Advice on safety of new Consumer Unit Install

[minorcamount]

Hi all, new to posting but been reading for years.

I inherited a house from my grandmother who passed in 2021, I intend to renovate and rent out, step by step, job by job as money allows.

Getting the property ready to rent has uncovered a fair few jobs needed to bring it out of the 1970's

I knew the electrics needed sorting so found an electrician via Check-a-trade website. He inspected wiring and said I just need an upgrade to the consumer unit. old system was 2 old bakalite cu's on day night mode I think it was called (2 different tariffs for day and night)

So he quoted and installed a single consumer unit dual rcds. 5 original circuits but I told him to disregard the shower as I would be installing a mixer tap shower .

Circuits now are, Cooker, Lights up & Lights Down on same breaker, Sockets Up and Sockets Down on separate breakers (He said their all radial circuits)

Now here comes the question as I don't think its safe.

He has installed the new consumer unit half on and half off the wooden board that the meter and main fuse are on.

Used 1 screw to fix it, the half of the consumer unit hanging off the wooden backing board there is a 30 to 35mm gap behind to the wall.

There is one screw in the bottom left into the board (I know, I took the cover off (I did safely isolate)) The CU is so unstable and wobbly.

He has had to move the CU approx 10 inch down and 14 inch to the right, so he has joined the wires above the ceiling to extend them by using junction boxes (Old bakalite types, so they must have already been there) They are free hanging between the joists under the bedroom floorboards which is just above the CU on the kitchen wall.

CU is installed at top of kitchen wall (2200mm from floor level, approx) so not accessible for kids to pull off wall or anything but it is still very loose.

There is no strip around the rear entry knockout and no fire barrier, just a large knockout with the several wires coming in.

Is this right? Safe? I need a EICR before I rent, will this even pass with those issues?

I can take photos and post them if you can't quite get what I mean.

Thanks in advance, I just want to be prepared in what I say when (if i should) call him back in to put it right.

Now, maybe the thing that should have rang alarm bells is he charged £250, is that too cheap?, I have had a glance on line and seen its usually £400 upwards.

I did as mentioned get him through check-a-trade so thought he would be reputable and everything, ultimately I want to know where I stand before contacting them and him.

thanks for the patience in reading this long winded post.

David

 

[UNG]

A mate of mine is the manager of a wholesalers and they get joe public and some supposedly qualified sparks asking them what they need to do various electrical jobs and talking to other wholesalers it is becoming more common to be asked what they reccommend for jobs

 

[Dartlec]

A mate of mine is the manager of a wholesalers and they get joe public and some supposedly qualified sparks asking them what they need to do various electrical jobs and talking to other wholesalers it is becoming more common to be asked what they reccommend for jobs

Which is worrying, given that wholesalers may have good knowledge of the products they sell (or have had manufacturer 'training' on), but don't in my experience have much knowledge about regulations or what is needed to do a compliant install.

 

[Dartlec]

I am giving BG the benefit of the doubt not a bad panel it does have a level built in !

They aren't awful - I think they suffer some by selling most of their stock through the sheds.

I used to use their plastic ones by preference, but the metal ones are VERY solid, to the point that removing knockouts can be a real pita sometimes. They also have some odd design choices on their knockout location (on the last generation at least)

Any brand can be installed badly - but I guess that BG are the ones most likely to be installed badly since they are the cheapest and most available option to those who are most likely to install it badly...

 

[UNG]

Which is worrying, given that wholesalers may have good knowledge of the products they sell (or have had manufacturer 'training' on), but don't in my experience have much knowledge about regulations or what is needed to do a compliant install.

I forgot to point out they offer no advice on what to use for a particular job but may offer alternatives if the customer asks for a particular product and they have a number of different items in stock

 

[Dartlec]

I forgot to point out they offer no advice on what to use for a particular job but may offer alternatives if the customer asks for a particular product and they have a number of different items in stock

Some of them can be a good source of knowledge on products for sure, certainly compared to Screwfix staff!

Probably know best which lights/accessories don't come back often too, as it's in their interest.

But then there is always the risk that they are on a higher percentage on certain makes.

 

[pc1966]

Some of them can be a good source of knowledge on products for sure, certainly compared to Screwfix staff!

Probably know best which lights/accessories don't come back often too, as it's in their interest.

But then there is always the risk that they are on a higher percentage on certain makes.

Very true. I have found the guys at my local Holland House to be helpful, they will get any stuff I specifically ask for, but often have suggestions of alternatives that they stock and have little problems with which occasionally turn out to be better than my original idea.

 

[UKMeterman]

Just to add to your question, it may help it may not. I am one of the end terrace of a terrace of 7. We are all on a looped supply, 1 loop comes up my side wall splits to mine then feeds 2 other properties so 3 of the 7 from the incoming loop on my wall, then the remaining 4 in the terrace are looped together on a separate incoming loop on the end of the wall of the other end terrace the other side.

Its a rubber incoming cable with 2 cores. The earthing arrangement has always been like this.


I have also attached a photo of the setup before he came in and installed the new CU
View attachment 98921

On another note regards the loop, have a look at these pictures and see how dangerous this looks to you

View attachment 98922View attachment 98923View attachment 98924View attachment 98925

DANGER DANGER DANGER
Phone 105 NOW and state you have bare damaged supply cables.

 

[nicebutdim]

Update.

I did ring the DNO, Northern Powergrid, I explained on the phone about the cables being bare, they asked me to email pictures (the exact ones I posted on here) within 45 minutes someone came out to look at them, within 2 hours of that, they (DNO) were digging up the garden and replacing it, So it has been replaced.

DANGER DANGER DANGER
Phone 105 NOW and state you have bare damaged supply cables.