as you've done the work to current regs then nothing to worry about. An electrical inspection fee is small change in the context of the ~£10k it costs to move house these days.

As always, if the buyer wants the house, they'll buy the house. There is no law stopping a house being sold if it doesn't have the relevant certificates for work done on it.

Al