going out on own, need some advice

[graham123]

basically, been doing testing and inspection for a company for round 2 years now, and have been considering going out on my own doing it for myself, including some pat testing etc. Basicially i can never get a straight answer out of anyone as to what i need to go out on my own. ie insurance, napit, nic???. I have 2391, can i sign off my own sheets etc. Help would be greatly appriciated thanks

 

[malcolmsanford]

Well you would need insurance both Public Liability and Indemnity if your going to do T & I with PAT.

As for joining a scheme unless the work you get will insist that you be a member of a scheme then you don't need to be in any.

Unfortunately there are very few home owners requesting T&I work off their own volition, most domestic/commercial work is done through organisations such a mortgage or insurance companies who like the tester to be affiliated to a recognized scheme, mainly NICEIC for commercial/industrial

 

[graham123]

So in theroy i could do periodic inspections without being in a scheme?, and using test sheets which i can download from the net etc

 

[telectrix]

correct.

 

[Flying Ninja]

Like Malcolm said, there are very few people requesting tests. The company you work for must have secured large contracts. Other than testing my own istallations I get little demand for periodics, maybe 2 a month. I visited over 35 estate and letting agents in Brighton offering a testing service and they all said they were not doing it as it is not law. Unfortunately until smeone of importance is hurt or insurance companies make it a requirement for cover landlords and home owners will not pay the money for the test. We are too expensive, "The Gas test was ony £20". I wish you luck but would do it on the side until you can garuntee a steady supply of work

 

[graham123]

thanks for the advice, i was thinking about doing flyers/leaflets etc dropping round houses. Our company does get the occasional periodic on a domestic property froom people who are worried about their electrics lol. Most of the domestic testing is through letting agenicies etc.
i was thinking along the lines of maybe caravan parks testing of static homes?. Would i need to be part of a organisation if i was just doing periodics on domestic properites for the owner of the house?. I would only require my liability/idemitiy insurance?

 

[Octopus]

If you decide to go alone doing T & I then you don't need to join a scheme, all you need is PI insurance.

However, when you're doing T & I then you'll often be "reporting" issues and necessary "fixes" and without membership of a PartP scheme then you'll be dealing LABC on a case by case basis which will most likely cost you more than scheme membership.

 

[graham123]

so i would require to be part of a scheme to produce minor works certs?

 

[Big n Daft]

This is best bit of advice you can get................Do not do it!
The public will not pay for it and the domestic market is an absolute minefield.

 

[malcolmsanford]

Yes Graham if that work was extending a light in a kitchen or bathroom say then you MWC would have to be registered for Part P. All work in Part P locations that affect/extending a cables needs to be notified.

If you were extending that circuit same circuit but in a hallway then you don't need to notify it, even though the hall is on the same circuit as the kitchen as often is the case in a home, just part of the wonderful vagaries of the part p lunancy