Consumer unit

[peevee]

Following an EICR I was asked to have fitted a consumer unit in my rented property.

I subsequently received the bill for £672 and paid. For this sort of outlay and given that as a landlord it's my responsibility if anything goes wrong I asked for the guarantee for the unit installed. Neither the agent nor the contractor are able (or are unwilling) to provide this. I was simply sent a link to a website which didn't even specify the type of unit installed.

I've no proof of purchase, no proof of the type of unit installed and whether it's an approved model so if it's faulty I'm likely to have to cough up again.

Surely this isn't normal ? Who do I contact to get satisfaction ?

Thanks

 

[David Prosser]

Did you get an invoice for £672 with no details on ?

 

[Dustydazzler]

Take a photo and upload it on here and we can atleast tell you what make and type of board you have had fitted

 

[telectrix]

you should have received a certificate for the work. is this in the UK or in france? if UK it should be notified to BC.

 

[Risteard]

Your warranty is with the company which supplied it to you (not the manufacturer), so I'm not sure what the issue is?

 

[John-SJW]

They must have given you a receipt. I would not give over money unless I had a receipt. The receipt should say what you paid for.

 

[i=p/u]

Could of left you receipt of materials at least. Snooze ya looze

 

[nicebutdim]

Your warranty is with the company which supplied it to you (not the manufacturer), so I'm not sure what the issue is?

Need the OP to clarify, but it would seem as though they haven't been furnished with any sort of receipt for their payment.

 

[telectrix]

OP has gone.hopefully to get his brownie out of mothballs.

 

[Mike Johnson]

In France once the Electrical supplier has installed the service head and cut out, beyond that the electrical installation is the responsibility of the owner, the only time this gets inspected is on the sale of the property when a diagnostic is performed, which is just a tick list, normally performed by a non electrician, even though it is an official document carried out by an qualified registered diagnostic Immobilier which does not translate well. (Estate Agent Diagnostic) I think its supposed to mean "Registered Sales Diagnostic Agent"

There is no requirement for EICR's or any other type of certification beyond first installation which can be achieved with one socket and one light.

 

[westward10]

I'm guessing the OP lives in France but the works were carried out at a rented property in the UK.

 

[Mike Johnson]

That would explain the EICR. ?

 

[Risteard]

Need the OP to clarify, but it would seem as though they haven't been furnished with any sort of receipt for their payment.

They must have been invoiced to have made payment surely?

 

[nicebutdim]

They must have been invoiced to have made payment surely?

That would generally be expected, but they mention having no proof of purchase. It would be helpful if the OP were to clarify whether this means no receipt or a receipt that doesn't make clear precisely what components were used.

If it's the latter, I'd consider there to be no grounds for concern.

 

[loz2754]

That would generally be expected, but they mention having no proof of purchase. It would be helpful if the OP were to clarify whether this means no receipt or a receipt that doesn't make clear precisely what components were used.

If it's the latter, I'd consider there to be no grounds for concern.

The OP has no proof of purchase because he did not purchase it. Any future claim would need to be made against the one who provided and installed it.

 

[nicebutdim]

The OP has no proof of purchase because he did not purchase it. Any future claim would need to be made against the one who provided and installed it.

That's what my last words were intended to convey, provided the OP received a receipt for works carried out.

 

[peevee]

Westward10 is right so I'm not able to take a photo of the unit personally. I had a receipt but no detail, I quote "Supplied and fit consumer unit"
In response to Risteard, the issue is that the company only gives a 12m guarantee. Not only is this a bit short but what if they go out of business or change their legal status ? Don't you think that paying out so much and being personally accountable for the quality of the unit merits a bit more info. Why are they so coy about being open about this unless they were bulk-bought via an oriental website ?

 

[loz2754]

Westward10 is right so I'm not able to take a photo of the unit personally. I had a receipt but no detail, I quote "Supplied and fit consumer unit"
In response to Risteard, the issue is that the company only gives a 12m guarantee. Not only is this a bit short but what if they go out of business or change their legal status ? Don't you think that paying out so much and being personally accountable for the quality of the unit merits a bit more info. Why are they so coy about being open about this unless they were bulk-bought via an oriental website ?

Most companies will only issue a 12 month guarantee. But that does not affect your statutory rights as a consumer. In England, you have up to 6 years to pursue a claim for an inherent fault. You would have to pursue this claim through whomever your "contract" (verbal or otherwise) was made with. This may in fact be the letting agent, or the electrical contractor hired by the letting agency.

 

[peevee]

Thanks loz2754, It's a bit more reassuring but I'd still like to know how I go about a claim if this occurs. It might sound like I'm overreacting but I get the impression that the only loser out of all this is the owner who has to cough up. The tenant is protected by law, the contractor hides behind a short-term guarantee and the agent sits on the fence

 

[Risteard]

12 months is not short term but standard in law.

 

[Dartlec]

Most consumer units do come with a 'manual' - albeit often only one piece of paper - which may well detail whatever guarantee they offer against manufacturing defects in their product - They are supposed to be left with the consumer unit on installation for the user, but never get looked at. I try to ensure they are left on site.

