EICR has thrown a complete spanner in the works?

EICR has thrown a complete spanner in the works?

11:34 AM, 14th April 2021, About 3 years ago 71

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Can anyone help? We have 10 properties all currently let and very few issues – life good right?

Along comes the EICR legislation and throws a complete spanner in the works. We have used the same Electrician for a number of years and trusted him completely, he’s never let us down before but its almost like he thinks we have an open cheque book when it comes to these reports.

We have been charged £150 per report and the quotes to correct just the C1 and C2’s are in the thousands. I discussed correcting the C1 and C2’s only for now and putting the C3’s on a rolling programme throughout the year and suddenly what he told me verbally was a C3 is now a C2 on the report and needs fixing now.

It didn’t feel right, so I consulted a new Electrician (at a cost of £120 per report) and the quotes are HALF the cost of the original Electrician. He confirms that a lot of the C2’s on the reports are actually C3’s and some of the C2’s don’t even exist. One of these is a core showing on a light pendant which turned out to be DIRT, and would have cost me £40 to replace had the original Electrician been tasked with the work.

Is there any recourse for landlords who are being taken for a ride by Electricians – surely this is fraudulent? Do I just have to suck it up and chalk it up to experience?

Julie


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Comments

Martin Thomas

11:04 AM, 19th April 2021, About 3 years ago

I would be tempted to contact the first electrician and relay the facts to him. Then ask for a refund of his fee for the inspection report as it obviously wasn't done with any competence. If he won't pay up, take him to the Small Claims Court.
Will he really want a CCJ against his name?
It will teach him a lesson not to try to rip people off.

Bob S

11:14 AM, 19th April 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 19/04/2021 - 10:16
Good morning Dylan and JGM - could you identify the regs and guidance to help provide substantiation to these points please? I'll be keen to better understand the background.
Kr
BobS

Dylan Morris

11:26 AM, 19th April 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Bob S at 19/04/2021 - 11:14
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-alarms-explanatory-booklet-for-landlords/the-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-alarm-england-regulations-2015-qa-booklet-for-the-private-rented-sector-landlords-and-tenants

6. Type of alarms
The regulations do not stipulate the type of alarms (such as hard wired or battery powered) to be installed. Landlords should make an informed decision and choose the best alarms for their properties and tenants.

Malcolm Ratcliffe

10:41 AM, 20th April 2021, About 3 years ago

There are lots of you tube videos on EICR tests. These are by electricians who really know what they are talking about. You can get a certificate for £75, but it’s unlikely to reflect the true condition of the wiring. Many charge a fee for testing the consumer unit and a fee for each circuit, email them a photo when you ask for a quote. If a flat fee is charged this might suggest that the electrician is willing to adjust the amount of testing to suit the time available, which is not professional.

Peter G

18:42 PM, 22nd April 2021, About 3 years ago

The regulations make compliance a complete lottery where - yet again - the landlord has to cough up or face fines - often for problems not invented until the year before when the Regs changed!

Magnus Alestrand

13:56 PM, 5th May 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Happy Landlord at 15/04/2021 - 10:20Remember that the installation does not need to comply to the current regulation, It just need to comply to the regulation it was installed to. There is no legal basis in the need to upgrade, as long as the installation previously complied. I have been in the electrical field for over 30 years.

nishat Mummunka

18:40 PM, 11th May 2021, About 3 years ago

Please advise me . I am 66 years old and live in and own a flat in W2.The managing agent has sent a notice that they got the EICR done on all the flats in 2019 and that I must allow their recommended company (or m own) carry out works so that my flat is reconnected to the communal power supply. I know if I say my own electrician God knows what hurdles they will cause but in these hard times of Covid they say it could cost me anything between 300 to 1500 quid! Its blackmail! Please advise? Thanks

DGM

19:11 PM, 11th May 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by nishat Mummunka at 11/05/2021 - 18:40
Nishat
If this is your own property and not rented then you currently do not need an EICR although highly recommended.
Campaigning charity Electrical Safety First recommends getting an EICR done every 10 years in a private property. Landlords are encouraged to get a new EICR each time they change their tenants, or every five years, whichever is sooner. If you fail to check and maintain your electrical systems, insurance companies can use this as a reason to refuse claims if they’re a result of electrical faults.
I don't understand the part about connecting to the communal power supply, surely you have your own metered supply for the property, which you pay yourself for, why does it need to be connected to a communal supply.

Silver Flier

17:01 PM, 12th May 2021, About 3 years ago

As DGM says, you do not need an EICR if you are living in a flat which you own; EICRs are only legally required for rental properties. Communal supply is normally only for lifts, lights on the stairs and landings, and outside. Each flat should have its own electricity meter and fuse box/ consumer unit. If you have those and you have electricity in your flat, then talk about being reconnected to the communal supply makes no sense.
You should also ask them for a copy of the 2019 EICR and check: 1) if it is really for your flat and whether you recall giving an electrician access to the fusebox/ consumer unit for several hours testing; 2) under Summary on the first page check if the EICR says "Unsatisfactory" - if so look for the reasons/ observations given on page 2 - if they are classified C1, C2, or FI they should have been done in 2019, if they are C3 they are only advice and you do not have to do them; 3) under recommendations on the first page check how long until the next inspection - normally 5 years from the date of inspection;

YPK

10:22 AM, 1st January 2022, About 2 years ago

Looks like with introduction of mandatory EICR, it's like flagging electricians 'Its your time to screw up and earn'
I had done a EICR for a flat, and he gave me a quote of £800+VAT just to fix C2 (out of which, 3 are to change lights in bathroom+kitchen to IP65, which costs under £30 and to cut a small wire to put it inside).
Upon insisting the reason for such a high cost, and requesting to provide itemised quote, the resisted, and says that the price to get it done - take it or leave it.

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