Since 2005 any electrical work carried out in your home, whether it’s done by a professional or is part of a DIY project, needs to comply with certain safety standards, specifically Part P of the Building Regulations. This includes work that doesn’t have to be reported to any Buildings Control department, as well as that which does require notification.
So how do you know if the electrical work you’re planning in your home falls into that category? Who can carry out electrical work in your home, and how do you ensure that it meets the Part P requirements? The easiest way has to be to call in a professional and fully qualified electrical expert.
What is the principle behind Part P?
Part P regulations are there to protect you and your family from the risk of personal injury, electrical fires and other hazards associated with the installation or maintenance of electrical equipment in the home. It can be all too easy to make a mistake when you’re working with electricity – and sadly those mistakes can often be fatal. Part P also ensures that you are not put at risk by ‘cowboy builders’ who may claim to be able to carry out electrical installations to the proper safety standards. These are individuals that could in fact end up endangering the lives of those who live in the house with poorly installed or even dangerous work.
So ensuring that your electrician is certified to inspect work for Part P compliance is a great way of making sure every piece of electrical work carried out in your home is done to a safe standard.
Who is qualified to carry out electrical installations?
To make sure the person you employ is qualified to work on electrical installations and maintenance, you need to check their credentials. At MG London our electricians are all fully qualified and experienced, as well as certificated to carry out and validate Part P work in your home. That means you get complete peace of mind that your electrical installation or repair has been carried out to a safe standard, no matter how big or small the job.
However, you need to remember that as the homeowner it is up to you to ensure that the electrical work carried out in your home complies with Part P regulations. Failure to do so is a criminal offence, so it’s essential you get all household work checked by an authorised expert.
Some work still needs to be notified to your local Building Control officer, though, including the replacement of a mains fuse box, additions to ‘special’ rooms such as bathrooms, saunas or anywhere where electrical supplies could come into direct contact with water, and the installation of a new circuit, including low voltage circuits.
What your qualified electrician can do for you
Work carried out by qualified electricians should meet the UK national standard, BS 7671 (Requirements for Electrical Installations). They will also deal with building control on your behalf, taking the hassle out of the process. Once your work has been completed your qualified electrician will also give you two key pieces of paperwork:
- an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate
- a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate.
They can also give you the reassurance that your electrical installation has been done correctly, will last for years to come, and most importantly, is completely safe. And that, in the end, is probably one of the best reasons we know of to call in a professional electrician from MG London.