Covid Shielding and Rewire.

[Nitram]

My Friend has an ex council house (owned privately) that has recently been tested by the Local council ( its on a council estate that all the other properties have been identified as needing refurbishment.) The electrical installation is approx 40 years old and has been identified as out of date (not condemned) by the councils electrical report (which he does not have). The council are trying to force him to rewire although his mother is shielding. Can they do this legally?

 

[Mike Johnson]

Which means it’s the person who ordered the report would should pass it on to the user, not the electrician.

Does not the Electrician have a duty of care to ensure that the report is passed on?

Having a copy of a previous EICR would allow a new contractor the opportunity to assess if any deterioration has occurred, between reports, if as someone has suggested it's not important then we may as well throw them in the bin as soon as they are completed.

 

[dodger421]

Does not the Electrician have a duty of care to ensure that the report is passed on?

Having a copy of a previous EICR would allow a new contractor the opportunity to assess if any deterioration has occurred, between reports, if as someone has suggested it's not important then we may as well throw them in the bin as soon as they are completed.

Not according to the wording of either the regs or the certificates you copied from. Morally and ethically I agree with you, but that’s not the same as a requirement and it’s not what the regs actually say.

Ultimately it’s the responsibility of the person ordering the report to ensure it is passed on to the relevant people be it a tenant, end user, next inspector or a different contractor doing remedials or other works. The regs make clear that the inspector only has to give the report to the person ordering it, what they do with it is up to them.

Just for arguments sake what if you carried out an EICR for a private homeowner found some C2’s and provided a quote for the remedial work. How far does your duty of care extend if the homeowner decides they don’t want the work doing even though you know the installation is unsafe for continued use and have reported as such to them?

 

[ipf]

I know it's awkward times with the shielding but maybe you should all have just kept schtumm...........and got a free council rewire out of it. Smiling.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Theres a nice Yiddish word to go to bed pondering, shame it comes from the German for silent.

 

[Dartlec]

Not according to the wording of either the regs or the certificates you copied from. Morally and ethically I agree with you, but that’s not the same as a requirement and it’s not what the regs actually say.

Ultimately it’s the responsibility of the person ordering the report to ensure it is passed on to the relevant people be it a tenant, end user, next inspector or a different contractor doing remedials or other works. The regs make clear that the inspector only has to give the report to the person ordering it, what they do with it is up to them.

Just for arguments sake what if you carried out an EICR for a private homeowner found some C2’s and provided a quote for the remedial work. How far does your duty of care extend if the homeowner decides they don’t want the work doing even though you know the installation is unsafe for continued use and have reported as such to them?

I think if you've notified them then your duty of care has been discharged.

If you left a C1 as it was, when the fix was simple (new socket, or some sort of isolation), then I think that's more arguable. Though unlike Gas, we have no legal rights to disconnect unsafe things without permission.

 

[Ziggie]

Have I missed something? Where does it state that wood CU's are 'illegal'?

BS7671 states "Existing installations that have been installed in accordance with earlier editions of the Regulations may not comply with this edition in every respect. This does not necessarily mean that they are unsafe for continued use or require upgrading."

Sorry my mistake. I saw something that stated that this was being enforced as an exception to the rule. Checking now, I agree and I’m pleased because I have one!

 

[Diytim]

My Friend has an ex council house (owned privately) that has recently been tested by the Local council ( its on a council estate that all the other properties have been identified as needing refurbishment.) The electrical installation is approx 40 years old and has been identified as out of date (not condemned) by the councils electrical report (which he does not have). The council are trying to force him to rewire although his mother is shielding. Can they do this legally?

No, these are recommended only.