New Electrical Safety Rules
Although the rules were introduced at the beginning of 2005 many people are still unaware of them or, if they do know about the rules, are unsure on how to comply with them. Hopefully we can clear things up a little. Why More Red Tape? Basically the new rules were introduced to try and cut down on the number of accidents caused by faulty work and to try and put some kind of check on rogue or cowboy builders and electricians. Not a bad thing then. The main tenet behind the rules is that a homeowner must tell their local authorities building control department when carrying out electrical work or if a contractor is carrying out that work for them. Fortunately you don’t need to fill out a form in triplicate every time you want to change a fuse.
For all other work the homeowner must inform the councils building control department. If in doubt a quick phone call to the council should resolve any problems - unless your council are as rubbish as mine in which case you will be on the phone for an hour while you are passed from person to person before an office cleaner finally gives you the information you need. The bottom line here is that for electrical work in your new loft conversion you will need to notify the council though it should all be taken care of in your building regulations application. Is All This Really Necessary? Relax. For most work you won’t need to inform the council but, even if you do, its no real hassle and is just another safeguard. Like all the building regulations governing loft conversions and other work it is well worth doing things by the book. Not doing so may mean the work isn’t safe and, in the long run, a homeowner may have problems selling the property without the correct safety certificates. And, of course, there is always the possibility that the council can make a homeowner put any faulty work right. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
Click here for a quick review of the loft conversion building regulations including electrical work
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