Frequently Asked Questions

According to Government statistics, each year on average 10 people die and about 750 are seriously injured in accidents involving unsafe electrical installations in the home.

Requirement P, covers fixed electrical installations in dwellings. It is intended to increase the safety of households by improving the design, installation, inspection and testing of electrical installations in dwellings when these installations are being newly built, extended or altered.

Approved Document P gives guidance on ways of complying that are based on the fundamental principles set out in Chapter 13 of BS 7671:2001.

The Approved Document includes:
– Guidance relating to the design, installation, inspection and testing of electrical installations.

– Guidance on types of electrical work that would not normally need to be notified to building control bodies. Appendices that contain illustrations of the sorts of electrical services commonly required in homes, examples of model electrical installation certificates, and illustrations of what equipment may be encountered when work is carried out on older electrical installations.

Local authorities have the power to require the removal or alteration of work that does not comply with the Building Regulations.

Consumer unit or Fusebox

The fusebox also known as consumer unit should be easy to find. You should make sure you know where it is in case you ever need to turn the electricity off in an emergency. It usually contains three things, and they are used to control and distribute electricity around your home. They are: The main switch; Fuses and/or circuit breakers; and Residual Current Devices.

A) Main switch

B) Fuses or Circuit Breakers

C) Residual Current Device

Old style Fusebox with main switch (A), re-wireable fuses (B) and no RCD

Main Switch

This allows you to turn off the electricity supply to your home. You might have more than one mains switch, for example if your home has electric storage heaters. In this case you may have a separate fusebox.

Residual Current Devices (RCD)

These are switches that trip a circuit under dangerous conditions, and instantly disconnect the electricity. If your home has one or more RCD, test them regularly. Just follow the instruction label, which you should find near to the RCD. It should read as follows: “This installation, or part of it, is protected by a device which automatically switches off the supply if an earth fault develops. Test every three months by pressing the button marked ‘T’ or ‘Test’.” Testing the button every three months is important. The device should switch off the electricity. You should then switch it back on to restore the electricity. Do not hold the test button for a long period if the RCD does not trip. If it doesn’t switch off the electricity when you press the button, contact a registered electrician.

RCD     RCBO

Circuit Breakers (MCB)

These are automatic protection devices in the fusebox that switch off a circuit if they detect a fault. They are similar in size to fuses, but give more precise protection. When they ‘trip’, you can simply reset the switch. But make sure you correct the fault first.

Fuses

Rewirable fuses have a piece of special fuse wire running between two screws. When a fault or overload current flows through the fuse wire, it will become hot and melt. The melted fuse breaks the circuit, disconnecting the faulty circuit and keeping you safe.

Old Fuseboxes

If your fusebox has a wooden back, cast iron switches, or a mixture of fuses it is likely that it dates back to before the 1960s and will need to be replaced.

An RCD, or Residual Current Device, is a switching device that trips a circuit under certain conditions, and disconnects the electricity supply.

If your electrical installation includes one or more RCDs, test them regularly. You can do this by following the instruction label, which should be near the RCD. The label should read as follows: ‘This installation, or part of it, is protected by a device which automatically switches off the supply if an earth fault develops.

Test quarterly (every three months) by pressing the button marked ‘T’ or ‘Test’.’ The device should switch off the supply. You should then switch it back on to restore the supply. If the device does not switch off the supply when you press the button, contact an electrician.

Testing the button every three months is important. However, do not hold the test button for a long period if the device does not trip. If the RCD does not switch off the supply when you press the test button, get advice from a registered electrician.

Why do I require an electrical safety certificate when it is not law to have one?
It is the duty of every landlord to make sure that the property that they are renting is fit for the purpose for which it is intended. This includes the fixed electrical wiring.

Why are the government bringing in new laws (Part P)?
Contrary to popular belief, the current regulations of the IEE wiring regulations BS 7671 was issued in 1991. It states that every electrical system shall be tested before being brought into service and have an electrical safety certificate issued. It is only since the Part P law has come in that the current regulations are starting to be implemented correctly.

How long is the certificate valid for?
Typically the certificates are valid for a maximum of 5 years or at the change of occupancy. However it is up to the tester to specify an amount of time based on the test results, experience and judgement.

