As a landlord or tenant, has it been a while since the electrics in your rented property were inspected? Or, do you own your own home but still aren’t quite sure whether any checks need to be carried out?
Regular electrical inspections could be the difference between life and death, with electricity being amongst the main causes of fires in the UK. However, some problems may not be obvious until it’s too late. So, how do you know if something is wrong in the first place?
NAPIT
The best way to ensure your electrics are safe is to have an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) carried out. An EICR assesses the existing electrical installation within a property and is used to describe its condition. This then confirms, as far as possible, the electrical installation is in a safe condition for continued service.
However, there is currently a lot of confusion amongst non-electrically trained people as to what makes a “satisfactory” EICR and how to read and interpret the findings, as they are often lengthy and technically detailed documents.
Following an unsatisfactory EICR there was no means to provide the property owner with an overall satisfactory installation record following the certification and completion of any required works.
To combat this, NAPIT, a Government approved Competent Person Scheme operator for installers across the building services sector, have produced an “Electrical Installation Safety Record Summary” that NAPIT members can supply to help homeowners, landlords and tenants fully understand the condition of their property’s electrics.
“By creating the Electrical Installation Safety Record Summary NAPIT aims to provide a document to bring together all elements to ensure safe electrical installations,” said Frank Bertie, NAPIT Trade Association Chairman. “The primary purpose of the summary is to provide an easy to understand cover sheet for an EICR and to provide a way for an unsatisfactory EICR to be married up with the certification following the successful completion of all required works. NAPIT electricians who are registered to carry out EICRs can provide this document.”
“Ignorance is incredibly dangerous when it comes to electrical safety. Simple checks using these documents, like making sure there are no signs of damage to electrical sockets and eliminating trip hazards, can save lives,” says Chris Bielby, Chairman of the ESR.
“The Home Safety Guidance Documents give householders useful reference tools for checking their property and encourage the use of competent, registered electricians for any work carried out.”
Electrical Safety RoundTable
The ESR is a leading industry forum which discusses potential solutions to improve electrical safety in the homeand has a set of Home Safety Guidance Documents available to help you take simple steps to ensure your property is protected.
“Ignorance is incredibly dangerous when it comes to electrical safety. Simple checks using these documents, like making sure there are no signs of damage to electrical sockets and eliminating trip hazards, can save lives,” says Chris Bielby, Chairman of the ESR.
“The Home Safety Guidance Documents give householders useful reference tools for checking their property and encourage the use of competent, registered electricians for any work carried out.”
To find a NAPIT regstistered electrician, visit www.napit.org.uk/member-
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