Electrical Installation Condition reports
(formerly known as Periodic Inspection & Testing)
Why Test?
Every electrical installation deteriorates over time, and should be inspected and tested at intervals to make sure it is safe, and is likely to remain so until the next inspection. I suppose you could call it an MOT for your home.
It is recommended that electrical installations in homes be inspected at intervals not exceeding ten years by an NAPIT Approved Contractor such as ourselves. A notice recommending periodic inspection, and the date by which it should be carried out should be fixed on or near the consumer unit / fuse box.
Periodic Inspection
A periodic inspection and test is not a 5 minute job and is not simply a sheet of A4 paper claiming that the installation is safe. It is a very detailed inspection and the finished report will consist at least 6 numbered pages. The exact number of pages will vary depending on the number of defects / breaches of regulations found and the number of fuse boards in the property. Each separate fuse box will add 2 pages to the report.
A periodic inspection and test will take on average (for a three bed semi) 2 – 3 hours in the property and then 1 – 2 hours to complete the written report. Empire Electrical Services uses a computer program to professionally complete our reports quickly and efficiently. The report has to be an accurate assessment of the condition of the installation in accordance with current requirements. This is a valuable document that has to be able to stand up in a court of law if required, so we don’t take any chances or cut any corners.
Cost
The actual cost of a periodic inspection and test report will vary depending on the size of the property and the location of the property. Obviously the bigger the property and the more consumer units / fuse boxes, distribution boards the greater the cost of the report based on the additional time needed to complete an accurate report.
Contact us for further information / a current cost.
Periodic Inspection and testing is carried out for the following reasons:
Mortgage lender requested. Often some mortgage lenders will not loan money unless they known the electrical installation is safe and the property that they are lending money against is not about to burn down.
Insurance company requested. Some insurance companies will not insure properties unless they have limited all possible outlets for a claim.
Change of Ownership
A surveyor is not a qualified electrician and therefore a good surveyor will recommend that the electrical installation be inspected and tested by an NAPIT Approved Contractor such as NPW Empire Electrical Services before contracts are exchanged. If a property needs to be rewired this can often be a bargaining tools against the price of the house.
This work is highly recommended regardless of the surveyor’s comments. The DIY market has grown over the last 15 – 20 years and unfortunately as a result there are a lot of incompetent people having a go. If the installation has been installed during the last 10 years and has been certified by the installer then an inspection may not be necessary. An electrical installation without a certificate is WORTHLESS.
Landlords safety certificate.
A landlord is legally obliged to provide safe accommodation for his tenants. Therefore the landlords should have an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Valid Periodic Inspection Report, which reads that the installation is SATISFACTORY preferably with NO defects listed on page 2.
If the landlord does not have a certificate and an electrical accident occurred they would be liable and would face criminal charges and or imprisonment.