OFTEC Self-Certification As an electrician, do you feel you have enough independent competition between certification companies when it comes to renewal time?

[Dan]

As an electrician, do you feel you have enough independent competition between certification companies when it comes to renewal time?

(Poll total results are publicly visible - but NOT the actual individual votes - those are private and cannot be accessed via the forum software once the vote is made and added to the poll - nobody can or will find out who voted for what, in this actual poll. Other polls around the forum will say when votes are displayed publicly)

Has the connections between the several brands caused any confusion for you?

And would you like to see more independent options?

I'm genuinely interested in reading all your thoughts about this.

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Discussion is important about any subject, especially when given the fact that a lot of money is going into the brands being discussed, I assume to make the industry safe and regulated.

 

[Deleted account]

There is basically a choice between napit and certsure. So no.

Stroma shook everyone up by being really cheap, so that was brilliant.
At least hat time my vote would of been yes.
Given time it would have forced the others to bring there prices down to a more realistic price.

Unfortunately napit bought them out.

In my opinion That should not have been allowed under competition law rules.

 

[Dan]

There is basically a choice between napit and certsure. So no.

Stroma shook everyone up by being really cheap, so that was brilliant.
At least hat time my vote would of been yes.
Given time it would have forced the others to bring there prices down to a more realistic price.

Unfortunately napit bought them out.

In my opinion That should not have been aloud under competition law rules.

Unless anybody contests against it, I guess there isn't a chance to get it checked or whatever?

Do we know why Certsure and NAPIT only "work together" and aren't actually the same company? If that is the case? - perhaps somebody did intervene back in 2014-2016 or whatever. Whenever those press releases were sent out back then.

 

[ElectroChem]

I'll just be over here with my government issued electrician's license, the one I have to show documented proof of study and experience to qualify for.

 

[Paul_Williams]

I'll just be over here with my government issued electrician's license, the one I have to show documented proof of study and experience to qualify for.

And be safe in the knowledge no numpty can go buying consumer units etc and install them DIY fashion.
Australia has it right ... imho ... that you need a license to buy certain electrical equipment.
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Personally I'd prefer a single 'Competent Person Scheme' for sparks, that way customers could be educated in the same way they have been about Gas engineers, i.e. Corgi now GasSafe.

I know the Gas Safe Register isn't technically a competent person scheme, but it does make it simpler to educate people that work on gas pipes/equipment must be carried out/signed off by an engineer who has achieved the required standards.

Why wouldn't you want the same for our industry?

Why would you want to buy the cheapest option when it eventually comes down to safety and ensuring things are done right?

imho ... Good isn't cheap and cheap is rarely good

 

[Dan]

^^^^ Good post.

That's a whole industry change. And I can't see the two, maybe one, main brand being too happy about that. Or they become it, and they've dominated and that means set prices perhaps?

Not sure.

Corgi was ran by one of these brands we mention, I think....? They lost the bid but kept the name under license. Then it came up for grabs and the guy who owns it now has been bought out by Plumbase so they can use the Corgi name.

It was tarnished badly when it was Corgi as a gas regulator.

Gas Safe is better, but it's not perfect.

And the plumbers who are Gas Safe don't half have a go at those who aren't. That bit isn't perfect either.