how well would you rate this electrician?

[jimjamjr]

The purpose of this thread is two-fold:

1. to let you folks see an EICR from someone who's too lazy (or busy) to even bother forging his test results.
2. to forward this thread to our letting agents after it receives some replies; hopefully, after they've read the opinions of some qualified sparks they'll have a better understanding of how good their preferred "electrician" is...

My uncle moved into a rented property a few weeks ago and the board looked like THIS; seven MCBS (with 2 labelled spare), a single RCD and no mains switch.

The supplied satisfactory EICR can be viewed HERE. The identifying information has been removed and pages 4,5,6 omitted as the inspection schedule was "N/A" for every item. When looking at the EICR it's worth noting:

• the list of circuits is wrong both in number and description
• despite "electric shower" being listed as one of the circuits, the shower in the property works off the combi boiler
• the property has gas; the incoming pipework is metal and there is no gas bond in the meter cupboard
• not a single observation or limitation was noted down
• I have not edited the test results in any way; the only two columns he populated was IR and polarity, no apparent tests performed for Ze, Zs, PFC, CPC continuity, RCD trip time, etc.

So my first question to the qualified sparks here is; again for the benefit of our letting agent; as a quantitative assessment of this property's installation, how would you rate this EICR?

A week after moving in, my uncle mentions an issue with the oven where it tripped the RCD as soon as it was switched on. The oven was brand new, presumably installed just before he was given keys. It was only after seeing this nuisance tripping that I decided to look at the EICR and come to notice how laughable it was. I notify the letting agents of the oven issue and also politely ask them to have the electrician take a second look at the EICR mentioning the incomplete test results and the lack of a gas bond - I mentioned the gas bond deliberately so they might infer I happen to have a slightly better knowledge of BS7671 than the average layman.

A few days later, the same electrician visited the property. Rather than test the installation for earth leakage he did the next best thing... removed the RCD completely and put a mains switch in its place (the board now has zero RCD protection). For some unknown reason, he also decided to remove the spare MCBs and instead of using blanking covers he put two strips of insulating tape over the gaps. Picture HERE. While my uncle was happy he could now use the oven I had to explain to him carefully how the fault has only been hidden and the installation is now a lot more dangerous.

Last correspondence from the letting agent: "Just closing this [ticket] down as the electrician has said he spoke to your uncle on site. All resolved and the certificate is correct."

So my second question to the qualified sparks here is, again for the benefit of our letting agent; how would you rate the competency and workmanship of an electrician who knowingly removes the RCD from an installation and in the process decimates the IP rating of a consumer unit? Particularly one that's only a foot off the ground and well within reach of children.

 

[littlespark]

Without looking too hard, he has indeed left it in a less safe condition by removing the RCD.
It was possibly tripping as all the circuits were through just one rcd rather than a split board or individual rcbo.
The main switch he has put in is the wrong make to match the consumer unit.
Even if it’s physically the same size and fits, it’s not good practice to mix and match parts like that.
Test sheet has 1361 as over current protection device for each circuit….. which is the number for a fuse, not circuit breaker.
Should be 60898 if memory serves

Typical bish bash bosh.

You could commission your own EICR, and pay for it, to compare results, but with what little is there, this so called spark doesn’t know what he’s doing.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

To be fair to him, he got one pit of the paperwork right:

"Extent of the electrical installation covered by this report: None"
?

 

[telectrix]

on a scale of 0 -10......... -6. what an arsehole. not got a clue.

 

[telectrix]

letting agent's £40 a time puppy. landlord probably charged £100 by agent.

 

[UNG]

By the standards of some of the EICR's posted on here this one has to rate as extremely poor

Section 4: Extent of the electrical installation covered by this report: "None" - that would appear to be about the only thing on this EICR that is correct

Section 12: Main switch / Switch-fuse / Circuit-breaker / RCD: BS EN 60947-2 MCB - B - The original RCD would be a BS EN 61008 device the replacement main switch is a BS EN 60947-3 device so he got that one wrong

And the real funny
Section 3: Purpose of the report: Safety assessment required by the client

I think the client needs to carry out a safety assessment of this "handyman" as he is certainly not an electrician as claimed, it would appear he has no test equipment based on the lack of test results and his methods are leaving installations in a potentially dangerous condition

 

[Vortigern]

The rating of the 60898 is 6 Ka not 16.5 Ka. The replacement of the RCD has left the installation less safe, dangerously so. If he changed it to obviate tripping then there is an F.I. due and the installation would fail on that alone. Whatever caused the tripping needs to be investigated as there may be a dangerous fault that needs remedying. This is not just a bad report it is an extremely negligent and possibly life threatening omissions. That person needs to be reported to trading standards/building control. He should not be let loose in domestic or other premises. I think the Agent who employed him should have done due diligence and is partly culpable as well. This is not a joke EICR, it needs to be done with due diliegence, skill and competence. Whatever scheme he pretends to be a member of also needs notifying. Again this person is dangerous to others.

 

[plugsandsparks]

My Main concern is that i cannot see a single ELI measurement either at the origin or any point on the installation, therefore the safety of this installation simply cannot be confirmed as satisfactory.

Yes, he has used the wrong form, yes he has not filled in any circuit details correctly, so if effect this piece of paper is worse than useless as it implies the installation is OK for continued use, which is simply not true.

Removing RCD protection for the whole installation is against the regulations and makes the install non - compliant by itself.

You were right to question this and i would have thought an ideal example to raise to either the relevant Scam or trading standards

 

[telectrix]

it's also obtaining money by false pretences, which is a criminal offence.

 

[Mikegh]

Bad

Removed an rcd without replacing , enough said

 

[richy3333]

Appalling work. If need be say roughly where in Scotland the installation is as there are soon good contractors on here that can help you if needed.

 

[jimjamjr]

Cheers everyone for your input. Let's hope the letting agents take the hint after they see this thread and find themselves another electrician.

That person needs to be reported to trading standards/building control

an ideal example to raise to either the relevant Scam or trading standards

Agreed. This man has only a couple of online reviews with the earliest going back to 2015, which unsurprisingly also describes him bodging their electrics. It's scary to think how many consumer units he's likely to have touched in the last 6 years.

 

[Lister1987]

Given the recent case utilising the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, get to Trading Standards pronto.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

Your uncle's local authority should have someone who deals with electrical safety in rented accommodation. Having already complained to his landlord, they should be the next step. Where is your uncle based? Maybe we can help you find contact details for them.

 

[cireland]

Is it just me or has this guy installed a C1? Access to live parts without the use of a tool! taping over the gaps!! Jeebus wept!