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Fuse Box Guide

Part P & DIY Electrical Work in the Home

On 1st January 2005, a new requirement of the Building Regulations for England and Wales concerning electrical safety came into effect. This is known as part P of the Building Regulations, and is supported by an approved document (Approved Document P) giving guidance on ways of complying.

Part P imposes the requirement that "fixed electrical installations in dwellings shall be suitably designed, installed, inspected and tested so as to provide reasonable protection against their being the source of a fire or cause of injury to persons". This means that electrical work in dwellings will need to be installed in accordance with BS 7671:2001 (The 'Wiring Regulations'), including new circuits, extensions to existing circuits and all works in high risk areas such as kitchens and bathrooms.

There are two routes that the homeowner can take to ensure that the installation or maintenance work complies with Part P:
bullet pointInform the Local Authority Building Control of proposals to carry out electrical installation work before it begins. On completion of work, Building Control will carry out an inspection of the work for a fee.
bullet pointEngage the services of an electrical contractor approved as a 'Competent Person'.

To become a Competent Person, a firm or electrician must register with a Certification Body that has been approved by the office of the Deputy Prime Minister. BRE Certification has received Government approval to run a Competent Person Self-Certification Scheme for Part P, which has been developed in collaboration with the ECA and supported by the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE).

A Competent Person is not required to notify Building Control of its proposals to carry out electrical installation work before it begins and can self certify this work. However on completion of the work, a Competent Person must certify that the works comply with all applicable parts of the Building Regulations. The Competent Person must also inform Building Control through the notification system which is provided by their Certification Body.

Clearly, knowledge of other parts of the Building Regulations in addition to Part P is required. The ECA and NICEIC have produced a joint publication, 'Electrical Installers Guide to the Building Regulations', precisely to address this need.

You may consider the alternative – of giving prior notification and paying inspection fees – to be commercially unattractive, particularly for small works. Competent Persons save on time and trouble associated with the submission of building notices to, and having the work inspected by, Building Control and as a consequence do not incur building notice and inspection fees. For futher information visit www.partp.co.uk

What work is covered ?

Part P applies to all electrical installation work in buildings or parts of buildings comprising dwelling houses or flats in both new and existing buildings. The following works are included:
bullet pointConnection of an additional circuit(s) to a new or existing consumer unit (e.g. fire or security alarm).
bullet pointComplete re-wiring.
bullet pointReplacement of cables resulting from damage to more than one existing circuit.
bullet pointElectrical installations in kitchens, bathrooms or other Special Locations as defined by Part P including installation of a new circuit (e.g. shower or cooker) or alterations to existing circuits (including addition or relocation of equipment accessories such as a light fitting or socket outlet).

Householders are advised to engage a properly qualified electrician able to offer a Certificate of Compliance on completion of the works as this is more than likely to become a requirement for selling a house when the Home Information Pack becomes law in the near future.

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