Am I expected to get the property tested every time there is a new tenant? This could prove very expensive!
Yes! The inspection reports are required at each change of tenancy. This is to verify that the previous tenant has not damaged or changed the electrical system in any way. brh electrical offers competitive Landlords’ Packages and electrical maintenance contracts to ensure that your costs are kept as low as possible.

How does this relate to the electrical safety certificate?
The electrical safety certificate ensures that the fixed electrical wiring is in a satisfactory state of repair and is able to remain in service.

What happens if I do not have one?
If you are unfortunate enough to have a problem of an electrical nature while you property is being rented, you may be liable. It will be up to you to prove that the electrical installation was fit for service at the time of renting and that the onus of blame lies elsewhere. Your up to date electrical safety certificate will ensure that you can do this.

Can this affect my insurances?
Yes! Some insurance companies will not offer you a policy unless a safety electrical certificate has been issued.

How can I avoid these problems?
Get your property tested.

What is a special location
Special locations are the bathroom, kitchen, garden, pool, spa & sauna etc.

Can I get a builder to do the works and then get a registered electrician to issue the test certificates afterwards?
No! The individual or company that carries out the works is responsible for the design, installation, the testing and issuing of any certificates. Any electrician issuing an installation certificate for work that has not been completed by him is breaking the law as stipulated in ‘Part P’

Why should I have my electrical installation tested?
There are around 9,000* fires in homes every year, which are directly linked to faulty electrical wiring. Having your installation tested proves that the installation is safe and gives you peace of mind.
* Figures based on the national statistics available from ODPM

Why do I require an electrical safety certificate when it is not law to have one?
From 2007 the homebuyers pack will come into force, which will require a current electrical certificate. If you are thinking of selling your house you will not be able to do so with out an electrical certificate.

How long is the certificate valid for?
Typically the certificates are valid for a maximum of 10 years. However it is up to the tester too specify an amount of time based on the test results, experience and judgement.

Why is the government bringing in new laws (Part P)?
The current regulations of the IEE (Institution of Electrical Engineers) wiring regulations BS 7671 was issued in 1991. It states that every electrical system shall be tested before being brought into service and have an electrical safety certificate issued. It is only since the Part P law has come in that the current regulations are starting to be implemented correctly.

How does this relate to the electrical safety certificate?
The electrical safety certificate ensures that the fixed electrical wiring is in a satisfactory state of repair and is able to remain in service.

What happens if I do not have one?
Your life and property could be at risk.

Can this affect my insurance?
Yes! Some insurance companies will not offer cover until a safety electrical certificate has been issued. Increasingly insurance companies are becoming aware of the electrical regulations and are adjusting their policies to suit.

How can I avoid these problems?
Get your property tested.

What is a special location
Special locations are the bathroom, kitchen, garden, pool, spa & sauna etc.

Can I get a builder to do the works and then get a registered electrician to issue the test certificates afterwards?
No! The individual or company that carries out the works is responsible for the design, installation, the testing and issuing of any certificates. Any electrician issuing an installation certificate for work that has not been completed by him is breaking the law as stipulated in ‘Part P’

There are four types of electrical safety certificates:
• Electrical installation certificate
• Periodical test, inspection & report
• Domestic installation certificate
• Minor works certificate

Electrical installation certificate / Domestic installation certificate
This is issued to the customer on the completion of any electrical installation works. It details the type of works undertaken; any deviations from the regulations as listed in BS 7671, who designed, installed and tested the works and when the next inspection is due.

Periodical test, inspection & report
This is used for the testing of existing electrical installations that have come up for their next inspections or for installations that do not have a current installation certificate. It will detail most if not all of the deviations that need to be addressed and will fall into four categories / codes.

• Code 1.
Major deviation from the regulations, immediate remedial works are required and the system is unsafe to remain in service in its present condition.

• Code 2.
Minor deviation from the regulations, remedial works are required to the electrical installation, this should be carried out soon and in there, present condition does not provide immediate danger to life or property.

• Code 3.
Requires further investigation.

• Code 4.
Does not comply with BS 7671: as amended (2004)

Minor works certificate
This is used for small works like additional sockets or lights that are not in special locations. A minor works certificate cannot be used for the provision of a new circuit.