Consumer Unit Changes - What make & what price?

[markthespark]

Hello hope everyone is well.

I was wondering how much you guys charge for a Consumer Unit change and test.

The company i used to work for used to charge around £450+vat.

Ive googled a few prices and some people are doing them for as little as £250.

Im looking at starting my prices at around £325 not including bonding.

£75 for fully loaded Wylex board.

£15 for new tails, new earth block and labeling etc.

So that leaves £235 profit minus 20% tax which leaves £188 profit.

Which isnt bad but i still think its quite a cheap price. But with the recession are customers willing to pay anymore?

Does anyone claw back profit on the materials by using cheaper boards, ive seen BG boards fully loaded for £50.

Are they any good?

Cheers.

 

[sedgy34]

Hello hope everyone is well.

I was wondering how much you guys charge for a Consumer Unit change and test.

The company i used to work for used to charge around £450+vat.


Ive googled a few prices and some people are doing them for as little as £250.

Im looking at starting my prices at around £325 not including bonding.

£75 for fully loaded Wylex board.

£15 for new tails, new earth block and labeling etc.

So that leaves £235 profit minus 20% tax which leaves £188 profit.

Which isnt bad but i still think its quite a cheap price. But with the recession are customers willing to pay anymore?

Does anyone claw back profit on the materials by using cheaper boards, ive seen BG boards fully loaded for £50.

Are they any good?

Cheers.

£400 all in but your up against the spark with no work and only wants £100 to do the same as you

 

[bwm730]

I normally charge £300 for supplying and installing a 10way Daul RCD CU ( Wylex, Contactum, Schneider (all about £80 fully loaded)) including 1 metre 25mm tails. If its part of a rewire then £250. People even question this price until i explain that it's a days work including testing and certificating.

 

[Ponty Massive]

Out of that £188, you then have to take out your part p annual subscription, then your notification fee, then your public liability insurances, then the cost of the fuel to get your to and from the job, then the general running costs of your van / car, road tax, insurance, time travelling to the wholesales. Then things like allowing for your meter calibration. When you have complete the job, time taken writing out the certificate and posting /emailing.

Not to mention advertising and the fact you wont get every job you quote on, so time and travelling costs to be allowed for work you don't even get....

£350 is about the right price, but don't think you'll end up with £188 profit.

 

[markthespark]

I know mate thats the sad thing, might aswell work for someone and save the hassle.

 

[Dave 85]

Yeah bout £350 for me.
If you're working local, 200+days a year, then I find the expense of running the business, after materials is about 5k, a lot of which is vehicle running cost, which most people in other jobs have to pay out of their taxed salary anyway. So a ton a week, which doesnt hurt too bad if you aim to make £200 a day minimum for labour.

 

[ample current]

I quoted £250-£300 for a CU change supply and install and cert. I didnt get it as the next quote was cheaper, dunno how much by tho.

 

[Amp David]

One reason i've knocked driving miles to do jobs on the head. Stay local now and still get the work.

BG CUs are as good as any other budget brand CU, used a few and not had any problems so far.

 

[Octopus]

So that leaves £235 profit minus 20% tax which leaves £188 profit.

Less 9% National Insurance

Where in the UK are you?

 

[markthespark]

Im in Manchester. £250 - £300 seems really cheap dont know how people are making money charging less.

 

[Octopus]

Im in Manchester. £250 - £300 seems really cheap dont know how people are making money charging less.

By avoiding TAX and national insurance probably

 

[Andy78]

A local company has been advertising in the local paper for the past few weeks. Rewires from £1000, board swaps from £100. £100 !!!!! tested, certed and notified ? He can't be making anything, even if his £100 is for a 4 way board with no bonding.

 

[Spudnik]

£450 here.

Although it does depend a great deal on the state of the existing installation when i have done the survey.

 

[markthespark]

Surely notifiable jobs leave a paper trail for the tax man?

 

[Tonkatoy27]

I use Crabtree CU's as you haven't got to drop out the entire bus bar to add a CB in the future. Also means the bus bar is 90% insulated in it's own right.
Inc the vat most customers get away with £300-£350 for the entire job. I always state, 'cheaper materials are availible if required' on the estimate for the scrooges out there.

