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Electrical

Should I notify authorities of electric and gas work already done in kitchen and are certificates required?

Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 3.01 PM

As part of a recent kitchen installation in my mother's house, the following electrical work has been done: Built-in double electric oven fitted into tall larder unit - no separate circuit/RCD fitted; Spur switch for gas hob ignition (built into worktop) controls the washing machine also! I don't know where the plug for the gas hob ignition is plugged in; Two sets of under-cabinet lighting plugged in somewhere but I can't see where; Extra sockets installed and some moved from existing places; Two strip lights installed in ceiling in place of old tube lights; Chimney extractor fitted and plugged in; Some fuses were replaced with MCBs plugged/slotted into old fuse box - nothing else; All this work was done by the kitchen fitter - no qualified electrician has done any of the work or certified it i.e. Part P (although I requested it as part of the quote). So far, he has refused to provide any kind of electrical safety certificate (BS7621 Electrical Safety Certificate or Building Regulations Compliance Certificate) and he refused to install the RCD or similar work saying it was not necessary. In addition, the kitchen fitter has installed the gas hob after removing the freestanding cooker that was there previously. He has also installed a new radiator after which our central heating boiler stopped working and started making strange noises. He drained the system and failed to put any inhibitor back into the system or into the new radiator. He sent a Gas Safe qualified person that he knows to write us a Gas Safe Certificate. During his checking, the Gas Safe person said that there was lots of air in the system which he removed himself and then wrote us the certificate for which I paid him £50 cash. --> Should I notify the authorities myself to make sure that all the work is compliant and safe? I have photos of all the items mentioned above which I could send if anyone requests (in order to provide a more informed answer).

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5 Answers

Anonymous user

I would personally get a Electrical Installation Condition Report by a Registered Electrician with one of the main bodies (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA) on your property and to find out exactly what needs doing. From this report it will state exactly what this cowboy did and didn't do. Ask him for a written quote to rectify the work to BS:7671 2011 yes guys BS:7671 2011 it got amended so its no longer BS:7671 2008, forward these onto the cowboy kitchen fitter asking for a reimbursement for the same price as the quote or you will be contacting, small claims court, building control, cowboy builders, rogue traders, local paper, everyone!!! I would try this before contacting anyone else first. If he doesn't pay contact them all and put this cowboy to bed. Also you could pay a visit to citizens advice who I'm sure will guide you in the right direction.

Answered20 September 2013

Electrical Safety Services

Rating: 5 out of 5

Dereham

Typical kitchen fitter cowboy! Chances are all the wiring will need to be ripped out and redone as its very unlikely to comply with BS7671:2008. The fact that there is no RCD is very worrying as this has been mandatory for all new circuits and alterations since July 2008. Best thing to do is start small claims proceedings and refer this bodger to Trading standards. You need to be careful as LABC may well prosecute you as its your responsibility to hire a Part P registered electrician. Fines can be up to £5000 plus £50 per day until issue is resolved.

Answered20 August 2013

C. P. Tokley (Electrical)

Rating: 5 out of 5

Colchester

Sorry but I fear that there is little help out there that will not end up costing you inconvenience and more money. My experience after over 40 years in the trade is to avoid getting kitchen fitters involved in any electrical works as often the survey is often conservative in the estimation of the scope of electrical works required to make an installation safe and compliant, ending up in a "bodge it and leg it" type of job.

Answered20 August 2013

Anonymous user

Sorry to hear news, this is bad. Work like this is a reminder to use proper persons qualified for the job who will then issue certificates appropriate to the works. A householder has the responsibility to ensure they use competent tradesmen. I would suggest trading standards to try and stop him doing more work. However I think that the work will have to be redone in order to ensure safety. Electrical work is now covered under building regulations and certificates of works is important and in your position it could render your household insurance void and without being a competent electrician with knowledge and use of meters any existing works can't be assured as safe. No doubt the kitchen fitter will change his company name and disappear. Good luck to you sorting this out.

Answered23 August 2013

Anonymous user

I am a kitchen fitter, any electrical work is completed by my electrician for a fee and certified, normally under minor works. This allows for work to be compliant with building control.

Answered8 December 2014