NICEIC Certification Scheme Whats going on with niceic

[Planctonboy]

Has anyone been experiencing problems getting contact with Niceic? I've been registered domestic installer for 12 years but now.......

• the help line don't get back to me for days.
• I've had no assessment for 18 months but they continue to take my money.
• applied to join the PRS scheme online twice but no one ever contacted me about it. When I eventually rang and spoke to a guy he asked me to send proof of qualifications then ring back. I did that but the phone goes to voice mail and his mailbox tells me it's full and can't take any more messages.! WTF ??

Just wondered if anyone else has seen a massive decline in service. Or is it just me??

 

[Pete999]

Has anyone been experiencing problems getting contact with Niceic? I've been registered domestic installer for 12 years but now.......

• the help line don't get back to me for days.
• I've had no assessment for 18 months but they continue to take my money.
• applied to join the PRS scheme online twice but no one ever contacted me about it. When I eventually rang and spoke to a guy he asked me to send proof of qualifications then ring back. I did that but the phone goes to voice mail and his mailbox tells me it's full and can't take any more messages.! WTF ??

Just wondered if anyone else has seen a massive decline in service. Or is it just me??

Running short of cash maybe?

 

[Pete999]

Running short of cash maybe?

Been rumbled by the proletariat

 

[Planctonboy]

Running short of cash maybe?

Maybe. But if they're taking everyone's money and providing a very sketchy service, they should have loads of cash.

For the first time I'm seriously thinking about registering with another scheme provider. Any recommendations ?

 

[timhoward]

I've had exactly the same experience, and I thought it was just me!
Heard nothing back, phoned them to join PRS, please email qualifications to join@etc...
Then nothing. Phoned them weekly for 8 weeks, the nicest person I got admitted that emails were basically moved around the team with no record of who was dealing with anything (emails moved by supervisor not forwarded!) and please apply again! She instant messaged the team to ask if anyone had heard of me while I was still on the phone, and it was farcical "Someone's typing, maybe this is it!" "Oh they just said it wasn't them..."

Eventually I got so annoyed with them I phoned NAPIT who got back to me the next day, were super helpful, and left me with the direct number of the person who would deal with the transfer. My new NAPIT assessor has now made contact, gave me his direct mobile number, we had super friendly chat on phone and arranged to meet up next week. So it looks like I'm unexpectedly moving over to the dark side (and maybe more C2's for RCDs....!)

 

[Planctonboy]

I've had exactly the same experience, and I thought it was just me!
Heard nothing back, phoned them to join PRS, please email qualifications to join@etc...
Then nothing. Phoned them weekly for 8 weeks, the nicest person I got admitted that emails were basically moved around the team with no record of who was dealing with anything (emails moved by supervisor not forwarded!) and please apply again! She instant messaged the team to ask if anyone had heard of me while I was still on the phone, and it was farcical "Someone's typing, maybe this is it!" "Oh they just said it wasn't them..."

Eventually I got so annoyed with them I phoned NAPIT who got back to me the next day, were super helpful, and left me with the direct number of the person who would deal with the transfer. My new NAPIT assessor has now made contact, gave me his direct mobile number, we had super friendly chat on phone and arranged to meet up next week. So it looks like I'm unexpectedly moving over to the dark side (and maybe more C2's for RCDs....!)

Wow. Seems they've really lost their way in recent months. I'm going to try NAPIT too I think. I used to be of the opinion that NICEIC was the one to be registered with because it was the most widely respected. But I've also just read the trust pilot reviews for NICEIC and they are very poor to put it politely! Both from contractors and the public..

It's a shame but you've got to roll with the changes ....

 

[timhoward]

Wow. Seems they've really lost their way in recent months. I'm going to try NAPIT too I think. I used to be of the opinion that NICEIC was the one to be registered with because it was the most widely respected. But I've also just read the trust pilot reviews for NICEIC and they are very poor to put it politely! Both from contractors and the public..

