Am I being taken for a ride?

[surreygirl]

I had an electrician come to do a safety check at my property that I let out last week and he has recommended that remedial work should be done at a cost of 2,100 pounds, These are:-

Upgrade of eco 7db
Upgrade of 2 x circuits to RCD protection
Install of isolation point for underfloor heating
identification of points where required
Fusing of points
Enclosure of exposed wiring - these are wires that are not in trunking
Investigation of supply wiring and condition of main isolator and repair
Retermination of required points
cable enclosures

Nothing listed but the sub total is 1,750 plus VAT comes to 2,100

Is that a lot! I last had a test done five years ago, true the wire of the economy 7 is in a situation which is not assessable, however he wants to run a wire from it across the lounge and into the kitchen!

But the amount seems excessive and it is through the Agents who manage the property for me.

Any suggestions would be very helpful.

Many thanks Surreygirl

 

[surreygirl]

seems on the high side to me, but without being physically there, it's hard to tell the extent of the work required. my advice would be to get a second opinion; a local spark .w

I am going to do that as some one has kindly given me the details of an electrician who lives near my flat so that is very helpful and I will ring him on Monday so I am feeling a bit happier now

 

[Phil Thompson]

I personally wouldn't be jumping to any conclusions yet, but it's good you have found a third party for a second opinion.

Will watch out for the update after the other Spark has been in to have a look.

 

[UNG]

While you really need to change the electrician I also think you need to consider changing the agent as well as they don't seem to be acting in the clients best interest.
I'm assuming that this agent has been acting for you for a number of years and has had sight of at least one previous EICR for the property and does not appear to want to challenge the findings of the electrician, I would ask the agent how long the electrician has been doing them and if there are any vested interests, family connections etc

 

[surreygirl]

While you really need to change the electrician I also think you need to consider changing the agent as well as they don't seem to be acting in the clients best interest.
I'm assuming that this agent has been acting for you for a number of years and has had sight of at least one previous EICR for the property and does not appear to want to challenge the findings of the electrician, I would ask the agent how long the electrician has been doing them and if there are any vested interests, family connections etc

This the first safety cert they have done. I have used them for a year. I am not very impressed at all because a lot of work that needed doing ie Iasked them to put in a hot and the tenants said that the shower wasnt working and that was three months ago. When I arrived not one thing had been done. I said I would then go and buy the hood as I was in the UK and the Agent said that he already had the good which I think was a lie any the long and the short of that was that there was nowhere to put the extractar pipe line or whatever its called so he told me he was returning the hood which I do not beleive he had in the first place and yes you are right the Agent told me that there had never been a complaint about the electrician before, but that doesnt really bother me and also I do not like to be manipulated. I still find £2100 a great deal of money as I said £410 to trunk a small area of grey wiring - about 2 feet -, put in two new fuses for the underfloor heating remove a switch that is at the moment redundant which I do not want removed because it was there for a pump which I want that put back as the water pressure is low and something called "fusing of points" which some said to ask what that was so I did and he removed that one! The the wiring from the main outside board which is some 13 feet to the kitchen was going to be £1600! and yes as you say I will change the Agents when this is over. I am not impressed at all. They have at least now put in the new shower so that is something. No they most certainly are not working in my best interest.

Also I note that if it is the case that you can only put in 3 metres of wiring before a connection then that means that either at the beginning or at the end there is only 36 inches where the connection is and as there will be a huge hole where he takes out the main switch board why can't he test the connection!

 

[UNG]

If this is the first EICR they have done and the agent has let the flat for a year I'm assuming there must be a previous EICR in existance

 

[Toneyz]

Did you ever have a EICR by another electrician at the start as you say a year has gone by with this electrician & agent shouldn't these items been highlighted before the property being rented out ?.

 

[surreygirl]

If this is the first EICR they have done and the agent has let the flat for a year I'm assuming there must be a previous EICR in existance

Yes there is but that was five years ago so it needs a new one and that is why the Agents electrician came in the first place but he failed it.

 

[Phil Thompson]

Can you not get that Spark to see what he thinks?

 

[Toneyz]

Can you not get that Spark to see what he thinks?

Something isn't right here ,the original EICR wasn't thorough enough/ picked up on these things or the current electrician is lining his pockets.

 

[telectrix]

this is sounding more and more like a rip off by either the sparks or the agent or both. let's wait and see what the independent sparks comes up with.

 

[surreygirl]

Can you not get that Spark to see what he thinks?

He is coming in on Tuesday to look at the underfloor heating fuses which the Agents electrician said has the wrong fuses in so hopefully he will sort that out and also yes if those wires were meant to be trunked then he has not done his job either! and he has the qualifications to do a safety cert so not sure why he was not thorough, but he obviously wasnt still we shall see.

All very frustrating

 

[Phil Thompson]

Would be funny to get them all there together, see the outcome.

 

[surreygirl]

Would be funny to get them all there together, see the outcome.

Wish I had the time. Yes it would be

 

[telectrix]

last time there was a meeting of 3, it was decided to give Poland to the russians, after 5 years of war liberating them from another maniac.

 

[UNG]

Yes there is but that was five years ago so it needs a new one and that is why the Agents electrician came in the first place but he failed it.

I'm well aware of the requirements but the previous EICR is a point of reference unless a lot of alterations have been carried out which should have been certified anyway or the tenant has tampered with the installation.

An electrical installation cannot "fail" an Electrical Installation Condition Report which is a report on the condition of the electrical installation it is not the same as a car MOT which is a pass, pass with advisories or fail outcome.
An EICR has a satisfactory / unsatisfactory for continued use outcome although FI, C1, C2 and C3 codes could be classed as graded advisories which can affect the overall outcome given on the report
The issue of the report is not conditional on the inspecting electrician carrying out all the remedial work needed to give the necessary satisfactory outcome required
The attitude of this electrician from what has been said seems to give an impression that his skill set is not up to carrying out EICR's