building control & part p
Since 1st January 2005, all electrical work carried out in a domestic premises has fallen under the supervision of the Local Authority Building Control (LABC). The Building Control Team supervise the installation, testing and certification of domestic electrical circuits in full compliance with Approved Document PART P.
In practice, this means that the Local Authority must be formally notified before the vast majority of domestic electrical work is undertaken (there are some exceptions - see below) and there are two main ways that this is accomplished.
Either, the work is inspected on site at key stages by the Building Control Officer, or more practically, the work is carried out by a professionally qualified electrician who belongs to an approved nationally recognised scheme.
The NICEIC Domestic Installer Scheme is recognised as the UK's principal scheme and is likened to CORGI for gas professionals.
fuseboxheroes has been a member of the NICEIC since its begining in 2003 and has a very close working relationship with the organisation.
Some exceptions to notifiable work are as follows:
Replacing (though not adding, moving or installing) any accessory (socket, switchplate or lighting assembly) which is cracked or damaged with a similar accessory, provided the accessory is not in a kitchen or special location. Special locations being bathrooms or rooms which contain a shower, also swimming pools, gardens, garages and outside areas.
It is prudent and practical to assume that all other electrical work is deemed notifiable to the Local Authority. For a full technical explanation please refer to the Institute of Electrical Engineers wiring regulations. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister constantly modify and update their advice on these regulations and it is left to the NICEIC to interpret the advice for its members.
Obviously if you have a new kitchen fitted or new lighting in your bathroom or elsewhere you will be expected to have the correct paperwork if the installer was PART P registered. If you don't then when you come to sell or remortgage, you run the risk of your mortgage company or prospective purchaser demanding you have the installations tested. This can then be problematic as all the self-certification schemes require that the installer and the inspector be one and the same.
Our advice of course is to have the work done properly in the first place then you can sleep easy and deal with others with a clear conscience.
Brighton and Hove's Building Control web page is constantly being updated so go to
http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk
then click Planning
then click Building Control for the latest local information.