Home Reports - not worth the paper?

[Selfmade]

Hi folks

I recently found this

above a customer's bathroom false ceiling, when I went to replace some obviously unsuitable downlights with suitable ones. This mess was in use, supplying said downlights. Naturally I rewired the downlights, having agreed a price with the customer.

Now, the customer had bought the property only a few months ago, had had no electrical work done since, and the Home Report (Scotland only if I remember correctly) said the electrics were fine, with no C1s or C2s. the customer was very good and accepted my advice rather than choosing to believe the home report.

So, I thought I'd start a thread to see what are others' experiences/opinions of Home Reports.

 

[Octopus]

I'm not good at remembering reg. nos., but I'm pretty sure that while they don't have to be IP rated outside the zones, they do have to be stated by mfrs. as 'suitable for a bathroom', and from what I have seen of this design of downlights (when I've bought similar ones for other rooms) they would not have been stated as suitable, even for outside the zones.

I don't think you will find such a reg ......

 

[Octopus]

I'm not good at remembering reg. nos., but I'm pretty sure that while they don't have to be IP rated outside the zones, they do have to be stated by mfrs. as 'suitable for a bathroom', and from what I have seen of this design of downlights (when I've bought similar ones for other rooms) they would not have been stated as suitable, even for outside the zones.

I don't think you will find such a reg ......

 

[Selfmade]

I don't think you will find such a reg ......

I'll have a look if I get time and come back on here if I find one. Not just now though - it's getting late. But I take it from your earlier comment that you personally would fit IP ones in a bathroom even outside the zones?

 

[Des 56]

Any equipment has to be suitable for the conditions its likely to encounter
512.2.1

 

[Selfmade]

Any equipment has to be suitable for the conditions its likely to encounter
512.2.1

And the lazy person's way of determining this is to read the instructions

 

[Des 56]

And the lazy person's way of determining this is to read the instrustions

Pardon me if you will,I was only trying to help with a reg number for you

 

[Octopus]

But I take it from your earlier comment that you personally would fit IP ones in a bathroom even outside the zones?

Absolutely correct, but that is me adopting a standard by which I will install .....but coding non ip rated lights outside zones is not something I would do ......I would and do comment on them.

I am doing an EICR in a couple of weeks, when I visited the flat before I agreed to do it, I noted a non ip rated light in a wet room, well inside zone 2 .... My comment at the time will ensure that its been changed before I do the report

 

[Selfmade]

Pardon me if you will,I was only trying to help with a reg number for you

Sorry Des! I was referring to myself as 'the lazy person'! I was also agreeing with you and jokingly hinting that the 'non-lazy person' might do their own type testing. I think 'one way of complying' with reg. 512.2.1 in the case of bathroom lights would be to choose ones specified by the mfrs. as suitable - then one's covered oneself, as if it ends up with water in you can point to the specifications/instructions.

 

[Selfmade]

Absolutely correct, but that is me adopting a standard by which I will install .....but coding non ip rated lights outside zones is not something I would do ......I would and do comment on them.

I am doing an EICR in a couple of weeks, when I visited the flat before I agreed to do it, I noted a non ip rated light in a wet room, well inside zone 2 .... My comment at the time will ensure that its been changed before I do the report

Sounds good - I hope they gave you the job of changing them!

 

[Octopus]

Sounds good - I hope they gave you the job of changing them!

The homeowner is going to change the offending light before I do the report ...........