Fortunately defects are fairly rare, and should have been picked up on install - the certificate is proof that the installation was tested and working to the current standards at time of install.

There will also I presume have been a notification to Building Control under Part P (If the property is in England) which is a declaration by the installer that things have been installed to the relevant building regulations. That may take a little longer to come through but should give you some peace of mind that things are as they should be,

Not sure whether it is the same with all schemes, but the NICEIC in theory covers the notifiable work for 6 years from the date of install, and should cover the costs of correcting any faults if not done correctly.

Though warranties don't cover external influences like surges etc. if you have the two relevant certificates then you should have covered yourself in terms of your liability to maintain a safe installation.

 

[andyb]

The electrician will guarantee the work Peevee. A consumer unit is not one item but several, and there are other things to consider like tails, glands and any work required to bring the installation to a condition that a board change can go ahead.

As a responsible landlord, you would have used a qualified electrician registered on the CPS register Home - https://www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk/ He/she will put right any problems that arise and by using someone from a scheme you can rest assured that they are fully insured.

Relax.

 

[UNG]

Thanks loz2754, It's a bit more reassuring but I'd still like to know how I go about a claim if this occurs. It might sound like I'm overreacting but I get the impression that the only loser out of all this is the owner who has to cough up. The tenant is protected by law, the contractor hides behind a short-term guarantee and the agent sits on the fence

I'm not sure what guarantee / warranty you are expecting could it be 5 or 10 years would you pay for a yearly or 2 yearly check on your installation to maintain your warranty like you do on a new vehicle, I very much doubt you would as you appear to be complaining about the cost of the CU, was the this work organised by a letting agent and did they take their %age adding to the cost

As a responsible landlord, you would have used a qualified electrician registered on the CPS register Home - https://www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk/ He/she will put right any problems that arise

I don't know why people keep on peddling this after seeing some of the posts on here the CPS is an embarrassment to this industry

 

[andyb]

I'm not sure what guarantee / warranty you are expecting could it be 5 or 10 years would you pay for a yearly or 2 yearly check on your installation to maintain your warranty like you do on a new vehicle, I very much doubt you would as you appear to be complaining about the cost of the CU, was the this work organised by a letting agent and did they take their %age adding to the cost

I don't know why people keep on peddling this after seeing some of the posts on here the CPS is an embarrassment to this industry

And I don't know why people keep on pedaling using unregistered un vetted electricians UNG, some of the posts on here regarding work done by handymen and chancers are an embarrassment to this industry.

For what it's worth, I was not 'peddling' anything, you do what you like. I pay to have my business checked annually by NAPIT, they check I have all the necessary insurances, qualifications, up to date publications, test equipment, knowledge of the regs and they inspect my work. All being well I go onto the CPS list. Now, by no means perfect but it's better than what was there before. Sure there are rogues out there, but as a layman with no electrical experience and not knowing any electricians, what's the best way to source someone to change my CU?.

What’s your message to any youngsters just getting into the industry? ‘You don’t need to bother with all that registration and red tape rubbish, just wing it’

I don’t think you'd say that.

 

[Deleted account]

another piece of reassurance is most electrical registration schemes have insurance to guarantee works for seven years For any notifyable works.

a board change is notifiable.

it’s good your a Concerned responsible landlord, but a think you are over thinking things A bit.

 

[Teddy Lop]

Its easy to be judgemental on the OP, but plenty in his position have trusted and been led by their letting agents in recent times to use utter cowboys and chancers. Of course, letting being an industry that makes the entire building game look virtuous.

 

[Mike Johnson]

That's a good point, I will have to look up how qualified a letting agent has to be and the required professional indemnity insurance against recommendations for contractors, if recommended by them they must be liable for the standard of work!

 

[Teddy Lop]

That's a good point, I will have to look up how qualified a letting agent has to be and the required professional indemnity insurance against recommendations for contractors, if recommended by them they must be liable for the standard of work!

If only!

 

[Mike Johnson]

Lots of codicils in these type of contracts, would have to see the contract between the letting agent and the property owner to be sure, but any advice given by any letting agent must make them liable for the contractors performance, but not necessarily for the standard of work, especially if the letting agent asks the property owner to sign and accept the quotation.

 

[andyb]

The point I was trying to make is, the consumer unit as fitted is a construct of the electrician. Sure the consumer unit as bought will have a warranty but the 1st thing the sparky will do is knock holes in it, he will then fit other items such as mcbs, rcbos and maybe other things. It is a device made by him and he will guarantee it. If a device fails, the electrician will replace it under warranty.

I’d be interested to know if the OP demands the receipts for the various parts when he has work done on his car in case the mechanic goes out of business.

I will say however, I think for the electrician to say that the work is guaranteed for 1 year is a bit poor. Fine to say that the parts will be covered by the manufacturer's warranty, but the work itself should be covered for life. By this I mean if I’ve done something wrong and it comes to light, I will go and put it right whenever. If an electrician fits an mcb poorly, let's say he fit it to the busbar incorrectly and it starts to burn, he can’t really say ‘I fitted that 2 ½ years ago mate so it’s out of guarantee’.