change the db or dont change the db

[sedgy34]

Here is one for you all!!!!
Got a landlord :sultan: ask me about rewiring a house he owns but rents out,ive been to the property to do a visual!! My oppinion the house would benefit from a rewire.The tennant has just decorated the whole of the house throughout :13: ive explained to the tennant they will benefit from a rewire but the fact they just spent alot of cash on re decorating the whole house is the stumbling block, the landlord is willing to pay me for the works but tennant not having any of it cause they would have to re decorate in areas.
(money being put first before safety)

After a debate between tennant/landlord etc Q. can you change the ditribution board so its a 17th edition DB instead of the old fuse wire board
i said yeh can do that will have a look in the exhisting distribution board and there are a couple of bad boy rubber cables sitting there.

SO THE QUESTION IS DO YOU CHANGE IT and risk loosing power cause they have broken or not change the DB
I also Aknowledge by changing the DB will improve the installation.


Thanks in advance

 

[bugsy]

Test all the circuits before doing anything, Im assuming you will also fit RCD's RCBO's
Evaluate the test test results and go from there, reminding the landlord he has a duty of care to his tennant

 

[malcolmsanford]

To be honest you are not improving the installation really by just changing the protection devices from rewirables to MCB. If you wanted to do just that then there is a chance you can buy plug in kits for the fuse carriers to convert from the rewirable to MCB protection.

The only way you can really upgrade the current situation is to provide additional protection via RCD.

 

[sedgy34]

did mean a new 17th db with rcd protection

 

[J&M Electrical]

As others have said, do a couple of tests 1st, and stick a 8way board with Main Switch and then fill it with RCBO's. Will be easier to sort if u have problems that way

 

[D80]

What was the problem in the first place that you recommended a rewire? Quite a difference in costs between a rewire and changing the db.

 

[Paul.M]

As above, test the whole house. If the cables require replacing do so, regardless of decorating. Ask the tenant how good his new B&Q paint and wallpaper will look after a fire?

If cables are ok and you've located the borrowed neutrals then up grade the board, bonding + anything else that needs attention.

 

[cbw]

I would let someone else have the hastle.

Old rubbers, borrowed neutrals......

Tenant on the phone every other week moaning about nuiscence tripping....

If you think it needs rewiring, perhaps it could be put off until tenant changes?

 

[Paul.M]

Or you could rewire it all in trunking lol.

 

[trev]

All due respect mate but there's no way other than an inspect and test to tell if a place needs a rewire. A visual inspection can't tell you much apart from the condition of any cables you can see.
Any tenant should have it written into the agreement that if any major repairs are necessary that they will be carried out regardless of the state of their decor, maybe the landlord could agree to compensate the tenant for redecoration costs just like the local authorities do. In his position I'd be more concerned about shocks and fires than my lovely wallpaper but if they can't reach an agreement then you'll have to wait for a change in the tenancy

 

[sedgy34]

i totally agree with you!!!
the installation has done its time its more than 30+years old

Ok lets open this one up would you carry out a loop test on exhisting rubber cables??????????????

 

[trev]

i totally agree with you!!!
the installation has done its time its more than 30+years old

Ok lets open this one up would you carry out a loop test on exhisting rubber cables??????????????

As long as there was no way I'd damage them yes. It would be disturbing them that would scare the bejasus out of me

 

[londonlec]

Landlord must have a safe installation etc, if that means a rewire then so be it.

 

[sedgy34]

the landlord would pay for it but its the tennant,
who if had a brain and thought actually its for my safety a bit of re decs wont be an issue

 

[RISElectrical]

Test as much as you can test. If the cable is in such a state that disturbing it is likely to induce faults I would recommend a re wire to the landlord along with photographs of the installation and faults found. Then leave it with him. Tenant doesn't really need consulting from you point of view. It's down to the landlord to sort out. Changing the CU on an installation that is in need of a re wire is more trouble than it's worth IMO.