UK Landlord Forum / Life

I am aiming to rent a property (my dad's house) and as part of this asked an electrician to do a check so I can get an electrical certificate.

He came back to me saying that the house needed a full re-wiring which will cost up to £3000 

The house is very old and the fuse boxes are ancient but all sockets except one are working and I am questioning whether a total re-wiring is necessary.

Does anyone know (1) what are the minimum requirements for an electrical certificate and (2) where I can go to get an unbiased check (house is in N London).

To let a property no electrical certificate is required (if that was your question).

I know you might think I'm being daft here... but to get an unbiased opinion, I would usually call an Electrician... which is exactly what you have done, I'd just call more of them.

Thanks - I was assuming it was a legal requirement so its good to be put right about that.

However I just asked an estate agent and apparently it is due to become a legal requirement next year.

I think you may be approaching this from the wrong angle.

I would be more worried about making a property safe to live in before worrying about whether a certificate is legal or not.

Are you saying that since the work is not a legal requirement, then it is safe to let ?

Quote from: Martha on September 16, 2014, 08:32:21 AM
I think you may be approaching this from the wrong angle.

I would be more worried about making a property safe to live in before worrying about whether a certificate is legal or not.

Are you saying that since the work is not a legal requirement, then it is safe to let ?

No its more about what needs to be done to make the house safe enough to be certified.

The fuse boxes certainly need to be replaced - I can see that myself - but you wouldn't normally expect to do a complete re-wiring unless the house was in dire straits.

Quote from: DavidB on September 16, 2014, 08:28:52 AMHowever I just asked an estate agent and apparently it is due to become a legal requirement next year.

Please can you ask this Estate Agent to point you to where this is documented? You would, of course, not want them to be telling you untruths or just plain getting things wrong.

As others have pointed out, there is no legal obligation to get a certificate. However, it is your legal obligation to ensure the property is safe, which includes the electrics!

Before contemplating getting the entire house rewired, I would get an electrician to check if everything is safe, and then go from there.

As far as I know the only "certificate" which exists is one produced to certify that work just carried out is safe. The certificate is there so that a Part P electrician can self-certify their work to the Local Building Control Body.

What I think you want is an Electrical Installation Condition Report. This is not a certificate but evidence provided by an electrician after they have carried out testing (insulation/resistance etc) of the safety of each circuit in a property.  All the figures for each test are recorded on the form, as well as any next steps required should the property fail.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. The guy is now quoting £3465 so have asked for a report identifying what the problems are, and will also be getting someone in to give an alternative quote.

By the way:

My local council runs a Private Sector Leasing Scheme (landlords leasing their property to the council) and one of the rules is that the landlord must provide an electrical test certificate (BS 761 2008) provided by an NIC/EIC approved electrician.

That may be so, but the information that there is no statutory requirement for electrical safety certificates in rented property remains correct. Did the Estate Agent back up what they told you about next year? I am curious if they have the inside track on anything.

DavidB you are right. I have just checked mine - it named "Electrical Installation Condition Certificate". 

However there is no legal requirement to do this.

Note that BS 761 2008 is nothing to do with the certificate, it is simply the current (17th Edition) electrical regulations.

You have had the installation checked, and found it needs replacing, you bulk at doing it because of the money. Yep, I can see where you are at.

The cost is in the cable. Do you have insulated modern twin and earth cable on all circuits? Is it thicker on the plugs than the lights?

If you have  the old "twisted" cable, then it really needs replacing.

You need RCD protection on all the circuits, and you need a decent earth. Not for any certificate, but because if you haven't you could kill yourself or set the house on fire.

You may also find that to get BTL buildings insurance you need a NIEIC certificate every five years anyway. Worth checking that, as what is the point in paying the insurance if you are not covered? BEWARE ANY CLAIM even for something unrelated to the wiring will not be covered if you do not comply with any of the terms stipulated.

Get another two quotes mind, you do get allot of tooth suckers.

Thanks - have had another quote at slightly below and have 2 other guys coming round.