 

[Tonkatoy27]

A local company has been advertising in the local paper for the past few weeks. Rewires from £1000, board swaps from £100. £100 !!!!! tested, certed and notified ? He can't be making anything, even if his £100 is for a 4 way board with no bonding.

I can change boards for £100 as long as its a garage board with one socket and one light! And I can rewire said garage for £1000 as well if the customer wants to pay me that much.

 

[Spudnik]

Surely notifiable jobs leave a paper trail for the tax man?

Correct.

And now you understand Part P.:wink_smile:

 

[Amp David]

Surely notifiable jobs leave a paper trail for the tax man?

Thats because most of em aren't getting notified. Whos there to check that it does - no one

 

[Welchyboy]

I usually charge around £350 for 10 way wylex, sometimes less if it's an easy one, bonding usually included unless its major so around £100 mats, £250 profit, usually an easy day and finished early afternoon unless hit problems with testing, normally have some small bits to do on way home to top up the days money.
On a pre job survey you can usually tell if the jobs gonna be a DIY nightmare or not and I try to avoid these ones or price accordingly

 

[Spurs]

I have a standard charge of £450 for a CU swap, which includes tails etc. Also allows for testing and for any unforseen faults to be found and rectified (within reason), and certification.
We are based in north west London, i would imagine that location will be a big factor on prices.

 

[PC Electrics]

Surely notifiable jobs leave a paper trail for the tax man?

No, not at all.
It's notified jobs that leave the paper trail.

 

[Welchyboy]

I have a standard charge of £450 for a CU swap, which includes tails etc. Also allows for testing and for any unforseen faults to be found and rectified (within reason), and certification.
We are based in north west London, i would imagine that location will be a big factor on prices.

^^^I am located in essex but now and then when i get the odd cu change in london i think this would be a more realistic figure yes, i think london pricing has a rule of its own for me, normal price x at least 35% for traffic/travelling time/parking/parking tickets/wheel clamps/congestion zone and all the other general ball-aches that go with a days work up there! lol

 

[gap30]

Problem i find is as soon as i mention the test on top ie £200 for board change then say £80 for eicr i have effectively lost the job as so many people will just do a board change without the test.

Up here in Liverpool its a nightmare pricing for work atm, i quoted a guy £35 for an additional socket the other day and he told me to you know what it was 10 miles away, socket, back box, cable, fuel, labour...

board changes are a minefield, i HAVE to convince the customer to get the test done, its got that bad i done a few free tests serious just to cover myself, there is no way in this world i would get £300 plus for a board change and i only fit square d as i can em fully loaded from theelectricalwarehouse for £65, great site btw for boards

 

[Welchyboy]

No wonder your loosing jobs pricing for a cu change then an additional eicr, a customer just wants one price, you need to have a good survey before hand, then go on your instincts and findings,I accept the fact that mostly they will go ok and I'll win and sometimes I will find issues and maybe some minor fault rectification will be required, but I can usually tell what the installs gonna be like after having a good look for additions, cpc's on lighting and a 250v ins res between N and earth

 

[gap30]

what certification do you issue following a board change? serious question i always try to carry out eicr at same time as board change, i am new to running my own business btw so would really appreciate help!!

And eic with no test results

http://www.esc.org.uk/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/industry/best_practice/BPG6_09.pdf

The initial approach of the contractor planning the
replacement of a consumer unit should be to
encourage the customer to have a periodic
inspection and test of the installation carried out in
advance of the consumer unit being replaced.

 

[jase]

Hello hope everyone is well.

I was wondering how much you guys charge for a Consumer Unit change and test.

The company i used to work for used to charge around £450+vat.

Ive googled a few prices and some people are doing them for as little as £250.

Im looking at starting my prices at around £325 not including bonding.

£75 for fully loaded Wylex board.

£15 for new tails, new earth block and labeling etc.

So that leaves £235 profit minus 20% tax which leaves £188 profit.
minus insurance
minus part p registration/LABC notification
minus fuel/van tax/wear and tear
minus outlay on tools/repair/wear......

Which isnt bad but i still think its quite a cheap price. But with the recession are customers willing to pay anymore?

Does anyone claw back profit on the materials by using cheaper boards, ive seen BG boards fully loaded

Are they any good?

