The RCD question is not in dispute, I agree they save lives.
I did some contract work for a LA, and they insisted that all sockets had to be RCD protected, and earthing and bonding brought up to scratch, although they stopped short of a full blown (pardon the pun) 17th ed upgrade, as the housing stock was due a full rewire and modernisation a year or two down the line.
This is what I meant about over and above BS7671, as technically they did not have to (the regs not applying retrospectively).
In one area, they (the council) ordered all private landlords to get a PIR (as it was then) done and again sockets to be RCD'd, bonding and earthing up to scratch within a six month timeframe, or they (the council) would carry out (sub-contract) the PIR at a cost of ÂŁ500, and then force them to make good at additional cost to the landlord.
Iam not sure what legal stick they used to beat the landlords with (maybe withdrawing housing benefits ?), but this was just in one area.
I should point out this was a council regeneration (run down) area, ear-marked for improvement and threats of compulsory purchase on long standing derelict/empty properties etc., so there is some legislation already there, it would appear.
Also I did some work for a letting agent, much the same story as above, and they said it was down to their insurance broker, (maybe a higher premium if not done ?).
This may be the key here, insurance companies.
As I say, I was not privvy to what was threatened, or what was used to 'persuade' these landlords (both social and private) to carry out this work, but as you say they did not do this off of their own back.
My only concern stated in my previous post, is badly thought out/implemented 'knee jerk' policies, which add more red-tape and hoops to jump through for the legitimate traders (usually at our cost), while the unregulated cowboys will still undercut us, SNAFU.
Spark 68: it is not that the concepts are a bad thing per se, it is just once the Government get involved, you just know they will balls it up, or balls up the implementation of it, which usually results in the legitimate trader being penalised, or have additional costs and paperwork heaped on us while the 'rogue element' will just carry on regardless.