EICR – Rogue electrician scam?

EICR – Rogue electrician scam?

9:59 AM, 4th December 2020, About 3 years ago 77

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I hired an electrician for an EICR, which he failed and said it needed a new consumer unit to pass EICR, which I agreed, and he completed the job and issued a “satisfactory” EICR.

It only raised my suspicions after I subsequently gave him EICR for two more properties (almost new build), which he failed and said needed new consumer units for both again.

After looking into his three EICR reports with other registered electricians, I found the same reason he used to fail EICR for lack of RCD is not valid (which should be C3 as a recommendation, not C2 as dangerous) and he’s not even a registered electrician to install consumer units.

So now I ended up with a new consumer unit that I never needed in the first place to pass EICR, and two other failed EICR for invalid reasons.

What’s my best action here?
Should I pay him?

Thanks

Mike


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Comments

michaelwgroves

22:39 PM, 5th December 2020, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by John at 05/12/2020 - 22:06
I’m lost for words, have you not read the previous posts. You don’t know. what you don’t know.
If an electrician signs your work off, he should be reported to his competent person scheme. He would get struck off. You are both putting lives at risk.

John

8:13 AM, 6th December 2020, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by michaelwgroves at 05/12/2020 - 22:39I’ve read my post again and it is unclear
The board taken out had no rcd protection
The new board is 17th edition but the sparky is ok with it.
Surely this is not dangerous.
So my question is about 17 and 18 th edition boards. I assume it is ok to use 17th edition as they wouldn’t sell them.
Can you explain this for me please

michaelwgroves

9:59 AM, 6th December 2020, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by John at 06/12/2020 - 08:13
The regulations are very clear, all new work must comply with 18th edition.
There is no point installing an RCD if it will not work. (An EICR will tell you this). This gives the resident false expectations which is dangerous.
It sounds like you already have a 17th edition consumer unit. So why would you replace a perfectly good consumer unit with an identical one. My advice is get an EICR from a skilled electrician (not they guy who’s happy to sign your work off, he should be shot). Make it clear you will not use the same electrician for any remedial work. Expect to pay in excess of £100, you get what you pay for. Walk away from anyone who quotes less than £100. It takes me a minimum of half a day.
Expect to get a load of C3’s, if you get some C1 and C2’s, on a 17th edition installation, it’s more than likely they were caused by a bad installation. Buy cheap, buy twice. A good installation will last decades, a regulation update will not make a good installation immediately dangerous.

John

10:09 AM, 6th December 2020, About 3 years ago

The board was done in 2005-2007 i think. They have RCD protection, but are GET boards and i dont think you can get RCBO's for them now.

Even if you can i thought just getting a full new board was the better option.

The RCBOs would be about £45 and the new board is £70, so i just went with the new board and higher labour cost. My decision, not the sparkies.

Maybe i need to look at just getting some RCBO's so i avoid all this extra hassle. These boards have been very happy for many years and no issues.

John

10:11 AM, 6th December 2020, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by michaelwgroves at 06/12/2020 - 09:59
Can you explain why 17th edition boards are being sold ? It doesnt make sense if you are not allowed to fit them.

John

10:22 AM, 6th December 2020, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by John at 06/12/2020 - 10:11
Just spoken to my second sparky in another area. He is happy to use 17th edition boards.

He is asking you this question: "what do you mean by 18th editions"

He says you do a risk assessment if no surge in place and he doesnt think surge is needed in domestic.

Can anyone see the problems with the system. It seems there are many interpretations going on. What one sparky says another will produced a different solution.

Paul Shears

10:35 AM, 6th December 2020, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by John at 06/12/2020 - 10:22
How about this idea. We start acting like adults. Find out for ourselves what we are talking about, make a decision and live with the consequences. The first thing to do is to understand domestic wiring. It really is not difficult.

michaelwgroves

11:11 AM, 6th December 2020, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by John at 06/12/2020 - 10:11
During the tradition from 17th to 18th, you were allowed to install a 17th edition consumer unit. This was so distributors were not left with old stock. From July 2018 all new installations needed to comply with 18th edition.
17th edition is a legacy term.
It is the installers job to ensure a new consumer unit complies with 18th edition.

michaelwgroves

11:32 AM, 6th December 2020, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by John at 06/12/2020 - 10:22
Your electrician is almost correct; you can decide to install surge protection and that’s the end to it, or you can complete a written risk assessment which must be left with the person ordering the report which concludes surge protection is not required, and hence not installed. This calculation includes flash density, urban or rural and distribution network length. It is applicable to ALL installations.
Furthermore, 18th edition RCD requirements have changed. You should not be installing type ‘AC’, new RCD’s should be type ‘A’ maybe even type ‘F’ or type ‘B’ depending on what equipment you are supplying.
Please share a picture of your new consumer unit, I’m not looking to ridicule you, but I might spot some obvious non compliance’s that should be addressed.

michaelwgroves

11:34 AM, 6th December 2020, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Paul Shears at 06/12/2020 - 10:35
Wiring is easy, regulations are a lot more complicated. That’s why even skilled electricians struggle with some of the regulations.

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