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Electricians License to rip you off!

Landlord Discussion Repairs & Maintenance
#1

The Upcoming requirement for EICR (Electrical Reports) is an Electricians License to rip you off.
When the Government impose all these regulations on Landlords, they never consider the cost and conflict it can cause.
I am a Retired Electrician and don’t have the current qualification to do EICR testing, so was forced to use an Electrician in Bicester. In the report he marked an item down as Unsatisfactory C2, when it should have been C3 meaning Improvement Recommended, but does not mean the Installation should fail the Test.
He then offered to rectify the item for £180.00 which was a 10 minute job he could have done whilst there, especially as I asked him to contact me from the Property if he found any Minor problems.
Needless to say I did not ask him to go back and rectify the problem.
I intend to report this incident to the NICEIC, but from experience it will fall on deaf Ears.

Realistically virtually every current installation will be in the C3 Category, and that is fine, it complied at the time of Installation.
All I can say is beware of rogue Electricians and query the EICR report in detail before paying for any remedial work.

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#2

I would only use an electrician from this list (https://www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk) for an EICR report as you have some redress if they do such things. I also asked mine in advance about things like plastic consumer unit housings and their thoughts on the interval between tests as some landlords have found problems in both these areas.

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#3

Robert21,

Thank you for your contribution, just moments ago I paid for my 2nd EICR + remedial repairs, for as you put it a 10-minute job to install “missing grommet” which caused the C2 fail and cost of £000s.

Feeling thoroughly ripped off, thank you for list of reputable electricians, the firm I used is on it offering both Certs. and remedial work.

#4

Hi Maryanne

The list was not from me, OpenRent must have added it.

I can give you the name of an honest Electrician but he is based in Tamworth, Staffs. So depends where you are as the whether it’s practical.

#5

I got lucky with my electrician who I found online. He charged me less than his initial quote because he said I had less to test.

I will be using him for any works needed going forward.

I can share details if you are in or around the Maidenhead area

#6

You have more faith than me, these Contractors will have to Pay for their job leads, so don’t be fooled.

#7

Hmm, we have one coming up, then 2 others by April. Time will tell.

#8

I understand that they won’t be the cheapest, but they are members of one of the professional bodies. NAPIT has led the charge in trying to ensure that electricians don’t rip people off with unnecessary C2 classifications and that their members should only put less than 5 year intervals between inspections in exceptional circumstances. I selected a NAPIT registered electrician because I wanted some certainty and the option of redress.

Just for clarity, I have no connection with NAPIT nor do I offer any endorsement of them other than the areas mentioned.

#9

Hi David

Without wanting to be too rude, I stopped believing in Father Christmas when I was about 7 Years old.

I have been in the Construction Industry all my working Life, I employed qualified Electricians, some were good, some were average and others just plain awful, so needless to say they did not last long.

Organisations like Mapit, can only Certify someone, it does not mean they will give a good service or be fair with pricing. And of course Mapit and similar organisations are there mainly for their Members, it’s how they generate Money to exist. So don’t be fooled, they will always defend their Members over a Member of the Public, except in the most serious circumstances, where injury or Death has occurred.

I wish you and all other Landlords the best in finding a good and Honest Electrician.

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#10

You may be right, but the NAPIT guy I spoke to did suggest they would speak to any member who they believed had over-stepped the mark. I have to believe that their NAPIT validation means something to them. Anyway, interviewing them in advance seemed to work so far. Two properties down and not a single notification on the reports.

#11

Yep, just had rip-off EICR completed. What should have cost £80 ended up costing £175. I even found the right spec RCBO the electrician said I must have, bought it and investigated a ‘ghost’ ring that didn’t appear to control anything. Second visit, 10 mins fiddling in the fusebox to swap out fuse for RCBO and disconnect unused ring. Even though fully passed at end, electrician would only allow 3 years until reinspection as the property is tenanted. He said, I should get a new EICR every time the tenancy changes if more frequent than 3 years. Sounds like BS to me. Said he would only give 5 years if the property was owner occupied. What has the type of resident got to do with electrical safety?

Don’t get me started on the muppets who perform the gas safety checks CP12 and boiler servicing. None of them ever do the same checks as eachother and none ever follow the boiler manufacturers specification for servicing.

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#12

5 years it is tenanted . Report him

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#13

You could as an electrician do the job yourself and get it signed off by the properly licenced party.

#14

I could indeed, were it not for a deteriorating Eye Condition.

#15

Oh sorry to hear that. Good luck anyway hope it doesnt deteriate too quickly.

#16

That was my understanding too.

#17

I recently used the Openrent EICR service and I felt like I was thrown to the wolves by them. I ended up paying nearly £2000 to a company called Propcert for what I considered was very little remedial work. I will arrange my own electrician in future.

#18

Hi Colin3
As I understand it all Landlords are required to have an EICR performed for their properties in England by 1st April 2021 (and then every 5 years) and this applies for ongoing tenancies, not just new tenancies, so all landlords must comply.
I have the following queries which you or others on this site can hopefully answer:-

  1. As my property is in North Wales and not England does this requirement affect me?
    and
  2. I had an EICR performed on 15th December 2016. Would it be Ok if I arrange for a new EICR to be completed on/before the 14th December 2021 (and not 1st April 2021) as this is when the 5 years would be up on my existing EICR?
    Thanks
    Jane
#19

As long as an EICR is in place that’s all that is required.

It may also interest other Landlords to know that Councils have been instructed to take a pragmatic approach to enforcement, during these difficult times. Basically I think they realise that some Tenants won’t want anyone in their Houses, and also some Contractors have Furloughed their staff. Indeed this has happened to me, I had all my Properties booked and my Contractor has Furloughed all his Staff.

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#20

It’s England only, but you should check with RentSmart Wales whether they have any similar conditions.

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