Upgrade MCB to RCBO

What is the reasoning by the inspector to have these upgraded? My edit...yes I know an EICR is required in regards to letting it out. Have you had one done yet, which is the answer I should have said. The installation has to be safe for continued use not to bring the installation up to today’s regulations. Which is why I asked about the inspectors reasoning. 2nd Edit... it does not have to be bought up to 18th Edition standards, I wondered why he came to this conclusion, now I know why-to generate work. Hope he issues you with an EIC, and an EICR. As an EICR will not cover changing the board etc. As an EICR is just a report not a certificate.

The inspector has pointed out that there is no 30mA RCD protection on any of the circuits. It is modern practice to have 30mA RCD protection on all circuits whereas in the past it was mainly only sockets that had it. However, there is no automatic requirement to have the CU replaced. You do not have to bring the installation up to 18th edition for it to be safe or for it to get a satisfactory on an EICR. It may be safe enough. Just to clarify your question, there are two ways that 30mA RCD protection is afforded. The easiest and cheapest is what is known as a dual RCD CU. These are CU's that have two RCDs, one on each half. The disadvantage with these is when one RCD trips you lose power from all of the circuits it is protecting. It cuts off the supply to all those circuits until it is reset, or until the reason for it tripping is located and the fault rectified. The best way, and most expensive, is to afford individual 30mA RCD protection, independent of any other circuit. This is achieved by using RCBOs, a device combining overcurrent, short-circuit and 30mA RCD protection in one device. It is sometimes possible to swap out mcb's for RCBO's but that is usually only possible on fairly recently manufactured CU models. Older units probably won't have RCBOs available to fit them. Either way it is not just about RCBOs, its about 30mA RCD protection.

An RCD, or residual current device, is a life-saving device which is designed to prevent you from getting a fatal electric shock if you touch something live, such as a bare wire. It can also provide some protection against electrical fires. RCDs offer a level of personal protection that ordinary fuses and circuit-breakers cannot provide. This is similar to RCBOS but they more expensive as each one is equipped with RCD. Also Current guidelines require that, for various reasons, most circuits in your house are required to be protected by an RCD or RCBO rated to 30mA. Mainly the bathroom circuits and kitchen or outdoor socket and lights. Economically, it can work out less expensive to have a new split load board installed where multiple circuits are protected by one RCD, than to install multiple RCBOs in place of the far cheaper existing MCBs in your board. There may be RCBOs available for your board, but an electrician would need to check, or you may be able to find out by asking an electrical distributor and providing photos or model numbers. I think in the long term its better decision to upgrade the board with up to date regulations. Firstly it makes it fire rated with new metal casings as a-lot of the old Consumer Units are plastic and secondly they are already equipped with dual RCD protection. This way your paying once's instead of future regs coming out and redoing it again. Hope this helps. Thanks

The reg's state that all domestic circuits must have RCD protection. Here's the confusing bit: If your on an older wiring system so long as there's no faults it dosent need to be upgraded to RCD's. But if your renting the property it will need to have all circuits protected by RCD's, either by installing an RCBO on each circuit or replacing the CCU with RCD's fitted.