Cheers.

......

 

[jase]

Do the EICR as part of the board change, just tell em the price is £350, if they ask what you are doing and what is taking so long and why everything has to be unplugged just explain the tests that have to be carried out as part of the testing process that is part of the upgrade

 

[spark 68]

I just do a quick pre-test, how much pre-testing depends on the installation as the previous posters have said, you can usually tell early on if you are going to have problems.

I don't a full blown recorded EICR though, unless the client specfically ask for this (chargeable).

Some of the testing can be done during the change, although I always do a Ze test prior to starting any work at all, not just on CU changes, (usually at the survey stage).

The EIC covers everything, no need to provide a seperate EICR unless it is specifically requested.

There is a sticky on the forum about this subject here:

http://www.electriciansforums.net/e...ctrical-regulations/12971-cu-changes-you.html

 

[Welchyboy]

what certification do you issue following a board change? serious question i always try to carry out eicr at same time as board change, i am new to running my own business btw so would really appreciate help!!

And eic with no test results

http://www.esc.org.uk/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/industry/best_practice/BPG6_09.pdf

The initial approach of the contractor planning the
replacement of a consumer unit should be to
encourage the customer to have a periodic
inspection and test of the installation carried out in
advance of the consumer unit being replaced.

In a perfect world every customer would want this done and pay for it but the real world ain't like that, plus with an eicr as well you are taking on a load more paperwork too, just test all the circuits your reconnecting before/after the board change as this is required as you are effectively changing the protective device for each circuit(usually) when I quote for a job a have a written quote and in small print at the bottom I have some thing like this

'quotation includes full test, inspection and certification of stated works plus remedial work of any minor faults, however on discovery of any unforeseen major problems further remedial works may need to be undertaken before a satisfactory certificate can be issued, these may incurr an additional cost to the customer.

It's just to cover yourself, I have not needed to go down this route so far, and have been self employed since 2004, just do a good survey beforehand!

 

[huntos33]

I Charge 2 hours to change the board ( maybe a bit more if its in a right pig of place) then half hour per curcuit to test after not had any complaints , must admit i use wylex DBs find them hastle free

 

[Ianw3291]

I'm based in Wigan and i usually charge £300-350 for a CU swap. Usually thats a 10way dual RCD MK board as they're well priced and i find them easy to install along with tails and main earth.
Bonding to water and gas would be more and dependent on length of cable runs and install method which is normally agreed with client prior to start of work.
I budget a full day for a CU swap to make sure i've got time to fix any little niggles.

I always offer an EICR (PIR) before a board change as you're supposed to. Anyone who wants it done without i'll still complete but explain that its a possibility if i find any potentially dangerous conditions i won't reconnect/energise that circuit until remedial works have been completed. I find people in general just want the board changed and so take the risk on me not connecting a circuit. Thankfully I've only had 3 i can think of where this has been the case and after I've explained and shown them whats wrong they've agreed the remedials.

I've lost out on work offering the EICR before the change in the past as people are so aware these days of cowboys they think you're trying to pull a fast one and get more money out of them. And of course there's always bodgit and scarper from the pub who've said you shouldn't pay more than £100 for the swap and they offer "to do it for a pint pal"

I think in the current economic climate its hard to price jobs based on you earning a decent wage but competing with the other "registered" sparks who don't give any paper work. The public need more education on whats required from all trades after works completed so they can recognise good quality workmen from billy bodgit.

 

[oldtimer]

I read a lot on these posts about £--- for a CU change that does not include earthing so tell me if you are part P or registered how do you get away with not earthing the gas & water

 

[Spazz]

I charge £250 supply and install + Travel (£0.45 per mile)

Supply only costs £75 max

Install Profit £175 - all insurance, NAPIT, Notification, etc

Might go upto £300 in the next month or so - we will see


Extra if:
extending cables
Bonding
Tails more than 500mm

 

[Spazz]

Just seen this:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]My Pricing :[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]House re-wire from[/FONT]​	[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]£ 1500[/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Replacement fusebox from[/FONT]​	[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]£ 200[/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Additional sockets from[/FONT]​	[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]£ 30[/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Outside lights from[/FONT]​	[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]£ 60[/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]No obligation inspection and test from[/FONT]​	[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]£ 60[/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Free advice and estimates[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]DIY work checked - I work with you, as well as for you[/FONT]​

