Live Earth Wire on Lighting Circuit

[katielou370]

Hi,

I just wondered if anyone could help me with a problem we have. We have contractors renovating a flat for us. They say that the earth in the lighting circuit is live. We have a metal light fitting in the front room and apparently this is live at all times. As we are having work done on the electric they also recommend that we have a full rewire as they say it is unsafe. My partner and I lived there for 18 months and never experienced any problems or shocks for that matter. They have quoted us �3500 to do a full rewire, to put a 100amp fuse in below the main box (we are above a commercial property and there is one supply of electricity, the electric from the shop is branched off into two supplies one for us and one for the shop), sort out the earthing wire and snagging. I feel that this is quite expensive but I am not sure what the price for this job is. it just seems strange that every time the contractor comes close to finishing the job for us another problem enters the mix, albeit an expensive one at that. If you could give me some advice that would be great.

Thanks

[TradeWithMe]

http://www.authspot.com/Poetry/The-Understatem ent-Hollow-Years.183481

Try to look at that!

[buildersmate]

Its time the idiot posting above was banned - AB Editor please just do it.

This post appeared after my answers to your water question.
So you ARE on a common electricity supplier - very strange - I wonder how you split the bill. It shouldn't be set-up like this and I'm surprised was wasn't discovered when you bought the place - did you have a survey done?
What they are saying is that the protective earth system isn't good enough. Whether that's warrants a complete rewire is impossible to say, but it sounds like you are being milked. How old is the flat and when was it split into 2? - This by the way is when all this splitting of the services should have been done.
s�3500 is way over the top for a rewire of a flat.

[katielou370]

I guess it is very true. I just wish I could have the problem sorted. Many electricans promise to come and have a look at our problem and then they don't turn up. When this contractor finally did turn up and say that he could do everything plumbing, electrics and all the internal plastering, etc I thought he was a god send. I now can't wait for him to finish the job and give us back the key.

[katielou370]

The building was split into three say around 2005. The electricity supply has two meters fitted so we have one bill that comes to us for our usage and the shop has their bill from their meter. However, our meter is in the shop and we have to read it from there. My partner and I were quite naive when we purchased the bank misguided us saying a free survey was included when in fact is was a free valuation. Manweb have quoted �3000 for a new electricity supply but we really cant afford that at the min. It was even worse with our water supply as that was only one supply and when the shop below decided not to pay we were cut off. Whilst cut off he decided to replumb the shop so we had no water whatsoever. We then went to court for an injunction for him to put the water back into place. Since then things have been very fraught between us and the man below therefore we have had to leave our home and live with my parents. We are almost finished putting the water in and now have the problem of the electrics.
The flat was built in around 1970 I think.

[buildersmate]

Buildings of that age wouldn't normally need a rewire. Rewiring is particularly required on old properties with rubber cable coverings that rot after a while. You will have PVC.
Since your meter position is unchanged and not actually in your property, I don't really understand why they are trying to change the wiring of the main protective earth at all. The wiring point of this earth is at this meter, and it should run to the water supply pipe for the building. Strikes me it should not have needed touching.
If in the course of the water work they have discovered a fault with the earthing, it is fair enough it point it out to you, but a �3500 solution to this sounds horrendous.
This is sounding more and more a variant of the old trick of offering to put right a loose tile on the roof, then recommending a brand new roof covering.
Perhaps MANWEB will come and test your earth supply for free - I'm not sure. These chaps don't sound like they can be trusted to give balanced advice.

[katielou370]

Thanks so much for all your advice. I have just had such a funny feeling about these people for the last week or so and I am so annoyed that I trusted their opinion makes me wonder what else they claim needed doing but was in actual fact fine. I have two qualified electricians hopefully coming to the property this week to sort it all out for us. Thanks once again.