It's a shame but you've got to roll with the changes ....

I agree that NICEIC is better known, in fact one local estate agent thought is was a qualification...
At this point I can only say that first impressions of NAPIT are good in terms of clarity and communications. I'll report back after the assessment....
And we'll have to see whether being part of a lesser known scheme impacts anything.

 

[Planctonboy]

I'd be very interested to hear about your assessment with NAPIT. They've already out performed NICEIC by actually providing some meaningful communication.
Hope it goes well.

 

[UNG]

The problem with the NICEIC is it is living on it's name and the respect it had 25+ years ago it just needs people to realise that they are no longer the be all and end all of the electrical industry and stop promoting them as such

 

[timhoward]

I'd be very interested to hear about your assessment with NAPIT. They've already out performed NICEIC by actually providing some meaningful communication.
Hope it goes well.

So I had NAPIT assessment this morning. A thoroughly pleasant chap turned up who turned out to be the senior assessor for my postcode region. For new applicants he said they try and send senior assessors but can't always. His opening line was "This is first assessment - I'm here to help not to trip you up".
So two main sections - paperwork and technical.
The paperwork was like any other assessment, 18th edition certificate, 2391 details, calibration certificate, insurance check, complaints log, H&S policy.
Then technical which comprised questions then a job visit.
A few questions about safe isolation, do I have a proving unit (yes), do you have to use one (no as long as known live source is used before and after). He commented many say "yes" and he's looking for evidence people understand and sensibly apply the regs, not sheep.

A look at a recent EIC I'd done - do any measurements jump out at me? (an r2 suspiciously low compared to r1 and rn on a RFC) - what would you expect it to be (x1.66 if normal T+E) - where do you get that from (ratios of csa). Why did I think it was like that? (quite a lot is in conduit with 2.5mm cpc)
What would you expect the R1+R2 to be on that rfc ( divided by 4 rule)

Then went to look at a job which was a new CU install, demonstrated a Zdb and PSCC. Demonstrated safe isolation and an rn reading. We then had a chat about tails in a cavity - it was one of those where service cabinets were outside on garage wall and CU is high up on garage wall. with tails in the middle. On this one he agreed there was plenty of space in the cavity, but a nudge to watch out for that as some assessors go to town on that and if they declare it unsafe he can't overrule that in his senior capacity even if he privately thinks its OTT. It was fair comment.

We then had a general chat about several things assessors were picking up on a lot. Some are apparently too pedantic about continuous professional development - and advised to keep a log of any situation where I get advice, even occasional forum posts! Another common one is no SPD and no risk assessment, and make sure I either fit one or do RA. Also make sure I have at least one commercial job to look at next year.
After that a quick demo of NAPIT Mobile software (which I didn't purchase at this point) and he was done.

So in my case at least I didn't find it a difficult experience at all.

 

[Planctonboy]

So I had NAPIT assessment this morning. A thoroughly pleasant chap turned up who turned out to be the senior assessor for my postcode region. For new applicants he said they try and send senior assessors but can't always. His opening line was "This is first assessment - I'm here to help not to trip you up".
So two main sections - paperwork and technical.
The paperwork was like any other assessment, 18th edition certificate, 2391 details, calibration certificate, insurance check, complaints log, H&S policy.
Then technical which comprised questions then a job visit.
A few questions about safe isolation, do I have a proving unit (yes), do you have to use one (no as long as known live source is used before and after). He commented many say "yes" and he's looking for evidence people understand and sensibly apply the regs, not sheep.