This is a company near me

Not sure how they make their money! or about the check DIY work - sparky does not work for LABC

 

[Octopus]

Just seen this:

My Pricing :
House re-wire from​	£ 1500​
Replacement fusebox from​	£ 200​
Additional sockets from​	£ 30​
Outside lights from​	£ 60​
No obligation inspection and test from​	£ 60​
Free advice and estimates DIY work checked - I work with you, as well as for you​

This is a company near me

Not sure how they make their money! or about the check DIY work - sparky does not work for LABC

I would be very wary of the word "from"

I do CU installs "from £150" but that would be a new 2 way CU and henley block!!

 

[Tonkatoy27]

I read a lot on these posts about £--- for a CU change that does not include earthing so tell me if you are part P or registered how do you get away with not earthing the gas & water

I'm with ELECSA and regulaly have customers where I've changed the consumer unit, tested and found no earth bonding to water or gas or both. Obviously then we inform the customer straight away but if they don't want to pay you the money to do it then you can't force them! I've had some sucess giving out Electrical Safety Council leaflets on earthing and bonding to try and make the customer understand but sometimes they just won't stump up to have it done. I know in a perfect world we would survey first and make them aware prior to the consumer unit but you run the risk of them thinking you are fishing for extra's. (I blame the cowboy builder programs)
No bonding gets noted on installation certificate and if we don't return to book it they get a follow up letter with said ESC leaflet. My ELECSA assessor seems fine with all this.
You can take a horse to water.........

 

[Octopus]

I'm with ELECSA and regulaly have customers where I've changed the consumer unit, tested and found no earth bonding to water or gas or both. Obviously then we inform the customer straight away but if they don't want to pay you the money to do it then you can't force them! I've had some sucess giving out Electrical Safety Council leaflets on earthing and bonding to try and make the customer understand but sometimes they just won't stump up to have it done. I know in a perfect world we would survey first and make them aware prior to the consumer unit but you run the risk of them thinking you are fishing for extra's. (I blame the cowboy builder programs)
No bonding gets noted on installation certificate and if we don't return to book it they get a follow up letter with said ESC leaflet. My ELECSA assessor seems fine with all this.
You can take a horse to water.........

Whilst I agree in part, my estimates show the bonding as an "extra" and I've explained to the client that they are required as part of the visit prior to doing the estimate.

I do how ever wonder why the ESC encourages us to add bonding for even the smallest change and allows every tom, dick and harry to buy/install in perfect ignorance.

 

[oldtimer]

Whilst I agree in part, my estimates show the bonding as an "extra" and I've explained to the client that they are required as part of the visit prior to doing the estimate.

I do how ever wonder why the ESC encourages us to add bonding for even the smallest change and allows every tom, dick and harry to buy/install in perfect ignorance.

Totally agree Murdoch when you survey the job thats when you find that there is no earth going to either gas or water or both and always draw their attention to this but to do the job and then tell them or worse hold this information back well thats just plain wrong plus with assesors they seem to make it up as they go along

 

[Spazz]

What I find is a good way of dealing with customers with no earth bonding is tell them you have an obligation to issue them with a Electrical Danger Notice and a copy must go to the LA Public Safety Department.

They usually tell you to crack on with it.

Personally that is the first thing I check

NO BONDING - NO STARTING WORK!

 

[oldtimer]

What I find is a good way of dealing with customers with no earth bonding is tell them you have an obligation to issue them with a Electrical Danger Notice and a copy must go to the LA Public Safety Department.

They usually tell you to crack on with it.

Personally that is the first thing I check

NO BONDING - NO STARTING WORK!

Hence why I ask how can you put in a CU as you are obliged to highlight it plus Schemies should not be telling their members to send a get out of jail letter reminding them it needs done after the fact

 

[Tonkatoy27]

"NO BONDING - NO STARTING WORK!"


