Have i got it so wroung

[Matty o]

6 months ago i had a call through a recommendation
A older woman had the electrical suppler round doing a free check and had frightened her telling her her house was a death trap and should be rewired at a cost of £8k witch he came to by just looking at the fuseboad.

When i go there I found a 2 bed house built in the 70s with a 4way wyelex rewireable fuse box
The wiring looked ok with no signs of being messed about with, i removed a few face plates and all looked ok just old, did insulation resistance tests all ok.

I did recommend fitting a new board with rcds but not to worry to much.

A month later i had a callout as her cooker fuse went bang and as she was unable to change the fusewire.
I fixed the cooker (ring gone) and she asked me to upgrade the board.

Now the house was wired with 1 socket ring and 1 light ring
She did not want the upset of the work needed to split the ring or a total rewire and as she had table and standard lamps i decided to fit a 6 way board with RCBOs and all was happy.


Now i have had a call from her son threatening reporting me to trading standards and taking me to court as a electrician has told him i have not complyed with the regs as i have not split the lighting into 2 circuits and its dangers.

I did my apprenticeship in the early 90s but have just returned to the tools after spent the last few years behind a desk i did a 17th update and inspection and test exam to bring me back to speed
But Have i got it so wrong.

 

[Simlec]

The idea behind an upstairs ring and lighting circuit, is to do with ease of finding a fault on seperate rings, and in the event of the lighting circuit downstairs tripping out, you'll still have lighting upstairs. This is what I was always taught anyway.

I don’t think the reg’s are there to help fault finding, news to me if they are! To me its a silly reg and technically a split load board does not satisfy the reg.

 

[PC Electrics]

Nowt wrong with what you did Mat.

You replaced a CU on an existing installation. NO compulsion in the regs or pP for you to alter the existing installation in any way (except to repair any unsafe faults you may find and upgrade substandard earthing and bonding).

If the 'son' rings back, just ask him to put his complaint in writing, making sure to quote all the regulations he believes you have not met.

 

[millwall ken]

I don’t think the reg’s are there to help fault finding, news to me if they are! To me its a silly reg and technically a split load board does not satisfy the reg.

Just saying what I was always taught mate.

 

[Simlec]

Not having a dig at you you millwall Ken.:wub:

Op, keep a cool head and simply ask the ranting customer for a copy of his report or whatever evidence he has against you. Then members can then further help you solve this silly problem. I can’t see any court/trading standards taking on a case like this.

 

[chiplard]

You have done nothing wrong.

The installation is now safer than it was. You have installed a CU that will minimise inconvenience in case of a fault by the fact you have installed RCBO's.

As long as you brought all earthing up to date then you have nowt to worry about.

 

[Matty o]

Thanks for the replies yes i did upgrade the earths and issue the correct certificates he just throw me a bit .

After kicking myself for any doubts I phoned the son and suggested we met at his mums a i would go through what i had done and why and if he wanted to bring the other electrician that would be fine.

Just got back the sons ok now and even said sorry (and wants me to put some power in his garage)
The other electrician did not show and it turned out he was a mate of his son who has just completed a retraining course after being a plaster.

 

[trev]

Normally I hate to say it but, we told you so
Alls well that ends well

 

[telectrix]

Thanks for the replies yes i did upgrade the earths and issue the correct certificates he just throw me a bit .

After kicking myself for any doubts I phoned the son and suggested we met at his mums a i would go through what i had done and why and if he wanted to bring the other electrician that would be fine.

Just got back the sons ok now and even said sorry (and wants me to put some power in his garage)
The other electrician did not show and it turned out he was a mate of his son who has just completed a retraining course after being a plaster.

well, that says it all then.

 

[Knobhead]

HaHa, so it was the advise of a five day wonder. Nuff said!

 

[malcolmsanford]

Glad it worked out Matty and well done for you suggesting going to the mum's house and talking it over, as it got you more work good days work son.

 

[Richard Burns]

Nicely nicely, good result all over. Trust in yourself and remain calm, glad it worked out OK.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Thanks for the replies yes i did upgrade the earths and issue the correct certificates he just throw me a bit .

After kicking myself for any doubts I phoned the son and suggested we met at his mums a i would go through what i had done and why and if he wanted to bring the other electrician that would be fine.

Just got back the sons ok now and even said sorry (and wants me to put some power in his garage)
The other electrician did not show and it turned out he was a mate of his son who has just completed a retraining course after being a plaster.

Hmmmm..... now don't get me wrong, I know some very nice plasterers, and have met some that "liked the look of that lecktik stuff", but am I being harsh in saying that they are generally not the brightest (academically, please, academically) and usually a plasterer for a reason .....

What I'm trying to say is there's a bit of brain work as well as practical nonsense in being a Spark and I haven't met a plasterer I'd want rewiring my house.


(fix bayonets!) - hope none from the other forum are reading !

 

[Engineer54]

Haha.... Perhaps that's why this other spark wasn't asked to do the work in the first place!! And ....why he didn't get the son's garage !! Maybe, ..just maybe this is him trying to make himself look good, in the hope of getting the rewire work!!

Anyway, glad it's all over and done with now, and a bonus job out of it as well ...That's a good Result!!!

 

[telectrix]

could have been worse. he might have been a plumber . tin hat on.

 

[needasparks]

Wonder how the spread would get on with a Flat or bungalow then. must blow his mind........