Advice requested regarding electrical certification

Feb 18, 2022 Last reply: 4 years ago 4 Replies

As part of a rolling house refurbishment the entire electrical system was replaced (rubber sheathed cables removed) including a CU change, in



2018. At the time it was known that the kitchen would eventually be "redone" so the kitchen wiring brief was "minimum required to meet modern standards" and consisted of surface mounted trunking and outlets. A full Electrical Installation Certificate was issued at this time which appeared to accurately describe all circuits installed.

The kitchen has now been "redone", and the electrical installation carried out by an NAPIT registered sub contractor (not the same company as did the original installation)



The work consisted of Complete removal of the surface mounted conduits/sockets/cable. Chasing walls to fit multiple power points and an electric oven outlet (reusing the existing CBs in the CU) An additional CB in the CU supplying a single outlet for the second oven/microwave. Multiple LED downlights added to the downstairs lighting circuit.



By way of certification I have now received a single document headed MINOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION MULTIPLE WORKS



This contains the following apparent errors In the section headed PRESENCE AND ADEQUACY OF INSTALLATION EARTHING AND BONDING ARRANGEMENTS



Wrong earth type stated (TN-C-S stated when its actually TN-S)



In the section headed SCHEDULE OF CIRCUIT DETAILS AND TEST RESULTS



"Number of points served" is incorrect for the power outlets (assuming that one double socket outlet is one "point served" - says 7 when there are actually 12)



"Number of points served" is incorrect for the downstairs lighting circuit (its wrong if its describing just the downlighters in the new kitchen fit or for the downstairs circuit as a whole - assuming one point served is a single light fitting. Says 16 when there actually 12 new downlighters plus about another 12 in the rest of the downstairs lighting)



I was under the impression that a Minor Electrical Installation Certificate is not appropriate if a new circuit has been installed.



Although I am generally very satisfied with all of the practical work done I have still to make the final payment on the kitchen.



Should I be asking for this electrical work to be better certified or am I just being too fussy. I don't know how accurate these documents normally are but if this is typical I wonder why anyone bothers.



Any advice would be appreciated, I don't want to fall out with the kitchen fitter, but if and when then house is sold I can see a buyer saying this document is not only worthless, but that it has invalidated the original EIC.



Yes, you are being a bit picky, though it should have been an EIC for the new circuit,and Part P notification. I would argue the other things are fine on a MWC. 'number of points', ignore it. That column isnt in the IET model forms, and many people put N/A or Lim in the box. TN-C-S or TN-S could be just an error. The bulk of installs are TNCS, so it may be a pre-filled form, that he forgot to change.It's no big deal, the bonding arrangements are the same for both in typical domestic premises. Some people are good at practical work, and poor at the form filling. It seems that is the case with this chap.

I?m not so sure.

Remember, when you come to sell the above documents are subject to checking potentially and if someone spots an obvious error it could throw a spanner in the works.

While, in real terms, the errors almost certainly don?t mean the work is unsafe etc, all you need is a nit picking / nervous buyer or solicitor and ??

Issuing a corrected version shouldn?t be a big deal. Just note to errors and ask for them to be changed.

What is picky about asking for a Part P certificate?

There was a new circuit fitted so part P applies.

The OP has not DIYed his electrics but paid a Part P registered person to do the job.

I agreed, it should have been a Part P, but some of the other points were not worth bothering about. I'd just message them, say I should have received an EIC for at least one circuit, and that new circuit should be Notified. TBH, it would have been far easier to put it all on one EIC, they are £1 on Electraform.

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