Cable Colours

[John1948]

I have recently done some work to my apartment as I intend to rent it out. The cable everywhere in the apartment is the old red & black except for where I have added in two additional sockets (in the bedroom) and new lighting (in the lounge). For that I used the new brown & blue.

I called someone to come and issue a certificate (so that I can rent it) and they have told me that they cannot issue a certificate where there is red and black in the apartment and that the WHOLE apt needs to be re-wired in brown and blue.

Is this really correct? Are there people re-wiring their whole homes just to change the colour of the cable and thus rent out their property?

I read on a forum that you can have mixed colours where a label is attached to the fuse board notifying that there are mixed colours in the circuit. Is that correct?

Help is much appreciatted.

 

[spark 68]

I called someone to come and issue a certificate (so that I can rent it) and they have told me that they cannot issue a certificate where there is red and black in the apartment and that the WHOLE apt needs to be re-wired in brown and blue.

They are taking the wee wee,
this is a load of Bollox, of course you can have mixed colours in an installation, they make the labels specifically for this, which should be attached to the CU I might add.

 

[John1948]

Hi Spark,

Thanks for your reply.

Do you live / work in London at all? Do you issue certificates?

Thanks,.

John

 

[spark 68]

Do you live / work in London at all?

No mate sorry, but there are quite a few other posters on here that do live in London, and may help you out

 

[John1948]

Ok Thanks mate,

One more question if you dont mind. The lighting circuit is done in "double black" cable (which runs inside a metalic conduit) - i.e. both active and neutral run in black cable except where it comes into the box is has been sleeved in red to indentify it as active. This was not done by me but was like that already. Is there an issue there at all?

Thanks,

John

 

[spark 68]

Hi mate,

It may not be standard or up to date, but the regs are not applied retrospectively for a PIR, all the regs say is that cables should be identified, by either colour (sleeving/marker tape etc.) or numbered, as I cannot see the installation I cannot really make any recommendations.
You would need to get a REPUTABLE spark to do a PIR for you, to tell you what you need or need not do.

I hope this helps.

 

[John1948]

Thanks again.

Definitely a relief to know I dont have to re-wire the whole thing !!

 

[spark 68]

If you wait a while until later, a couple of the London lads may see this post and may be able to help you out

 

[chrissiebaker]

How urgent do you need it? - Could do it w/c 12th Nov?

Regards
Chrissie Female Spark

 

[spark 68]

a couple of the London lads

Sorry Chrissie, it should have said "a couple of the London lads and lasses" I do apologise.

 

[Engineer54]

Who actually told you this load of old crap about core colours?? Was it an electrician, or one of these, know absolutly nothing estate agents?? As far as i know, if when a PIR is undertaken and receives no code 1's or 2's Then there is nothing to stop you renting. As it will be a rental, i would suggest RCD protection be given to all power circuits if you don't already have this.

Apart from that, i for one can't see a problem with renting your property. If you get this stuff from anyone else, ask to see the written word from a recognised institute, stating the same crap as they are trying to ply you. ...Or just walk away from that particular business and move on to another estate agent!!

 

[chrissiebaker]

Bring it on boys - us girls will take you on!

 

[Octopus]

Sparkies making statements like this about needing rewires when 2 colours are being used need to taken out and shot.

What a load of cobblers!

 

[John1948]

yeah it was just a local electrician, it didnt sound right. Ive done quite a bit of electrical work in Australia but not really sure of the code in the UK.

hi, chrissie, was hoping to get it done before next week. Are you booked this weekend?

Thanks all.

 

[chrissiebaker]

yeah it was just a local electrician, it didnt sound right. Ive done quite a bit of electrical work in Australia but not really sure of the code in the UK.

hi, chrissie, was hoping to get it done before next week. Are you booked this weekend?

Thanks all.

Am on holiday (Jetting off in morning) and can't do it before 12th.

Colours - C**p - Red & Black okay - you just need a label on yr CU (consumer Unit).

Have you got a RCD on the CU? Far more important than yr cable colours (although not a requirement).

Rgs
Chrissie