A look at a recent EIC I'd done - do any measurements jump out at me? (an r2 suspiciously low compared to r1 and rn on a RFC) - what would you expect it to be (x1.66 if normal T+E) - where do you get that from (ratios of csa). Why did I think it was like that? (quite a lot is in conduit with 2.5mm cpc)
What would you expect the R1+R2 to be on that rfc ( divided by 4 rule)

Then went to look at a job which was a new CU install, demonstrated a Zdb and PSCC. Demonstrated safe isolation and an rn reading. We then had a chat about tails in a cavity - it was one of those where service cabinets were outside on garage wall and CU is high up on garage wall. with tails in the middle. On this one he agreed there was plenty of space in the cavity, but a nudge to watch out for that as some assessors go to town on that and if they declare it unsafe he can't overrule that in his senior capacity even if he privately thinks its OTT. It was fair comment.

We then had a general chat about several things assessors were picking up on a lot. Some are apparently too pedantic about continuous professional development - and advised to keep a log of any situation where I get advice, even occasional forum posts! Another common one is no SPD and no risk assessment, and make sure I either fit one or do RA. Also make sure I have at least one commercial job to look at next year.
After that a quick demo of NAPIT Mobile software (which I didn't purchase at this point) and he was done.

So in my case at least I didn't find it a difficult experience at all.

That all sounds OK. Not too much different from niceic by the sound of it. Must admit though I've never been questioned about tails in a cavity except about the use of polystyrene beads as a cavity insulation - and its effect on pvc cables. Size of cavity had never been mentioned. What are they suggesting the problem is? And what's the solution?

I've sent my stuff off to NAPIT and am waiting to be contacted. So I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[timhoward]

Must admit though I've never been questioned about tails in a cavity except about the use of polystyrene beads as a cavity insulation - and its effect on pvc cables. Size of cavity had never been mentioned. What are they suggesting the problem is? And what's the solution?

Yes, very similar to NICEIC.
The tails thing was weird. Before looking at the job he asked if tails pass through a cavity. I said "yes". He then went on to talk about what if someone then uses cavity insulation (as you said). I then asked what the solution was, and he said "honestly I don't know, you'd then have to phone the technical helpline!". I don't know if he was expecting conduit, a fused switch and SWA, but he didn't seem to know what he was expecting either.
When he looked at the actual job he commented there was lots of room in the cavity, which may have been a totally unrelated comment, but I assume he meant that there was no signs of cavity insulation and hence no thermal issues.
It wasn't really very clear what his original thought process was, he just seemed to want to warn me to watch out for tails in cavities and maybe the intended focus was on the presence of cavity insulation but it didn't exactly come over like that. Anyway, he was quickly distracted by a very neat board and we moved on...

I missed out the funniest moment, which was when I opened the meter cabinet so he could see the isolator and tails and we found three bottles of champagne in it. We both had a good laugh at this before asking the customer "why?!" and was told her daughter hadn't found this hiding place yet....

 

[Planctonboy]

That all sounds a bit strange. The only issues I can think of are insulation, bend radius if it's a small cavity, or cables unsupported. Whenever I've pulled new tails up a cavity it's usually been quite a short distance so support can't be a major issue. And as long as they are greater than 50mm in the wall then no rcd required either. I hate it when I get the feeling there's something I should know but don't!!

Anyway, congratulations- sounds like you're in the NAPIT gang.

 

[SJD]

Putting in new tails in a cavity last week (running about 0.5m horizontally), I put them in flexi conduit for protection. This was a 2-storey building with a clear view up the cavity, where rubble could fall and damage the tails. (I was fortunate that there was a gaping hole in the wall where I'd removed a mantel box, so this was easy to do, and even better that someone else was going to make good the brick work).

 

[Planctonboy]

Its a fair point. I suppose its possible for falling debris in the cavity to damage the meter tails. It would be a bit of a coincidence though- someone would have to be drilling a fairly large hole vertically in line with the tails from a high position to damage them. Perhaps coring a hole for an extractor or something. Ironically not a problem if the cavity is insulation filled!

You could argue the same about cables clipped direct in a garage (even meter tails) - they could be damaged by stuff leaning on them like sharp gardening tools etc. I've even seen meter tails used to hang stuff off. How far do you go before it all gets a bit overkill?