Read all the nice fluffy stuff about people's rights to do jobs in their own house but they are endangering other people due to their incompetence!
There are so many rules and regs we happily tolerant but it appears many of us are still comfortable with letting Joe Public have a go - Why encourage this behaviour??
Lets cut to the chase with a few thought provoking comments:
- In Europe ie: Germany, you can only buy a very limited amount of domestic electrical gear over the public counter. The more more serious stuff must be fitted by a qualified electrician.
- Electricians in Germany are respected and charge more than in the UK. Their safety record is also very very good!
- In the UK, you don't seem to be able to buy a comprehensive range of gas fittings/parts in are big sheds?? Gas safe engineers seem to be busier than Electricians, charge more and are held in higher esteem! Why can it be done for them and not us (gas more dangerous than our stuff??).
- Why don't the Schemes lobby the Government on our behalf for all critical electrical gear especially CCU's, to be withdrawn from sale to the public to improve safety. It would bring us into line with the best EEU countries - after all Mr Blair signed us up to the Human Rights fiasco to line the pockets on the lawyers (wasn't Cherie Blair a Human rights specialists?). I have written to my Scheme on this subject but got some generic reply about them doing what they can to improve our reputation and to Champion domestic electrical safety!
Our trade is being devalued and we are often perceived as the cheap after thought trade - not like Gas-Safe ENGINEERS or plasterers - they are serious tradesmen!!!!
My aspiration would be for all but the very basic electrical equipment to be withdrawn from sale to the general public!
Rant over.
From what i remember of Germany, they too have there big sheds and contrary to what you are saying, they do (or at least did) sell virtually the same type of stuff available at our sheds... They have the same sort of freedom of sale regulations as the UK, in fact all European countries do, it was what the whole EU system was based on.....
Funny how some will tell you how great the German system is, then throw a wobbler at say the thought of installing a socket outlet or a light switch in a bathroom, ...Both of which are common practice in German bath/shower rooms!! And what was that.... The German ''safety record is also very good''...
Our trade (industry) is being devalued by interested parties, who's very existence depends on devaluing and de-skilling the industry. You have let them get there foot in the door, and now they are taking over. As i have said many times on here, you need to sort your own industry out first and foremost, before you go out to try and break insurmountable walls such as the freedom of sales act and the might of the big sheds... It's NOT being devalued by DIY'ers, they have been around since time began.
I'm not saying that i condone or would encourage the sale of electric gear (as you put it), to DIY'ers, just that it has never been a problem in the past and it's not a problem now!! ...End Of!! The general public also don't owe us a living which is what your implying too in your above post....
I am amazed that those who want to apply all these restrictions, can't seem to see the implications and the bigger picture. Client/customers will just dry up, they won't be able to afford the material costs let alone the labour costs. Probably see more deaths /accidents/fires than your seeing today, mainly due to doing nothing or living with a problem longer!!!
