Tradesman problems

jim3rg

jim3rg

Messages
892
As you may be aware I have been renovating the bathroom replacing the tub with a shower.
I needed an Electrician for the wiring, as it is a council house the local authority need a part p certificate which was explained to my chosen Electrician. Its now been 3 weeks since installation and the certificate is nowhere to be seen.
I have tried calling him and each time he says he will get round to it.

I cant finish the bathroom untill I have the certificate in case there are problems. I am beginning to wonder if this guy is actually part p qualified, is there a way of checking this?

Can I get another electrician to come out to check the work then provide the certificate?

Any other options?

I got this guy off checkatrade and he had good reviews... I just dont know what to do at this stage.

Jim
 
Typical tradesman mate, i had an extension built and had the same with the electrical certificate, took an age to get for the council, i too wondered if they were kosher, but eventually got it. I am sure you can contact Checkatrade and complain to them.
 
If it came to it the work can be inspected & signed off by someone else.
I'm sure you've done this already; contact the tradesman, explain you need the certificate by the end of this week (a reasonable time), ask if that is okay and warn that you will negative feedback to check a trade if not, I would call Thursday morning too & ask if the papers are in the post.
We're got a big renovation going on, fortunately most of the trades have been as good as gold.
A good few years ago it took nearly 3 months to get a gas safe certificate for a new boiler, it finally happened when I said that I would take it up with the gas safe register. It was perpetually in the post before that.
If they are on check a trade they are likely to be kosher, just sounds like they are a bit crap on the admin side & some persistent nudging required.
Hope it is resolved soon.
 
Hi @jim3rg

Strictly speaking the Part P certificate was introduced for non electricians to issue and not for electricians that have fully qualified. It was for the likes of a kitchen fitter who needed to add a spur for a cooker - or a gas fitter that needed an extra circuit.

The certificate that you need (if he's an actual electrician) is probably a Minor Works Certificate. This depends on the extent of the work though.

It isn't an option for him to not issue the certificate it's a legal requirement.

Do you know if he is ECA or NICEIC registered ? They are the people that would enforce and have a lot more clout than Checkatrade if you need to fire a shot over his head.

Cheers,

Jay :)
 
Checkatrade are terrible. A few years back we had oil central heating had a checkatrade recommended firm come and service the boiler and after £350 because it needed "special parts" and trying to charge for two call out's because they never had a part that they always carry it was left with a leak with kerosene dripping from a joint. I phoned and the engineer said he would come back and fix it but after the fourth day I phoned again and he told me to fuck off! I contacted checkatrade and they did nothing and my negative feedback was removed from their site. I've never used them again.
 
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Ok the guy phoned me today.. Said he had technical problems a nd he will hand write it as opposed to prrinting it out. He tells me it will be in the post tonight.
Yep the shower works but I have no experience of building inspectors. I would rather he find a problem before i complete the bathroom rather than having to pull it apart later... I know its probably overthinking but its a condition that I have.

Jim
 
jim3rg said:
Ok the guy phoned me today.. Said he had technical problems and he will hand write it as opposed to printing it out. He tells me it will be in the post tonight.
Yep the shower works but I have no experience of building inspectors. I would rather he find a problem before i complete the bathroom rather than having to pull it apart later... I know its probably overthinking but its a condition that I have.

Jim
Click to expand...

Sounds like he did the work 'off the books' so is issuing the certificate in the same manner. It's fairly common.

If it never comes through you can get someone else to inspect and issue if you don't want the hassle and extra time of hounding the guy into providing one.
 
Have to give the guy credit, he delivered the certificate personally this morning. Everything is good now, taking a copy for myself and I am taking the original certificate up to the council on Thursday.
Thanks again guys for all the advice throughout this project.

Jim
 
What is the process for a sparky to obtain the Part P cert that Jim needed?

If Jim mentioned that he needed it as quickly as possible upon completion of the job then what is the delay for? If there's a chance it might take another 3 weeks on top then maybe that should have been mentioned before taking the work on. And if Jim hadn't gave him a few calls and nudges who's to say it would have arrived within 6 weeks?
 
"What is the process for a sparky to obtain the Part P cert that Jim needed?"


I just checked my "house papers"...some relatively minor work was carried out in my house in 2007 (a supply to the shed and extra sockets in the garage etc). I decided that it would a good idea to get a certificate in case some diligent solicitor asked for one if I ever sell the house. I called an electrician who visited and spent a short time doing his electrical checks and took the appropriate sum of money from me (I think it was about £80). He posted them shortly afterwards: (1) a typed "Building Reg.s Compliance Cert. issued by NICEIC on behalf of the NICEIC installer (the sparky). Plus (B) a "Minor Domestic Electrical Installation Works Certificate" the details of which was completed by hand and detailed the work that he was testing and showed the electrical values etc.

As we all know the degree of DIY electrical work that householders can do is very limited ... strictly speaking I don't think even a socket outlet may be swapped by the householder.

Gas work is of course, understandably, as tightly controlled as electrics (if not more so) now. Many years ago it was commonplace for bods to do the odd bit of gas fitting.... I do recall fitting what was then called a "Multipoint" water heater in my parents place and no-one turned an eye. Cranes the gas appliance suppliers, in somewhere like Streatham, sold it to me over the counter as I recall. That would have been in the late 60's. I bet no-one remembers them?

I did domestic re-wires in the 70's and used to ring the LEB (London Electricity Board) and they'd send an inspector round on a bike to do a "test and connect" and have a look round the job and go away happy. Not any more, that's for sure.
 
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Thanks guys. I wasnt complaining about the tradesman, it was an enquiry as to how long it normally takes for the certificate to be issued as, as I stated I havent had any experience dealing with such.

I never meant to upset anyone... In future I will find somehere else to ask.
Thanks for all of your help folks.

Jim
 
DevonStan said:
"What is the process for a sparky to obtain the Part P cert that Jim needed?"


I just checked my "house papers"...some relatively minor work was carried out in my house in 2007 (a supply to the shed and extra sockets in the garage etc). I decided that it would a good idea to get a certificate in case some diligent solicitor asked for one if I ever sell the house. I called an electrician who visited and spent a short time doing his electrical checks and took the appropriate sum of money from me (I think it was about £80). He posted them shortly afterwards: (1) a typed "Building Reg.s Compliance Cert. issued by NICEIC on behalf of the NICEIC installer (the sparky). Plus (B) a "Minor Domestic Electrical Installation Works Certificate" the details of which was completed by hand and detailed the work that he was testing and showed the electrical values etc.

As we all know the degree of DIY electrical work that householders can do is very limited ... strictly speaking I don't think even a socket outlet may be swapped by the householder.

Gas work is of course, understandably, as tightly controlled as electrics (if not more so) now. Many years ago it was commonplace for bods to do the odd bit of gas fitting.... I do recall fitting what was then called a "Multipoint" water heater in my parents place and no-one turned an eye. Cranes the gas appliance suppliers, in somewhere like Streatham, sold it to me over the counter as I recall. That would have been in the late 60's. I bet no-one remembers them?

I did domestic re-wires in the 70's and used to ring the LEB (London Electricity Board) and they'd send an inspector round on a bike to do a "test and connect" and have a look round the job and go away happy. Not any more, that's for sure.
Click to expand...

Part p only applies in England and only covers bathroom and kitchens. Any other part of a house there is no issues with people doing there own work.
Your right about the Electricity board changing now though, they don't care about the internal electrics, they will even put a new supply into a home that's not even wired yet. Not there equipment not there problem is the way they look at it now.
 
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