Part P - not qualified to register for it ? So do you actually know what you’re legally allowed to do and not to do ?
For nearly five years, Part P of the Building Regulations has been in force for all personnel carrying out electrical work in homes and gardens in England and Wales. The issue of an Electrical Installation Certificate that complies with Building Regulation requirements, to self-certify own work was introduced to reduce the 2, 200 deaths, injuries and fires caused by faulty electrical installations in the UK every year, and to make it harder for ‘cowboy builders’ to leave electrical installations in an unsafe condition.
However, there is still confusion today on what electrical work can be safely and legally carried out if you are not registered for Part P. Although Part P was designed to enforce standards and increase safety, often lack of understanding or clarity has meant merely insisting that an electrician is part of a competent persons scheme. This is not true and you do need to notify before you begin work on an installation.
Part P applies to all fixed electrical installations after the suppliers’ meter in buildings or parts of buildings comprising:
• Dwellings, houses and flats.
• Dwellings and business premises such as shops and public houses that have a common meter supply e.g. a shop or public house with a flat / rooms above.
• Common access areas in blocks of flats such as corridors and staircases but not lifts shared amenities in blocks of flats, such as laundries and gymnasiums.
• Outbuildings such as a garage, shed, workshop etc. or any associated land or building with / adjacent with the property. This even includes garden lighting and fishpond pumps!.
While Approved Documentation ‘P’ applies to all electrical installation work in dwellings, it is not necessary to notify building control bodies when electrical installation work is ‘Minor Work’ and is not contained within the kitchen or special location and does not involve a special installation.
In addition: You do not need to tell your local authority’s Building Control Department about:
• Repairs, replacements and maintenance work (like for like).
• Extra power points or lighting points.
• Other alterations to existing circuits (except in a kitchen or bathroom, or outdoors).
You need to tell them about most other work. If you are not sure about this, or you have any questions, ask your local authority’s Building Control Department.
Able Skills offers a special combined 10 week Plumbing and Electrical course to include Plumbing qualifications as well as Electrical Domestic Installer qualifications.
It will guide you through the City & Guilds 6129 level 2 Plumbing Technical Certificate followed by Electrical training to give you guidance and qualifications to register as a competent person for the purposes of domestic installations (Part P). Upon completion, the next step will be to obtain the Domestic Installer Qualification which will enable you to register for Part P.
