British Gas Electrical Tests

[TaffyDuck]

Yesterday I went out to a small block of flats to deal with a fault on part of the landlords supply and discuss fitting a fire alarm system. I pointed out to the landlord that the building as a whole, 4 flats and the communal area had never been tested and that he should consider having an EICR done. He informs me that he has a contract with British Gas who do the gas checks annually and check the electrics every 2 years so he is covered. This for 4 flats and the landlords supply takes, apparently about an hour!!!!!. Well I thought I was pretty hot but thats 12 minutes per system. I`m assuming that they do a quick Zs and an RCD test then tick the box and walk away.

Anyone else come across this?

 

[cook1e]

There is a company I have come accross who test gas and elec for estate agents and landlords, the electrical test did comprise of a count, a quick visual and a martindale test of a few sockets.
the small print on there own paperwork explains this doesnt constitute a proper electrical test, but for less than a £100 for the 2 many landlords love it

Martin

 

[malcolmsanford]

Isn't the UK wonderful, and it's legislation.

The government, the Electricity safety council. the schemes and everyone you can shake a stick at bleat on and on about electrical safety, electrical concerns, how landlords have a care of duty to provide safe accommodation, how companies need to provide a safe working environment and comply to the EAWR and advise of periodic conditions reports for the installation, or in service inspection and testing of electrical equipment, but neither of these are Statutory

So instead of a law that might make people/companies do proper testing and proper safety for their clients/landlord, they allow this situation where someone can walk into a premises armed with a socket tester and a wad of useless forms, plug in and all is well.

The insurance companies get their "bit of paper", the landlord/company get a cheap and totally worthless bit of paper as well, and guys who are spending a fortune keeping up with regs, taking on extra course, buying proper test gear etc etc, is being shafted.

 

[oldtimer]

Also just to add the British Gas guys do not have proper 17th edition multitesters ie Megger/ Fluke they have a little unit that they either get a red or green LED plus they do tend to get caught out I have mentioned this before on a post but I have been pulled out about 4 times because the BG guy has said the house has no earth but in 3 cases it was the socket at fault and in one they got it right but the guy rushed back to the property when the owner phoned to say did he sample others sockets plus the customer got me out under the guise of priceing for a new DB but really confirming that he did not have an earth so he would not get charged by the DNO. Now I am prepared next time this happens I will inform the owner there will be a call-out charge for this service

 

[TaffyDuck]

Yes well no surprises there then. Maybe I`ll get rid of my 1552, separate robin loop tester(cos the D lock is better), Fluke T100 etc etc and buy a socket and see, plug it in and if it doesn`t make a funny noise the whole system must be fine. Sorted ;-)

And I can light the fire with my 2391 Cert. Lifes suddenly so much simpler??????? assuming of course I dont mind not sleeping at night and following fire-engines around

 

[jay sean]

I worked for BG (for 2months, they were that good!!!)
when I was with them 6 years ago their electrical testing was a look inside the DB, random zs at sockets and open a couple of switches takes all of .5 hrs.
It was called safety maintenance inspection, two sides of a A4 sheet.

Thank God I left, don't known if they have changed, but they are a bunch of cowboys!!

 

[Dcf]

th whole test and inspection game is rigged.i did a job in my local cinema after a large contractor had sent 2 men out for the day to check 200+ circuits and PAT test the appliances.test sheet i got was photocopy of 4 circuits showing 0.00M ohm and i had to trace the 4 circuits.i had a conversation with the manager of the large installation i was on the day about inspections.
the guy is an ex spark n knows his stuff alright.he told me squad of guys came out in suits to carry out fixed wiring tests on his premises!told him no attic/duct work etc will b carried out. he sent them packing.
just what is it these boys actually test?????

 

[oldtimer]

Sadly the whole set up is geared for companies like this and just like PAT testing it is taken out of the hands of electricians because they are needed to run the conduit and trunking they set a standard and these companies like worker ants dismantle the procedures like a letting agent I do work for the guy who does the PIRs does a 10% a year type or what they call rolling PIRs now thats fine for a big building where the owner is only obliged to get 10% tested a year but it was never meant to be applied to a domestic application yet this is how it is being interpitted

 

[Dcf]

i spoke to another spark i know who interprets pir as a sample of circuits i.e. 20% circuits tested!!! what if other circuits have faults then??????
try explaining that one in court when its his arse on the line for doing 20% of a job

 

[oldtimer]

Apparently it is acceptable to do this as big companies complained that they could not do the whole building in one go so they can do over a 5-10 year period or 10-20% a year Mind i wish they would let me change things

 

[Amp David]

Also just to add the British Gas guys do not have proper 17th edition multitesters ie Megger/ Fluke they have a little unit that they either get a red or green LED plus they do tend to get caught out I have mentioned this before on a post but I have been pulled out about 4 times because the BG guy has said the house has no earth but in 3 cases it was the socket at fault and in one they got it right but the guy rushed back to the property when the owner phoned to say did he sample others sockets plus the customer got me out under the guise of priceing for a new DB but really confirming that he did not have an earth so he would not get charged by the DNO. Now I am prepared next time this happens I will inform the owner there will be a call-out charge for this service

They have a bag of Socket and See testers.

All the estate agents round here always ask for an Electrical Safety Certificate when you rent a house through them. Have had it on 2 occasions where I've done a new CU, them asking for the said safety cert, only for me to tell them they have a full EIC. No but we need a safety cert, then for me to tell them they don't exist.

For one of them had to go into the high street shop to explain as they kept phoning and asking. Took in the BRB and dropped it onto the desk and said if they actually exist then show me in the regs and as we know they couldn't

What made me laugh is that the electricians, 3 other local guys, do them for us. I asked how much they do them for, answer was 75 quid! Informed them that they weren't worth the paper they were printed on and that they were taking the pee out of you TBH.

Just goes to show that these so called safety certs are just knocked up on the PC at home and issued as some kind of official document.

 

[oldtimer]

"safety Certificates" Give the Scheme providor time and if there is money in it then there will be a C&G number a course and booklet set up

 

[Geordie Spark]

I worked for BG (for 2months, they were that good!!!)
when I was with them 6 years ago their electrical testing was a look inside the DB, random zs at sockets and open a couple of switches takes all of .5 hrs.
It was called safety maintenance inspection, two sides of a A4 sheet.

Thank God I left, don't known if they have changed, but they are a bunch of cowboys!!

I know what you mean. I used to subby for them installing boilers etc. but jacked it in 'cos I wasn't happy with working to their very low standards.

When I told the manager that I didn't want any more work from them, he asked me why. I told him that when I did a job, I liked to be able to say with pride: "I did that" but when I was working for them I could only say: "Did I do that ??!!"

 

[oldtimer]

Geordie this is exactly what is wrong they are so big that they can do anything because they can there is no one to hold them to account and essentially this is the same scenario as the banks "Sales Driven" and we all know where this ends up and the daft thing is the public swallow it plus every time there is a problem with the roads or transport they media calls in the AA but they are just the same as BG ie "Sales Driven" and when they do get caught it is all about tighting up procedures yet you or me get caught its about throwing the book at us and why ? because our lawers are not bigger than theirs and BG + AA lawers are bigger than anybody

 

[Engineer54]

You'll normally find all the get-out's within the ''disclaimers'' in the very fine small print, that virtually no-one bothers to actually read.... Like so many other organisations these days, these bigger companies have seen a means of making easy money for little or no input. All with little to no risk to the company involved!!!