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.

Please keep the thread informative, on-topic, and constructive when criticism is fairly given. Note that we run on a report-by basis when it comes to moderation, and don't individually approve all posts pre-posting. The comments made in this thread are the thoughts and comments of the person posting, and not of the forum or myself, or any volunteer staff. And their opinions are only stated at the time of posting, and may change over time and not be their actual end view.

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.

 

[Jock from the north]

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.

Please keep the thread informative, on-topic, and constructive when criticism is fairly given. Note that we run on a report-by basis when it comes to moderation, and don't individually approve all posts pre-posting. The comments made in this thread are the thoughts and comments of the person posting, and not of the forum or myself, or any volunteer staff. And their opinions are only stated at the time of posting, and may change over time and not be their actual end view.

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.

Definitely not .I'm with napit and they now require 3 jobs to pick from as far as I can gather because there rather vague. I've paid my dues including there online fast test garbage [which I havn't bothered with and am using bought paper pads .my inspection is due on 28th Feb and despite repeated emails to inform them I don't have 3 jobs just waiting in the wing they haven't replied directly, just :you have an assessment comming up soon please provide 3 addresses ".I'm in Scotland which makes it even harder .most of my jobs are heating installs ie fitting new hives and connecting up multiple zone valves .and then of course the usuall consumer unit change [only fit rcbo] and then the odd loft lights and maybe a boiling tap .this is just an example of the type of work I do and is not exclusive. I had a rewire I did before Xmas thinking it would be a dead cert ,even paid ovo to fit an isolator so I could change consumer unit but the customer has now moved to Saudi Arabia to teach English and has rented out house .all in the space of 3 months. The same thing happened last year house was sold before inspection was even close .I realize they need to know your not incompetent but I'm going to fight it out with them. Apparently you are allowed 4 months after your date for inspection ,going by there terms and agreements to get yor house in order .I've also just paid 650 quid to add light commercial to me remit as it was Purley domestic before and I have a Thai massage parlour to wire ,em lights,escape are to be wired in fire rated cable ie fp200 gold .trickle fans with solid duct in treatment rooms .the architect has only specified mains optical smoke alarms with lithium back up,so 3 core and earth pvc but in all rooms no mention of specific cable .and also I need to make sure my socket and light switches are the specified height .I believe it's waist/breast height for light switches ,please correct me if I'm wrong and is it 300 mm for sockets. Just don't know anymore .not competent enough to read my onsite guide to find out