Part P needed?

[bof]

In message , Andrew Gabriel writes

Thanks, for those interested:

and

[bof]

Nice get out clause.

[John Rumm]

Unless you mean the date stamp on that nice shiny CU...

[Rob Hamadi]

Which replaced the manky old CU....

-- Rob

[<me9]

Still notifiable. IIUI CUs are net in the like for like exemptions.

I wonnder if it could be done as case...main switch....mcb..... nother mcb....etc. all different date stamps.

Or just do it with one with a year old datestamp.

[Ian White]

Which had somehow become "damaged"...

Oh look - there's a damaged cable too...

[RobertL]

The "required paperwork" would be the Building Control paperwork I suppose, if yo uwere doing the work without Part P. I did ask our local BC about what to do if I wanted to do my own wiring and have them inspect it. The fee was =A3100 for each inspection. He said that they would do a continuity and insulation test at the meter to check it.

presumably the 'offence' would be failing to notify BC of the work. Is that a criminal offence? I guess not. Is it a tort?

Robert

[Andrew Gabriel]

They are not permitted to charge for the inspection, nor can they require you to get it done at your expense. This is now stated in Part P itself, although it has always been the case. You already paid for it in the form of the building notice fee.

[RobertL]

Yes, sorry, I should have been clearer. The building notice fee was =A3100 which included the inspection. If you wnated to do a series of small jobs (every few months say) but to reconnect the electrics in between them then they each had to be a separate job requiring a separate =A3100 notice fee for each job.

Robert

[Tony Bryer]

Not something that has registered with my LA, LB Richmond:

[if you are DIYings and so submitting a Building Notice]

"At commencement of works you should tell us in the normal way and inspections of the installation will be carried out (if part of a building scheme at the same time as other inspections). At completion of works you will have to provide us with an Electrical Installation Certificate signed by a competent person. Until this certificate is received a Completion Certificate for the whole of the works cannot be issued."

Building Notice charge (classed as works under £5000), £225.51 inc VAT. And then they expect me to arrange an inspection and test.

I will be selling my place soon and it would do no harm to replace the CU (1970s Wylex MCBs) - with a split one, £70 from Screwfix and a morning's work. But with Part P I will leave well alone, as it's just not worth the risk of getting into arguments with a buyer's solicitor. Net result of Part P, a slightly less safe installation.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Spot on. Predicted in advance, and borne out by subsequent figures.

[Pete Verdon]

But Part P itself now explicitly says that they cannot do that. And all local authorities were sent a letter from central government saying "you should never have done that, and if you have been you'd better stop it sharpish".

Pete

[John Rumm]

Alas like for like swaps of a CU are not exempt from notification.

[John Rumm]

And yet some still ignore it...

[Tony Bryer]

Since my earlier post I've decided to just get on and replace my CU. Use the 10 ways to make the system much better and safer. But - with gritted teeth - before I put my place on the market I may submit a regularisation application for this and various other things that all will come within the £5K value of work. It will cost around £300 for nothing really, but a week's interest while solicitors argue is more than that. And the new CU will be one less thing for a buyer to argue a price drop on.

[Ed Sirett]

Won't you still have to also pay for the "Inspect and Test" certificate as well as the £300 if your LA does not honour the Approved Doc?

[Tony Bryer]

Yes, in advance of going to the LA I will get a periodic inspection test done by a local electrical firm and a Landlords safety certificate for the gas boiler. Yes, it will cost me, but apart from easing the sale (hopefully) I want to be sure that the work I have done is safe - not, obviously that I have any reason to doubt it, but equally don't have the equipment to confirm it.

5% on £400K is £400p.w. A lot of money to be losing if solicitors want to be picky.