I'd love to be so busy I could turn down work because the customer does not want me to install it! I've even had cases of customers not wanting it because it wouldn't look nice and regulaly have to paint the cable black to keep them happy. Don't get me wrong, I'm strongly advising it all the time but people just seem to be suspicious of my motives. They are happy to pay to get what they want but don't want to pay for essential safety precautions. I even tell them about the poor lady in Cornwall last year found dead in the bath by her daughter because the taps were live.
I had a strange installation for a friend last weekend, no internal stopcock, no idea where the incoming pipe entered the house. Plastic under the kitchen sink and in bathroom but metal pipes to the new washing machine and copper pipes feeding electric 'wet' heating system. Only one earth wire at conunit. (6mm) disapearing under kitchen floor (polished floorboards) and no sign of earth stake. (TT)
Got to presume 6mm goes to earth stake under kitchen floor due to Ze being reasonable but god knows about the water earthing. Can't lift kitchen floor to inspect without damage. Can't get an earth cable to visible copper pipes at rear of property without running cable surface front to back internally. Just had to recommend it but not heard anything yet about doing it and thats a friend!

 

[Tonkatoy27]

Hence why I ask how can you put in a CU as you are obliged to highlight it plus Schemies should not be telling their members to send a get out of jail letter reminding them it needs done after the fact

ELECSA didn't tell me to send a letter. I decided to draft one and send it because:
a. I'm worried that their electrical installation isn't bonded and as safe as it could be.
b. I would love the oppotunity to return, install bonding and make some money
c. I want to make it plain in the event of a shock or fire that I did everything possible to try and persude the customer to have it done short of doing the job for free.

Whats safer. An old wylex wooden board with rewirable fuses and no RCD with no bonding or a 17th board with MCB/RCD protection and no bonding?

 

[Welchyboy]

"NO BONDING - NO STARTING WORK!"


I'd love to be so busy I could turn down work because the customer does not want me to install it! I've even had cases of customers not wanting it because it wouldn't look nice and regulaly have to paint the cable black to keep them happy. Don't get me wrong, I'm strongly advising it all the time but people just seem to be suspicious of my motives. They are happy to pay to get what they want but don't want to pay for essential safety precautions. I even tell them about the poor lady in Cornwall last year found dead in the bath by her daughter because the taps were live.
I had a strange installation for a friend last weekend, no internal stopcock, no idea where the incoming pipe entered the house. Plastic under the kitchen sink and in bathroom but metal pipes to the new washing machine and copper pipes feeding electric 'wet' heating system. Only one earth wire at conunit. (6mm) disapearing under kitchen floor (polished floorboards) and no sign of earth stake. (TT)
Got to presume 6mm goes to earth stake under kitchen floor due to Ze being reasonable but god knows about the water earthing. Can't lift kitchen floor to inspect without damage. Can't get an earth cable to visible copper pipes at rear of property without running cable surface front to back internally. Just had to recommend it but not heard anything yet about doing it and thats a friend!

I really dont see this as such a problem , I just quote to do it with the board, I also give them the Niceic customer earthing and bonding sheet and explain why I'm doing it, yeah it's a pain Sometimes but I wouldn't carry on with the install without installing it, it's a direct contravention of the regs and your leaving yourself wide open issuing a cert and signing it too!!

Bad practice and unproffessional IMO! What's next no rcd protection as the customer wont pay for it and you can't afford to loose the work?!

Customers like that you don't want or need, if the worst happens they will be the first to take you to the cleaners!

 

[PC Electrics]

I'm with ELECSA and regulaly have customers where I've changed the consumer unit, tested and found no earth bonding to water or gas or both. Obviously then we inform the customer straight away but if they don't want to pay you the money to do it then you can't force them! I've had some sucess giving out Electrical Safety Council leaflets on earthing and bonding to try and make the customer understand but sometimes they just won't stump up to have it done. I know in a perfect world we would survey first and make them aware prior to the consumer unit but you run the risk of them thinking you are fishing for extra's. (I blame the cowboy builder programs)
No bonding gets noted on installation certificate and if we don't return to book it they get a follow up letter with said ESC leaflet. My ELECSA assessor seems fine with all this.
You can take a horse to water.........

Who's your assessor then? Mine's Russ Prestidge and I'm 99.9% certain he would pull you up sharp if you showed him that.
MPB is a basic safety requirement, not an optional extra.
Your new CU install must conform to the regulations including MPB.

