replacement cu not acceptable for NIC / Napit certification

[jjjinx]

I've had my assessment, and my work consists of replacing cu's, EICR's & maintenance work. Not often do i do any work that requires adding two additional circuits, so now I can't get certified after 15 years of being a sparky.... gutted! I've always got certified with a new cu but now they've moved the goal posts, back to a general labourer then....

 

[FatAlan]

I've had my assessment, and my work consists of replacing cu's, EICR's & maintenance work. Not often do i do any work that requires adding two additional circuits, so now I can't get certified after 15 years of being a sparky.... gutted! I've always got certified with a new cu but now they've moved the goal posts, back to a general labourer then....

Strange. Would have thought and new CU would be ideal? Why don’t you show them a new CU install and that that the last two circuits were additional?

 

[happysteve]

Do you have a shed? Does it need (circuit 1) some sockets and (circuit 2) some lights?

Or perhaps your consumer unit in the house is under the stairs? Would be good to have a socket there to charge the hoover... and gosh, it's rather dark under the stairs isn't it?

 

[jjjinx]

Do you have a shed? Does it need (circuit 1) some sockets and (circuit 2) some lights?

Or perhaps your consumer unit in the house is under the stairs? Would be good to have a socket there to charge the hoover... and gosh, it's rather dark under the stairs isn't it?

yeah i said that to the assessor that I'd be forced to add a couple of circuits unnecessarily to my mums house and rip em out again each year. They said not acceptable, can't even do work at my house cos they said its not acceptable either.... not a happy bunny

 

[jjjinx]

I'd have to find a family member each year who doesn't mind me adding to their house, i might of done it too if i'd known before the visit.

 

[jjjinx]

Do you have a shed? Does it need (circuit 1) some sockets and (circuit 2) some lights?

Or perhaps your consumer unit in the house is under the stairs? Would be good to have a socket there to charge the hoover... and gosh, it's rather dark under the stairs isn't it?

Domestic Competent Person Scheme Retention
In order to apply for/retain Domestic Competent Person Scheme certification, a sample of domestic installation work and relevant systems must be made available for assessment.
As detailed in appendix 3 of The Electrical Scheme Guide (available on our website), work your business has completed on your own premises is not acceptable for a surveillance assessment.
Please note if relevant domestic installation work is not available at the assessment, additional chargeable assessment time will be required to attain or retain certification for domestic installation work.

They didn't even tell me they'd changed the rules, it was ok last year!

 

[JBW175]

Which scam provider was this?

 

[SJD]

I had this discussion with my NICEIC assessor very recently.

In the past, with ELECSA, most years I presented a consumer unit change, and that was always sufficent. Now (sadly) merged into NICEIC, I noticed that was no longer enough, and in fact ditched the job I'd planned to use, and found another job that also included some new circuits. But mostly what I like and do in the way of notifiable work is consumer unit changes.

Explaining this to my assessor, he said he'd be happy with just an extra small circuit, and more or less said you can always install a new socket under the consumer unit! Whether this is enough I expect comes down to the individual assessor, and I'd not risk it, so I'm going to make sure I have a job with a decent new circuit or two, even if it means installing something for free for a customer, to be able to use the job.

 

[James]

Emergency light in the cupboard under the stairs, to illuminate the smart meter.
socket next to consumer unit for charging stuff.
just a couple of possibilities.

remember that all smart meters can be remotely turned into pre payment meters now.
when the credit runs out, it is nice to see where you are looking to find the key?

 

[jjjinx]

Which scam provider was this?

NIC but phoned Napit they the same

 

[Pretty Mouth]

Really surprised they won't accept a CU change for your assessment work. They are much more challenging IMO compared to installing new circuits.

 

[davesparks]

remember that all smart meters can be remotely turned into pre payment meters now.
when the credit runs out, it is nice to see where you are looking to find the key?

Have you ever seen a slot for a key on a smart meter?

A smart meter which has been set to pre-payment will use a smart/online payment system so does not use a key.

 

[JBW175]

NIC but phoned Napit they the same

Are you already a member trying to revalidate on annual assessment? Or trying to join and get registered?

I’m with Napit, never had any drama with them, but normally show them a decent sized job like a rewire each year.

 

[davesparks]

Really surprised they won't accept a CU change for your assessment work. They are much more challenging IMO compared to installing new circuits.

How challenging a job is doesn't really matter.

The point of the domestic installer scheme and the assessment is to show that a contractor is competent to do the full spectrum of domestic work.

 

[brianmoooore]

It's possibly that there's no element of design in a CU change, whereas there is with a new circuit, even if it is minimal.