Science0 min ago
New Electrical Regulations
24 Answers
All landlords have to have an up to date Electrical Certificate by 1st April, (I’ve only just found out about this) we have a problem our electrician wants the flat empty of tenants, which is a bit difficult as they have a Shorthold Tenancy Agreement until 18th June so can’t ask them to move before, but if we don’t get this electrical work done we are breaking the law, can anybody please give some advice
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pinkjudy : Have you perhaps got the wrong end of the stick? An Electrical Certification takes at most 1 hour, probably not even that. Maybe your Electrician just needs the Tenants out while he's doing the Certificate? For Covid cocerns? All it entails is checking various things -no 'work' as such unless he finds something illegal or out of date.
Thank you everyone for the advice, I probably didn’t make myself very clear, the electrician has been into the property to do the inspection and it needs to be re-wired, that why he wants the tenants to move out, so “he’s got room to move around” his words. But I’m worried that the dead line date will be gone before I can get the tenants out
He's just being picky Judy.
It's much easier to carry out with nobody around to interrupt you.
He's not asking for the tenants to move out.
The work includes switching all circuits off and also, temporarily disconnecting the main earth.
With the earth disconnected, there's a "potential" risk. It's not a problem though.
It's much easier to carry out with nobody around to interrupt you.
He's not asking for the tenants to move out.
The work includes switching all circuits off and also, temporarily disconnecting the main earth.
With the earth disconnected, there's a "potential" risk. It's not a problem though.
If an electrician can complete all of the relevant tasks within an hour, APG, he/she must be taking a lot of shortcuts!
He/she should be unscrewing all of the sockets in the property, visually inspecting the inside and running an electrical test on the wiring at each of those points. He/she should also be doing the same to things like ceiling roses and cooker points, as well as running checks on the consumer unit and testing fixed electrical equipment (such as showers and extractor fans).
Quote:
"An electrical safety check takes between 3-4 hours to complete. Nevertheless, this depends on the size of the property and the number of circuits that need testing"
Source:
https:/
However there's no reason for the occupier of the building to move out. He/she just needs to be able to put up without any electricity for the time it takes to complete the tests.
Like others here, my advice is "Find another electrician!"
Guidance for landlords, from the Gov.uk website:
https:/
He/she should be unscrewing all of the sockets in the property, visually inspecting the inside and running an electrical test on the wiring at each of those points. He/she should also be doing the same to things like ceiling roses and cooker points, as well as running checks on the consumer unit and testing fixed electrical equipment (such as showers and extractor fans).
Quote:
"An electrical safety check takes between 3-4 hours to complete. Nevertheless, this depends on the size of the property and the number of circuits that need testing"
Source:
https:/
However there's no reason for the occupier of the building to move out. He/she just needs to be able to put up without any electricity for the time it takes to complete the tests.
Like others here, my advice is "Find another electrician!"
Guidance for landlords, from the Gov.uk website:
https:/
Eek! A full rewire?
Another quote then:
"A full rewire can take, on average up to between 5-10 days,
depending on the size of the property. The time taken depends
on the number of contractors working and the exact scope of
work involved"
Source:
https:/
I can understand why the electrician doesn't want people getting in his way. Rewiring a house is a pig of a job!
Another quote then:
"A full rewire can take, on average up to between 5-10 days,
depending on the size of the property. The time taken depends
on the number of contractors working and the exact scope of
work involved"
Source:
https:/
I can understand why the electrician doesn't want people getting in his way. Rewiring a house is a pig of a job!
Hi to The Builder, the electrician is saying he has got to have floor boards up and chase out walls that’s why he needs the tenants to move out. My problem is the deadline date is 1st April and I can’t get the tenants out until June, and I don’t want to pay £30,000 which is the fine for not complying with the regulations
Yup, TB.
In a house with cavity walls you can work from the top down, feeding the cables into the cavities from the attic and hopefully avoiding having to chase too many cables into walls. In a flat, where you can't work from an attic (or otherwise easily route cables through cavity walls), a lot of cables might have to be chased into the walls, taking ages and leaving the property owner with a lot of re-plastering and decorating to be done.
I think Judy's bank balance is about to drop dramatically!
In a house with cavity walls you can work from the top down, feeding the cables into the cavities from the attic and hopefully avoiding having to chase too many cables into walls. In a flat, where you can't work from an attic (or otherwise easily route cables through cavity walls), a lot of cables might have to be chased into the walls, taking ages and leaving the property owner with a lot of re-plastering and decorating to be done.
I think Judy's bank balance is about to drop dramatically!
Right Judy. I shall have a go.
It will depend on exactly what he's put in the EICR.
Re-wiring is disruptive even in an empty flat. I don't think tenants can be expected to put up with it to be fair.
My first step would be to see where the problems are. If the electrician is co-operative then he may well be able carry out some small alterations within the Consumer Unit etc to make the system safe until the tenants are out of the way.
As I said, it depends whether there are safety issues which need immediate attention.
In the unlikely event that the system has been "condemned" then obviously the tenants should not remain anyway.
This is very difficult, if not impossible to comment on without seeing the Report.
If the system can be made safe, then I would suggest his Report reflects that, together with all the notes and recommendations.
Then, wait until they move out, and have the complete work done then.
Put this to the electrician. There may be a way forward.
It will depend on exactly what he's put in the EICR.
Re-wiring is disruptive even in an empty flat. I don't think tenants can be expected to put up with it to be fair.
My first step would be to see where the problems are. If the electrician is co-operative then he may well be able carry out some small alterations within the Consumer Unit etc to make the system safe until the tenants are out of the way.
As I said, it depends whether there are safety issues which need immediate attention.
In the unlikely event that the system has been "condemned" then obviously the tenants should not remain anyway.
This is very difficult, if not impossible to comment on without seeing the Report.
If the system can be made safe, then I would suggest his Report reflects that, together with all the notes and recommendations.
Then, wait until they move out, and have the complete work done then.
Put this to the electrician. There may be a way forward.
Judy: Please read my Gov.uk link, posted at 1636, above.
As I read it, you can't be prosecuted if you've genuinely tried to remedy a problem within the specified time period but you or your agent (i.e. your electrician) has been denied access by the tenant.
Your best route is probably to tell the tenant that they'll need to move to a hotel for a few nights (with you footing the bill). If they agree, your problem is solved. If not, you should be protected from prosecution because of their refusal to provide reasonable access for your electrician.
As I read it, you can't be prosecuted if you've genuinely tried to remedy a problem within the specified time period but you or your agent (i.e. your electrician) has been denied access by the tenant.
Your best route is probably to tell the tenant that they'll need to move to a hotel for a few nights (with you footing the bill). If they agree, your problem is solved. If not, you should be protected from prosecution because of their refusal to provide reasonable access for your electrician.
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