No MPB is a C2 on an eicr! That means unsatisfactory. How can you do work that leaves an install in an unsatisfactory condition?

I suggest you check guide 6 here:
Best practice guides : Electrical Safety Council
especially the flow chart inside the back page.

 

[Ponty Massive]

You shouldn't change the CU unless the bonding is in place !!!

 

[Octopus]

I suggest you check guide 6 here:
Best practice guides : Electrical Safety Council
especially the flow chart inside the back page.

So you leave a BS3036 board in place rather than install a dual RCD board because there's no bonding?? Don't get me wrong but I'd argue that the dual RCD board is much safer than the 3036 board, and we're supposed to be making sites safer.

 

[Tonkatoy27]

I quite agree with all your views and know that in the best practice world, the one or two times a year this happens, I should throw my hands up in the air and walk away but do believe that only two things will happen from this, the customer will go to an unregistered sparky who will do the job for cash and not care whether or not anything is earthed, not just the water and gas and I'll have more problems paying the bills that month. I believe the client is better off having a full explanation on why it is needed and a new fuse board with the correct certificates showing any defects and recomendations than no paperwork at all. When I was talking specifically about this last year with ELECSA, they agreed. If this puts me in the firing line if something goes wrong then so be it but it will be the client at fault as I'll have their signature saying they wont carry it out to back me up. 'something' is much less likely to go wrong with a dual RCD board on an installation that's been tested than an old Wylex with no tets. I'm up for assesment next month and will bring it up again along with the two NICEIC sparkys in my area that I've caught changing consumer units because they need a spare way for a shower, only testing the new circuit and still not installing bonding. If the customer wanted a new shower circuit and didn't have bonding then yes, I'd walk. (I already know that ELECSA can't do anything about the dodgy NIC sparks, neither will the LABC, or even the NICEIC until the said sparky has been asked by the client to return and do it properly)

 

[Spazz]

I have had a similar situation to Tonkatoy cant find any everdance of bonding to water or gas so what I did was did a continuity between the earth pin of the socket (CPC) and the copper water pipe and gas pipe.
Disconnected the earth (isolated supply of course) and I had a nice reading of less than 1ohm - didn't see any reason to start running 10mm anywhere just to satisfy 17th regs.
What ever was there has been fine for 50+ years and is still giving a nice continuity now!

At the end of the day you cant apply 17th regs for old installs (not under 17th regs).

I could not understand where on earth these pipes where getting an earth from but they where. No 10 mm in CU (that I could see) but saying that there was a 10mm connected to the supply pipes.
Customer didn't want me running 10mm around the house either.
I even did an RCD test (1x test) on the water as the earth and the RCD kicked in no problems at all so again not a clue!

(Yes I did reconnect the main earth before anyone asks!)

 

[spark 68]

So you leave a BS3036 board in place rather than install a dual RCD board because there's no bonding?? Don't get me wrong but I'd argue that the dual RCD board is much safer than the 3036 board, and we're supposed to be making sites safer.

I hear what you are saying Murdoch, but the 3036 board has not got my name on it.

Iam with Nicholas here, No Bonding = No Work.
As Welchyboy pointed out you are leaving yourself wide open, and no letter is going to cover your arse, the customer is not a skilled person and therefore cannot make that choice (legally), you are the competent person onsite and the buck stops with you.

 

[Spazz]

So you leave a BS3036 board in place rather than install a dual RCD board because there's no bonding?? Don't get me wrong but I'd argue that the dual RCD board is much safer than the 3036 board, and we're supposed to be making sites safer.

I have before - dont get me wrong the RCD wont work if a fault occurred and the pipes came live!
At the end of the day you signed that cert saying it complys with 17th regs (unless you state otherwise) If you install the CU and no bonding in place and someone is killed then good luck to anyone who thinks they can persuade the wigs that you acted in the best interests and inline with 17th regs and ESAWR (Electrical Safety at Work Regs) and HASWA 1974, etc

Everyone knows my opinion about RCDs, but I have once before walked out of a rental property (BS3036) inplace no bonding and informed LA Public Protection - within 1 hour they where around there and 1 hour later the landlord called me back to do it correctly!

To be honest I would rather do it that way and watch my back (and the family in the house) than please a landlord who clearly does not care about the safety of their tenants!