Joining a governing body?

[Op1988]

Hi, I'm currently working for a company (on the books not self employed) who I do a lot of testing and inspecting for but I do a lot of "jobs on the side" and have a friend who owns a few house that he rents out, I'm thinking of joining a governing body (NAPIT, NICEIC) so I can test my own work and do periodic inspection reports for my mate. Do I have to be a registered company to join?

 

[Richard Burns]

You can test your own work and do periodic inspections (for a mate, but occasionally some big companies insist on pointless registration) if you are competent to do them and have the necessary skills, experience and equipment to undertake them safely.

The self certification schemes (not governing bodies) are there to permit you to undertake work that is notifiable to building control under part P of the building regulations without having to notify the LABC in advance or pay their fees (you only have to pay the Schemes fees (which are less)).

To join a self certification scheme you would be expected to be a company of some sort; whether this is self employed, limited company or partnership is irrelevant.
Easiest to register as self employed with HMRC (as well as being employed at your present company) and give your company a name.

 

[Op1988]

Thanks for the reply Richard. Iv got my 2391, a set of testers and Iv been qualified 5years. How can I test my own work without being registered with a self certificate scheme? Sorry if I'm being dull!

 

[Andy78]

Thanks for the reply Richard. Iv got my 2391, a set of testers and Iv been qualified 5years. How can I test my own work without being registered with a self certificate scheme? Sorry if I'm being dull!

Testing and certification is different to notification to building control. Testing and certification is required by BS7671 and happens in all cases of electrical work apart from maintenance. If you are competent, which I would say you are, then you can test and certificate your work.
If that work requires notification to building control too, you can do this direct to building control or via a scheme such as you are on about.
No periodic testing requires membership of a scheme.

 

[Op1988]

Thanks andy, but how can I certify my work without being registered to a scheme? What forms do I fill in and where can I get them?

 

[trev]

Thanks andy, but how can I certify my work without being registered to a scheme? What forms do I fill in and where can I get them?

Suppose you extend a RFC, this work is not notifiable so you'd fill in the appropriate cert and give it to the customer. There's a lot of work which isn't notifiable that you'd cert off your own back without getting anyone else involved. Commercial work is not notifiable but you still issue certs.

You don't have to be a member of a r£gulatory body unless you're doing notifiable work.

 

[Guest77]

It is such a joke now in anycase a lot of proper sparks don't bother with a scheme, if your competant and can prove it why allow some numpty organisation to do it for you, if your only doing EICRs and remedial works you probably won't need to notify, and if the odd job needs notifying you could always do it yourself direct to building control, lets put the schemes out of business, don't join one lol

 

[Andy78]

Thanks andy, but how can I certify my work without being registered to a scheme? What forms do I fill in and where can I get them?

Cetification is the act of filling in the cert and giving it to the customer.

Notification is an additional thing that you do if your work falls under the scope of part P ... see here for the list of notifiable work in wales http://www.elecsa.co.uk/Documents/Public-Documents/Contractors/Notifiable-Work-in-Wales-2013.aspx

You should know what work requires which forms if you have your 2391. You can use the IET model forms found in BS7671 and on the IET website, or if you want duplicate forms, pop into your local wholesaler and pick up a pad of them.

 

[Op1988]

Ok that's starting to make a little sense now, what about periodically testing? Will I need to be registered with a scheme or can I do that off my own back?

 

[Brightspark2]

You can buy test certificates from most wholesales which you fill in or there templates on here somewhere which you can fill in on the computer.

 

[SJD]

You don't need to "buy" any certificates (unless you want to), for example I use Excel sheets that are modelled on the forms in BS7671 (EIC, EICR, MEIWC).

 

[trev]

Ok that's starting to make a little sense now, what about periodically testing? Will I need to be registered with a scheme or can I do that off my own back?

Nar Man! Ye divvent need owt mair than yer aan heed!

 

[Octopus]

Ok that's starting to make a little sense now, what about periodically testing? Will I need to be registered with a scheme or can I do that off my own back?

There is NO SCHEME membership required for doing testing however you need to consider the following:

PL ins
PI ins
Providing certs with your name on and invoices
Declaring 2nd income to HMRC

 

[Op1988]

Thanks guys for the help!

 

[telectrix]

just to reiterate on previous advice. you don't need to join a scam for testing and a lot of minor works. the only thing is notifiable work, which you can check on from downloading part p of the building regs. from planning portal.