I booked EICR and PAT testing for my flat. First of all the service provider kept missing appointment. And even when he turned up he completed both test in 10 mins. On the internet i read it takes 1-4 hours to perform just EICR test.
Are service providers from openrent legit?
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You cannot complete that test in 10 mins . You have been ripped off . I have just had 3 tests EICR in 3 flats in the same block. It was 6 hours for all three and I assisted by dropping the ceiling roses and unscrewing some sockets for him
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Thanks. This is what i thought. If this cost so much it must have required some effort. This really feels like rip off.
Now only if i can get hold of open rent customer service. They are as elusive as their suppliers.
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I had a similar negative experience. I think OR goes with providers that look the cheapest, regardless of quality and reputation. From my experience with them, they’re the dodgiest. One never got in touch. Others also change dates, cancel, send contradictory e-mails, then don’t turn up, thenturn up late and start finding faults and charge an arm and a leg for them.
I hope other LL will see these posts and will never go with OR contractors. Not worth it.
Our EICR test was over an hour.
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It pays to know what the electrician will be looking for eg Grommets in metal consumer units and in metal back boxes . No cracked or damaged electrical fittings , earth sheathing on all earth wires. Water and gas earthed correctly. no unplugged holes in the consumer unit. Cables secured in lofts This is a short list Circuit testing needs special gear.
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Thanks, COlin, very helpful.
I forgot an easy one . All the circuit trips need labels to denote Ring Main (sockets) . Lights Shower Cooker and so on As well as a few other labels that you stick on the unit. Good elec wholesalers sell these
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10 minutes - just demand a refund.
The length of time to do a proper EICR depends on the size of the property, the number of fuseboards and the number of sockets.
Anything from 1/2 day upwards
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For a small flat it can take an hour.
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@ Graham
1 hour - really . Must be a tiny flat with a couple of circuits only
Hi Reema. I have no idea why rental agents require PAT tests of equipment. That’s not a legal requirement and even the HSE would be surprised. Anyway, EICRs are for experienced electricians, not young kids looking for a quick buck. A thorough EICR can take several hours. Unfortunately, landlords are getting ripped off, and by default the tenants, by unscrupulous electricians who aren’t thorough enough. I charge £250.00 for an EICR and sometimes that feels cheap but market forces dictate I can’t charge higher. You do not have to accept the report if you consider it is bogus.
I’ve been in the electrical trade for over twenty years and I am appalled by the general inadequacies that exist throughout. EICRs are supposed to be carried out with care, the focus being on the safety of the wiring and accessories. Landlord’s have a duty of care to ensure they are carried out professionally and conciensciously but in their defence how can they judge if they aren’t electrically trained? The default ‘method’ for most EICRs is to find anything that doesn’t comply with the latest regulations, record it as a potentially dangerous fault, (C1,C2) and hope to get remedial work out of it that quite often isn’t necessary. Nobody seems to police these cowboys so they get away with it time and again. I’ve no doubt the electrical bodies that they are supposed to belong to rarely investigate reports like this. They all have a vested interest in making money and keeping their membership levels at a maximum, that is the bottom line. Safety is not prioritised.
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Same here, i booked EICR with openrent and they absolute cowboys. They found a few very minor faults and charged nearly £800 to fix it in less than one hour work. Never again will I use OR contractors
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you should have refused to pay… I had a quote on a 4 storey property for £2400 for emergency lights and smokies and he wanted £1200 up front… not a chance … . I had an electrician do it for £800 with a certificate
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I had an electrician do 2x 1 bed flats and a two bed in the same building passed and certs £300 6 hours work Now that is good.
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Thanks for all the advice. After making complaints OR cancelled the request and sent mail saying they will refund (still waiting for refund to show up). Service provider did write loads of lies but thankfully i have all the messages and call logs to prove. Now in hunt for proper electrician to get EICR done.
NEVER use the trades people offered by agencies is my advice. All they do is add margin which is costs for the owner
I’m a spark and ONLY work direct for the landlord or owner.
There are far too many people offering cheap reports, with over priced remedial work.
I price my reports on the basis I never visit again
The only document in the public domain that is objective is produced by the electrical safety council . Best practice guide No. 4 - think it’s now issue 6
Have tried referencing, CP12 and EICR through OR. Absolute horsesh*t service and tradespeople. Never again.
Oh nooo! I’ve just booked a boiler certification through OR. Should I cancel? Worried he will condemn boiler for no reason. I’ve not had issues in the past with boiler certificate through OR.
Yes. A lot of small flats only have 2 or 3 circuits. Its really not that difficult.
Totally agree. I booked an Electrical safety certificate through Openrent. They failed it and wouldn’t even quote for remedial work. Just said i had to get it done elsewhere and then pay again to have the certificate redone (same full cost as the first).
I found a local electrician who did the work and then paid him for a new certificate too. Will never use Open rent tradespeople again, just total rip-off and just after high premiums for doing slapdash certificates.