Domestic installations & Part P
As something we use everyday, it’s easy to take electricity
for granted. If you attempt to do DIY electrics or use an unregistered electrician
to carry out work in your home you could be putting your family’s lives
at risk.
Each year around 12,500 house fires, 750 serious injuries and 10 deaths are
caused by unsafe electrics in the home.
An electrical safety law, Part P of the Building Regulations, was introduced
by the Government on 1st January 2005 with the aim of further enhancing the
protection of homeowners and reducing the risk of electric shock when using
electricity. The law, which applies to England and Wales aims to improve
electrical safety in the home and prevent the number of accidents, which
are caused by faulty electrical work.
This brings electrical work in the home under statutory control along with
other types of building work, such as gas installations.
The law requires an electrician registered with a government-approved scheme,
such as the one operated by NAPIT & NICEIC to carry out most electrical
work in the home. After completion of any work DGW Electrical
Services will
issue you with an electrical safety certificate and a Compliance Certificate
to confirm it meets the requirements of Part P of the Building Regulations.
Part P applies to the following situations:
- Dwelling houses and flats
- Dwellings and business premises that have a common supply eg. shops that have a flat above
- Common access areas in blocks of flats such as corridors or staircases
- Shared amenities in blocks of flats such as laundries or gyms
- In or on land associated with dwellings – such as fixed lighting or pond pumps in gardens
Outbuildings such as sheds, detached garages and greenhouses
For more information visit the Government communities website
We are fully approved for works covered under Part P of the Building Regulations.
DGW Electrical Services will notify your local Building Control, issue a
Certificate of Compliance with national safety standards and a Building
Regulations Compliance Certificate for all electrical work that has been
carried out. This is a safety declaration confirming that their work complies
with Part P of the Building Regulations.
You can only carry out electrical work yourself if you can inspect and test
that it is safe for use. To comply with the law you must notify your local
building control office before you begin any work and pay the appropriate
fee for them to inspect the work.
What will happen if you don’t follow the regulations?
You will have no certificate to prove that the work has been carried out
by a registered electrician, or that the work performed has been passed as
safe by your local building control.
It may be problematic when it comes to selling your home if you cannot produce
evidence that electrical work has been carried out in accordance with the
Building Regulations.
It is a criminal offence to carry out work that does not comply with building
regulations, with a maximum fine of £5,000.
Your local building control may insist that you re-do the electrical work.
What electrical work does the law cover?
The requirements of Part P apply to most electrical work in your home. There
are however, certain relaxations that apply for minor work.
Minor work
‘Minor work’ is electrical work that does not involve the addition
of a new circuit, for example adding new sockets or light switches to an existing
circuit, or the replacement of sockets, light switches and ceiling roses. This
work does not have to be undertaken by a registered electrician and you do
not need to notify your local building control office. However, ALL electrical
work must comply with BS 7671, the wiring regulations.
High risk locations
Kitchens, bathrooms and gardens are classed as ‘special locations’ because
the risk of electric shock is greater. Unless you are only replacing accessories,
work in a kitchen, bathroom, garden or outbuilding must either be undertaken
by a registered electrician or notified to building control.
With so many electrical appliances in your kitchen, combined with the mixture
of hot surfaces and water, it is important that the electrical installation
is safe. When installing a new kitchen, it is advisible you use a registered
electrician or kitchen installer to do the electrical work.
External electrical installations can be particularly hazardous due to the
presence of water and the extremes of weather, which can make equipment deteriorate
faster.
If you are unsure, check with a registered electrician or your local building control office before starting any work.
How do I know when to notify?
A quick-reference guide to which type of electrical work should be notified to building control or carried out by a registered electrician can be found by clicking this link.