Does reinstallation of busbar need professional sign off?

[Carl86]

I'm buying a house and have received the electrical testing certificate. There were two C1's and a C2 identified, all very easy fixes even for an amateur DIYer, the problem I have is that the electrics were condemned for this reason and so the busbar was removed from the consumer unit. This also seems a very simple task that I'd happily undertake but I just need to know wether this kind of work would need to be undertaken and signed off by a professional or the implications of not getting it done professionally if any...I've attached some pictures of the faults which as I said are very cheap and easy fixes and don't really warrant the call out and first hour charge of a professional if I can get away with it.

 

[Dartlec]

Presumably it's not being rented out? In which case a 'satisfactory' EICR is not a requirement - unless your insurance demands it, which doesn't seem to be common (as yet at least).

Do you mean that the seller had the busbar removed before selling the property? Or that an electrician has done so on their own basis when carrying out an EICR for you?

In my opinion, that's not something they should have done unless it was agreed by you in advance. Electricians do not have the same rights as gas fitters to 'condemn' appliances that are working (Though there are methods to isolate dangerous circuits or draw attention to risks)

None of the issues on the list appear to be that complicated, and are certainly within the remit of a good DIY'er..

It would be useful to have a way of testing that the socket is working when reinstalled though - and that the ring final circuit (if present) has been maintained.

With respect to the busbar, IMO, since this is not installing a new Consumer Unit, it would not need to be notified under Part P of the building regulations, so there is no legal requirement for it to be done by a 'professional'.

However, it is vital that it is done correctly, with the terminals clamping with suitable torque at each point. It is something that can be done wrongly quite easily, and that could quite easily lead to a dangerous situation with poor connections causing heat damage or in worst case, a fire.

Personally, unless you have experience of doing similar work I would consider the cost of a professional to replace the busbar and check all the terminals are tight well worth the outlay, for peace of mine alone. Even if it is to check what you have already done.

If you want to use the EICR for future use, then having someone do the work and putting it on paper may be beneficial. However, in theory as long as the remedial work is 'documented' then you have met the requirements.

OOI, what code was given to the pendant with flex showing? According to the Best Practice Guide, "use of unsheathed flex for lighting pendant" is a non compliance but one that does not have to be reported, so not even a C3. Having said that, it should be changed anyway, even if only because it looks nasty!


TL;DR. It could be done by a DIYer, but the busbar is probably best left to someone with at least experience of ensuring tight connections...

 

[Carl86]

Thanks for the response.
The seller is a housing association and the property unoccupied, they carried out the assessment and had the busbar removed which they stated is normal practice if there are any imminent dangers present. The flex showing on the pendant was given C2 which I think was harsh as an exposed live in such a location would probably warrant the same but hey ho, an easy fix.
Appreciate your comments on having a spark do the busbar reinstatement, I was thinking along the same lines it just seemed a lot of faff for what is essentially a 5 minute job but you can't put a price on your family's safety I suppose.

 

[Dartlec]

Thanks for the response.
The seller is a housing association and the property unoccupied, they carried out the assessment and had the busbar removed which they stated is normal practice if there are any imminent dangers present. The flex showing on the pendant was given C2 which I think was harsh as an exposed live in such a location would probably warrant the same but hey ho, an easy fix.
Appreciate your comments on having a spark do the busbar reinstatement, I was thinking along the same lines it just seemed a lot of faff for what is essentially a 5 minute job but you can't put a price on your family's safety I suppose.

To be fair to them, single insulated cables elsewhere are definitely a C2, just that the pendant case seems to be specifically mentioned separately - I guess because older pendants had a twisted flex without a sheath. In your case most likely the cores have either not been placed correctly over the strain relief tabs internal to the pendant base, or they've broken. That's definitely a DIY job either way.

I wonder if there may be legal implications of them effectively selling a house without a functioning electrical system and if that was clearly defined in the sale documents etc, but given the complications of conveyancing as it is not sure that would go anywhere...

It's certainly possible for someone with even basic skills to install a busbar correctly - but it's also very easy with many makes of MCBs to get the busbar incorrectly positioned on the wrong side of the screw terminal so that it appears to be tightly fitted, but is actually not...

Leading to things like this happening:



Use of a mirror underneath the busbar when positioning it can help. It needs care and obviously an understanding of the dangers of holding a large metal piece inside a box with always on mains power to it! (since an external isolator is a rarity).

But with some ringing around I would have thought you could easily find someone able to do it for well under £50 (depending on location), which is money well spent for peace of mind I'd say.

There is an argument that in reinstalling it, all the circuits need to be tested to be safe to energise, but since you have the EICR then there shouldn't be a huge issue with that.

Was the busbar left on site do you know?

 

[Carl86]

To be fair to them, single insulated cables elsewhere are definitely a C2, just that the pendant case seems to be specifically mentioned separately - I guess because older pendants had a twisted flex without a sheath. In your case most likely the cores have either not been placed correctly over the strain relief tabs internal to the pendant base, or they've broken. That's definitely a DIY job either way.

I wonder if there may be legal implications of them effectively selling a house without a functioning electrical system and if that was clearly defined in the sale documents etc, but given the complications of conveyancing as it is not sure that would go anywhere...

It's certainly possible for someone with even basic skills to install a busbar correctly - but it's also very easy with many makes of MCBs to get the busbar incorrectly positioned on the wrong side of the screw terminal so that it appears to be tightly fitted, but is actually not...

Leading to things like this happening:

View attachment 91425

Use of a mirror underneath the busbar when positioning it can help. It needs care and obviously an understanding of the dangers of holding a large metal piece inside a box with always on mains power to it! (since an external isolator is a rarity).

But with some ringing around I would have thought you could easily find someone able to do it for well under £50 (depending on location), which is money well spent for peace of mind I'd say.

There is an argument that in reinstalling it, all the circuits need to be tested to be safe to energise, but since you have the EICR then there shouldn't be a huge issue with that.

Was the busbar left on site do you know?

The house was very much "sold as seen" being a housing association they have little knowledge of the house specifically and must just follow set policies for unsatisfactory eicr. They have left the busbars taped to the CU. As long as I fix the 2 face plates and the blanks in the DB then at least it will be safe to restore power so I can get on with some other jobs.