Landlord - EICR 'unsatisfactory'

[Blackfish]

I have let a flat for a several years to the same person (not a new tenancy). Hall, kitchen, bathroom, two bedrooms and lounge. All on one floor.
Letting agent sent electrician to do EICR and it came back 'unsatisfactory':

Part 6: Observations and recommendations (all are Code C2)
1. 4.9 The main switch RCD did not trip when test button pressed.
2. 8.6 The cover of the lighting fitting is missing in the bathroom and needs replacing.
3. 8.7 The cover of the lighting fitting is missing in the bathroom and needs replacing.
4. The cable feeding the lighting circuit has no CPC, the lighting circuit needs to be rewired.
5. The metal switches have not earthed in the back boxes.
6. Circuits 4, 6 and 7 have multiple cables in the MCBs. These need to be put in their own MCB no spare ways.

Part 12: Circuit details
RCD
1. Cooker
2. Shower
3. Kitchen sockets
4. Sockets
5. Immersion heater
6. Sockets
7. Lights
8. Sockets

The agency's preferred electrician (whose company did the EICR) has quoted:

• To isolate and remove old consumer unit replace with a new dual RCD consumer unit as per regulations.
• To rewire the lighting circuit in the property (the cables will be run in surface trunking and the switches will be mounted on surface boxes to reduce damage to the walls and decorating).

Total cost parts and labour £1290 +£258 VAT, total £1548 (there is no breakdown of parts and labour). That would wipe out six months income from letting.

There are seven lights (two in lounge). While surface wiring wouldn't be my choice, I appreciate it is much quicker and easier than chasing out and making good.

Do you agree with the codes and is the quotation reasonable?
If not, does anyone local (Nottingham) want to quote?

Thank you.

 

[telectrix]

price looks reasonable, lighting rewire is a good call. i would however challenge the surface wiring. if you're spending £1500, then a couple of ton on making good after chasing etc. makes sense.

 

[SJD]

Hard to say if the observations are all correct or not, without more information. We always like to see a copy of the EICR, but with all the names and addresses etc. redacted, if you are able to do that.

For example, circuits 4 and 6 having multiple cables in the MCB, depends how many and what type of circuits. If a ring (ring final circuit) on a 32A MCB, a spur at the origin (i.e. the consumer unit) is perfectly OK, and you would have 3 cables in the MCB.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Total cost parts and labour £1290 +£258 VAT, total £1548 (there is no breakdown of parts and labour). That would wipe out six months income from letting.

This makes me laugh, safety before money, take it on the chin and sort it out.

 

[suffolkspark]

Sounds fine to me.

 

[Spoon]

This makes me laugh, safety before money, take it on the chin and sort it out.

All depends on how you look at it mate. @Blackfish might just be enquiring on if there is a cheaper, safe way of doing things.
If you take your car to the garage and they say it needs a tyre change and it will be £150, then you find out you can get a new tyre for £60 then I would go for the £60 tyre.
You can put a price on safety, when it can be done safely at a lower cost.

 

[loz2754]

It's about the same as I would charge in the West Midlands, but no vat.

 

[DPG]

Bit worrying that the RCD didn't trip. That definitely needs sorting!

 

[James]

Get a second quote.

They may even that the lights don’t need rewiring

Could be a conduit system?
Optimism is king tonight.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I think that's a good price, you are not being ripped off.

 

[Blackfish]

Thank you for the quick responses and valuable comments. I'll add that I don't intend to compromise safety to save a few quid - if it needs doing then I will get it done. I've attached the full report now (having figured out a way to redact it).

 

[SJD]

I've seen worse reports, but there are a few inconsistencies.

Certainly the RCD not operating is a C2. There appears to be an RCD main switch according to the schedule of test results, but the Part 9 suggests otherwise. Maybe sloppy completion of the form, but can you post a photo of the consumer unit, to confirm.

I'm guessing there is just one bathroom light and it gets mentioned with a C2 twice for good measure!

The test results claim to show an outgoing CPC (earth) for the lighting of 0.75mm2 (which is an odd size in modern cable, but maybe correct for an old imperial type). And check list item 5.7 is ticked for adequacy of CPCs. So I'm a bit confused then why to say the lighting circuit needs to be rewired. Possibly there is no CPC and the test results and 5.7 are wrong, but when asking someone to spend a lot of money, they should be consistent.

Not having earthed the switch metal back boxes, either there is a CPC but just not connected, or no CPC and can't be. Difficult to know what to believe. Just possibly there is a CPC to the lighting points but not the switch drops, I've seen that sometimes in properties of a certain age, but it is not clear.

Re the C2 for multiple cables in the MCB for circuits 4, 6 and 7 - these are radial circuits and might well have a branch at the origin. Some people may comment it is not good practice, but it is certainly not a C2.

 

[Blackfish]

@SJD, thank you for this. I will try to get a photo of the CU (though I've agreed all access is arranged via the letting agency). There is only one light in the bathroom but defect was noted under both 8.6 and 8.7?
The light switches are metal faced (swapped a few years ago but can be reverted to plastic if need be).
I can mention those discrepancies you highlight to the letting agency and will try to get another quotation.

Out of curiosity, if all light switches were plastic and no light fittings were of a type requiring an earth, does the circuit still need a CPC?

 

[Dartlec]

Get a second quote.

They may even that the lights don’t need rewiring

Could be a conduit system?
Optimism is king tonight.

Definitely possible so at least worth getting another set of eyes on it. Conduit systems seem to have been quite common in flats around here in the 70s - though the conduit earthing has sometimes gone south over the years with DIY changes or alterations by people who should know better.

The price sounds rather high to me (Kent prices) for a Dual RCD board and surface trunking. Lighting rewires can often be done mostly under floorboards/in loft in a house, but often harder in a flat of course.

 

[UNG]

I've seen worse reports, but there are a few inconsistencies.

It's one of the better ones seen on here recently, although it seems to lack some attention to detail
Don't understand why they N/A the age of the installation given that the cable sizes in the schedule if correct do date the installation