Domestic Electrical Installations:
Since January 2005, domestic electrical installations have been included within the scope of the Building Regulations. All new domestic electrical installations, together with specific alterations and additions to current installations, will have to be inspected and comply with strict electrical safety performance standards.
The standards cover the design, installation, inspection and testing of domestic electrical work and the provision of information. The main reason for the change is the need to reduce the hazards posed by unsafe domestic electrical installations and thereby help to reduce injuries from electrical shocks and burns. It is also hoped to reduce injuries arising from fires in dwellings due to electrical components overheating or arcing. When the time comes to sell your property, your purchaser’s surveyors will ask for evidence that notifiable domestic electrical work, installed after January 2005 complies with the new Building Regulations.
There are two ways to prove compliance: A certificate showing that the work has been done by a competent installer who is registered under one of six Electrical Self-Certification schemes as outlined below (this is the preferred route) or A completion certificate from the local authority saying that the installation has approval under the Building Regulations. This however, is dependent on the owner who has ordered the providing relevant electrical test certificates on completion of the installation, from a competent person and on the electrics being inspected by a competent person during installation.
Periodic inspection reports are no longer considered sufficient to demonstrate compliance with the requirements as the routing of the wiring, connections etc. have not been seen by the person carrying out the test.