UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi there - thanks for having me. Hi how are you? I cant find an answer to a burning question but dont see it on the blog Or in the chats - am new to this one though I have new tenants due to move in on 23 Aug - through a letting agent, who are dealing with the tenancy. Yesterday I had the Electrical Certification test and had a fail - not major work. Can tenants move in ? I will do the work but unlikely to get somebody today... whose call is it  - do I get the same 28 day works period or is the tenancy put on hold with newbies!?  Any help appreciated...Tenant desperate to move in And I been working like crazy to get it all ready )

As long as you give the tenants a copy of the report,they can move in.You should explain the situation in writing,and then send them the next report after the work is complete.My electrician has passed all mine,but has to go back to one when he gets a part that is needed. This assumes nothing was condemned as dangerous?

Hi All
I have been ringing round electricians getting quotes for an electric safety cert. One electrician said that a safety report must be done every 5 years OR AT EVERY CHANGE OF OCCUPANCY, whichever is sooner. I thought that it was only every 5 years no matter how many different tennants you have in that time.
Is he right or trying to get me to pay for extra tests I don't need?
thanks in advance
Lenny

"One electrician said that a safety report must be done every 5 years OR AT EVERY CHANGE OF OCCUPANCY, whichever is sooner"

I had a similar statement about retesting at change of occupancy from an electrician too. They are wrong.

The relevant part of the legislation is here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/312/regulation/3/made

Section 3(2)(a) says "at intervals of no more than 5 years", unless 3(2)(b) the previous EICR specified a shorter interval.

The latter would only be specified if the condition of the installation was such that a shorter inspection interval warranted or that there was something very unusual about the manner in which the system will be used.

Quote from: Lenny on September 01, 2020, 04:40:45 PMIs he right or trying to get me to pay for extra tests I don't need?

This is The Time that will be known among all Electricians - and go down in their history - as the Great Feeding Frenzy they have been waiting for for years and years. We, as Landlords, must all keep our wits about us, or we are collectively about to be fleeced by Electricians in a similar vein as to how the Government is fleecing us. Question everything. Agree to nothing. Pay nothing until you're sure Don't just go for an easy life, it encourages bad behaviour.

Many thanks Handyman & Hippogriff
(I had a feeling I was being lubed up for a shafting)

The other tactic some electricians are using to generate work for themselves is to tell you that your plastic-cased consumer unit no longer meets regulations and that as a consequence it must be replaced by a metal-cased unit. They say it will get a C2 failure on the EICR (i.e. must be fixed).

They are wrong.

Provided the consumer unit was correctly and safely installed in accordance with the regulations in force at the time of installation and the internal wiring remains safe, then it is not a C2 failure.

I confirmed this with the NICEIC technical dept, politely told the electrician where to go, and got an honest one (also NICEIC) to do the test.

Excerpts from my EICR attached...