Getting shafted - EICR

[Extremely Stressed]

Evening all

I will keep it brief but really need some advice.

Paid for a EICR from Open Rent. Electrician came out on behalf of said company. Was there for 20 minutes. Said it had passed and had one C3, which was for no RCD protection. Said to call his boss to get the certificate.

Called his boss and he said, you have failed mate. It is a C2 and he quoted £580 remedial works. I said no, your electrician said it was a C3. I have since had 2 electricians out that have also said it should be a C3. Called the electrician back up and he started laughing and swearing at me. I looked at the certificate and he has signed it as though he came out himself to the property and did the test, which he didn't and also put the wrong date on it.

Complaining to Open Rent and not getting anywhere.

The government has basically set us landlords up to be targeted for extortion.

[Jon66]

Use a decent local electrician. Are Openrent members of an ADR service, ombudsman or anything?

[amy131]

I had a problem recently with a contractor booked through this company for a gas safe check, wouldn't use them again, took several days to get the certificate. I used a good local electrician for the EICR, cost £144 including VAT for a 4 bed house and they were there longer than 20 minutes, more like 1 hour, passed with no issues. Paid after the job was done and I had my certificate, which was on the same day.
This company have recently had a number of bad reviews posted online for pretty much all services they are offering. I think for the amount they charge for the EICR in your position I would be considering taking this to small claims to try and get your money back. You could mention you intend to do this and see how they respond.

[baldelectrician]

It would help if you could post the EICR report up (blank out any identifying info)

https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.or...149/bpg4-1.pdf

Above is a link to a PDF on EICR reporting, separates the wheat from the chaff.

See a lot of EICR's that pass when there are issues and others that fail due to age (not a reason)

[Extremely Stressed]

Thanks all. Can everyone see this clear enough?

[Extremely Stressed]

Or maybe these are clearer?

[Extremely Stressed]

An electrician has asked me why he has gave three C 2’s for the same circuit?

he is claiming the plug socket in the dining room that is close to the back door needs RCD because someone could use it for outside but I don’t rent to anyone with kids and there is no garden or lawn to mow.

he was also quoting for £550 or £580 remedial bill.

[baldelectrician]

Have been out at work all day, just finished dinner and watching news (I do live the high life)

This seems strange the EICR, if something is a C2 for an item then it is A C2, not a C2 for each socket etc.

How old is the install?

If you have a look at the guide I linked to there is more info.

For example, in an older install the bathroom had to comply with the previous regulations (supplementary bonding - connection in bathroom between lights, pipe work, shower circuit to bring continuity between any 2 of these items to 0.05 ohms or less)
Has he tested the supp bonding? If it is OK then the bathroom is a C3 for RCD protection

If the sockets are on a ground floor and there is a chance someone could plug in a hoover or pressure washer then a C2 will be justified (there is a higher risk from shock when outdoors)

Can you post Schedule 13 in the cert ?
It is titled 'INSPECTION SCHEDULE FOR DOMESTIC & SIMILAR PREMISES WITH UP TO 100A SUPPLY', this will detail what he has checked

[flyingfreehold]

Ive written to my contact at the Ministry to explain that because of Covid loads of tenants have declined appointments and almost six months have been lost and with the best will in the world it is not going to be possible to get round every property by the due date. Sadly, the very helpful Tashi Warr had left/been redeployed and the gormless penpusher who had taken her place had no concept of what all of this involves. Ask your tenants to confirm in writing that access is denied. Write the letter for them to sign. This is, I was told, the best defence to not actually managing to getting them all done in time! We have tended to pick off the easy ones, where installations are just a few years old, ie 2010 or later. Some of those left in the to do list still have rewireable fuses. These are tenants who are for example second assignees of rent act tenants where the original letting commenced during or even from before the war; very old wiring, and ripe for renewal although there has never been a problem; the amount left to be done is absolutely huge.and made worse because old dears who have been in situ for decades - and in some cases generations, have so much cr*p up in the loft that actually getting round is a task in itself. Its been a while since I've seen round pin plugs but they do turn up in lighting circuits

[baldelectrician]

If some are as bad as you say then you are the type of landlord the new rules are made for

It does not matter which type of rental agreement you have a landlord has a duty of care to ensure the property is to a safe to let standard.

As an owner a landlord has another duty of care to ensure the property is safe enough to prevent and detect fires.

Prevention is assisted by safe and functional wiring- you note rewireable fuses- these were not permitted in many prefabs in the 1960's and RCD's were introduced.
Old RCD's were called ELCB's and were required to be in place as they prevented fires. The older ELCB's (voltage type) were banned as they were not effective in saving people. This is a reason RCD's are installed now as they help stop faults in the tracks before major issues happen.

You need to write to your tenants and request they give your electrician access to carry out safety checks, use a registered electrician who can ensure social distancing.
You can also install smoke detectors that are radio interlinked and have sealed 10 year batteries (I don't like Fire Angel as I think they are not good, I install Aico as I find them more reliable)

Sorry to hijack the thread

[tatemono]

well put... and as an electrician that slap on the wrist carries more weight.

Point noted re Fire Angel although I've only ever had one fail before it's due date. Contacted Fire Angel and they sent me a brand new replacement free of charge though so kudos to them for that.

[baldelectrician]

That's the point, how many tenants would know / care if a detector beeps or fails. It is still the landlords responsibility so why buy cheap and hope for the best
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...es-faulty.html

[flyingfreehold]

There are comparatively few rent act tenancies left, probably only about 68,000 in the whole of the country but it is in those kind of lettings where the largest amount of work will be required, along with other rare tenures such as, for example where there is a successor to life tenancy. Rarer still but nonetheless to be found are tenants who are holding over as assured tenants following expiry of long leases and for which the ground landlord suddenly becomes responsible for the installation which previously was the tenants responsibility under the long lease. Although there was a general obligation to keep installations in tenantable condition with Rent act tenancies landlords have never previously been required to carry any interim certificates unless alterations to the installation have been carried out..

[baldelectrician]

Hear that sound- my heart is bleeding for your peril

There are 2 options

1. Have your properties maintained correctly and safe
2. Sell them to someone who will

It's really that simple- a house is an asset you should look after and maintained.

Maintenance is one of these things- if you keep on top of it then it costs much less to do.

I know a landlord who had to fork out £15k for dry rot and he was moaning, I pointed out that he noticed the windows were failing (and letting in water) and he didn't bother fixing them 10 years ago. Had he done that he would have saved more than he spend fixing the rot.

He has had to pay for new windows in addition to the rot work, and these had to be sash windows as the council declared his street a conservation area

One of my landlords has had wiring checks since 2003 and she spends almost nothing on the properties now as things are up to standard and maintained as such, she needs smoke detectors every 10 years.

[tatemono]

That's the point, how many tenants would know / care if a detector beeps or fails. It is still the landlords responsibility

er... is it? If you fit working detectors and they're checked on moving in and at regular inspections, the AST says that it's the tenant's responsibility to make sure that they're working in between.

Even the Aico interlinked I've got aren't impervious to failure.