“The Building Regulations in the United Kingdom require all new electrical work to comply with Part P of the Building Regulations. This restricts DIY work, due to safety. New circuits, changing fuse boards are work that all requires the project be completed by a Part B electrician,” said Jon Garvey, the Director at Northcote Plumbing and Electrical.

Any work considered notifiable, such as changing fuse boards and the installation of new circuits must have a Building Regulations application made in advance, which ensures the work is inspected and checked. If a non qualified person carries out what is considered notifiable work in the UK and does not inform the Building Control, and the work completed is considered unsafe, there could be a heavy fine for the person carrying out the work.

It is a legal requirement for an electrician to test the system and hand over the signed BS 7671 electrical safety certificate. The Building regulations compliance certificate is for all work by an operator of the registration scheme. With the UK being home to many older properties built before the 1970s, chances are they still have their original wiring, which is overdue for a complete renewal.

Common electrical improvements, should be gone over by a qualified Part P electrician, ensuring that they meet safety regulations, this includes adding additional sockets, which must be positioned no lower than 45cm above the floor and light switches no higher than 120cm from the floor, according to the Building Regulations.

Jon Garvey, the Director at Northcote Plumbing and Electrical, also said “Modern fuse boxes or consumer units, is the best way to reduce electric shocks and fires in homes. Old fuse boxes with re wireable fuses should be replaced. The modern consumer units have miniature circuit breakers for each circuit, which turn off automatically when they sense an overload or fault, which could save a life.”

It is recommended that electrical systems be tested every ten years or when a property is sold to a new buyer. This is done through an electrical inspection, tested by a qualified electrician, who will give a test certificate. Homes that are more than twenty five years old can perform well with a slight upgrade to ensure that they meet toddy’s safety standards, this is done through earth bonding. Earth bonding protects household residents.

About Us: Northcote Plumbing and Electrical is a leading electric and plumbing specialist catering to clients in London. This very well established company is backed by more than thirty years of experience, providing clients with the convenience of twenty four hour services at competitive rates. The company is gas safe registered and NICEIC approved, along with five star glowing Google reviews. Northcote Plumbing and Electrical ensures they provide excellent customer service, providing a clean and on time service for electrics, plumbing, gas, central heating and boiler installations and repairs. They offer a free quote via their information packed website, with competitive hourly rates and quality services without any added stress. Visit https://northcoteplumbingandelectrical.co.uk to find out more.