Do I have to replace my plastic consumer unit?

[Helpimanewbie]

Hi I need some impartial advice about my plastic consumer unit. It is mounted on the wall above some stairs in my flat. I have been told it doesn't meet building regs and must be replaced with a metal one. Would this area count as an escape route? Do I have to change the unit?
Many many thanks for any help at all.

 

[SparkyChick]

The Best Practice Guides No. 4, which covers electrical installation condition reports suggest a classification of C3, improvement recommended... if you only had C3s on a report it would be classed as satisfactory.

https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/media/1200/best-practice-guide-4-issue-4.pdf

Page 16 I thin if you'd like to look it up for yourself.

Yes, it would be a safety improvement, but it is not required. And if someone has told you it's not compliant with building regulations... they are incorrect. It is not compliant with the current edition of the wiring regulations (BS 7671) which is the standards document which defines the standards to which all electrical work in the UK should be carried out.

If we installed a plastic consumer unit in a house today, it would be non-compliant, but as it was installed some time ago, yes it's non-compliant but it's not necessary to remove it if the only reason is 'it's plastic'.

Hope that helps.

 

[Helpimanewbie]

The Best Practice Guides No. 4, which covers electrical installation condition reports suggest a classification of C3, improvement recommended... if you only had C3s on a report it would be classed as satisfactory.

https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/media/1200/best-practice-guide-4-issue-4.pdf

Page 16 I thin if you'd like to look it up for yourself.

Yes, it would be a safety improvement, but it is not required. And if someone has told you it's not compliant with building regulations... they are incorrect. It is not compliant with the current edition of the wiring regulations (BS 7671) which is the standards document which defines the standards to which all electrical work in the UK should be carried out.

If we installed a plastic consumer unit in a house today, it would be non-compliant, but as it was installed some time ago, yes it's non-compliant but it's not necessary to remove it if the only reason is 'it's plastic'.

Hope that helps.

Thank you so much. My only thought was that the location could be classed as an escape route but I couldn't find anything definitive on it. Your explanation is really helpful. Thanks again ????

 

[SparkyChick]

And to clarify your other question about an escape route... if it's the sole means of exiting the property in an emergency, then yes, it's an escape route.

 

[mattg4321]

Every other condition report I see these days has someone trying to make out plastic consumer units are ‘illegal’ or similar rubbish.

 

[SparkyChick]

I'll add this... if this has come about as a result of an electrical installation condition report, the classifications are down to the person carrying out the inspection/testing. The Best Practice Guide is just that, a guide.

That being said, personally, if everything else checked out (and there are better reasons to change your consumer unit if you don't already have them, such as RCD protection) I wouldn't classify a plastic consumer unit as a C3 unless it was in the situations listed in the Best Practice Guide. As @mattg4321 this seems to be becoming quite a popular mechanism by which some people are trying to extract work from unsuspecting punters such as yourself.

The sad fact is a lot of people aren't prepared to pay us to do a decent report and thus there are alot of people doing cheap reports with lots of issues on them. If I put my super cynical head on, I suspect they've told the homeowners only they can do the remedial works because they did the report... if you hear this, it's a lie and you should avoid future dealings with the individual concerned. You can have anyone do the remedial works.

If it has come about as a result of an EICR, if you'd like a second (third, fourth, fifth....) opinion, redact any personally identifiable information (names, addresses, report number, signatures etc.) and post it here. We'd be more than happy to give you a more thorough second opinion, but please bear in mind this is ultimately limited as we won't have access to the installation but it can be handy if we spot things that make us think the worst.

 

[snowhead]

I have been told it doesn't meet building regs and must be replaced with a metal one.

Ask the person who told you the above, which particular Building Reg it does not comply with.

Do you own and live in this flat or rent it out to someone?
What was the reason for having an Electrical Inspection done, that's now highlighted this, or was there another reason the issue has been raised?

Have any of the other flats been inspected and found to have the same issue?

 

[kirsty_olds]

Hi, I have received an EICR with a few observations noted:
PVC consumer unit - C3
RCD main switches are in place however they are type AC and cover a large area of the house meaning they may be vulnerable to saturation from DC voltages - C2
alarm - the MCB is rated too high for the size of the cable - C2
basic insulation is exposed at all spotlight terminations that were checked - C2
there is no surge protection device to the installation - C3 (it doesn't state which device)

We are buying the property, which is 10 years old, and the previous owners have shared the report that has just been completed.
I've read about the PVC consumer unit and think I'll just leave this. I am however unsure of the severity of the other defects listed. Could somebody please advise?
Thank you

 

[westward10]

Hi, I have received an EICR with a few observations noted:
PVC consumer unit - C3
RCD main switches are in place however they are type AC and cover a large area of the house meaning they may be vulnerable to saturation from DC voltages - C2
alarm - the MCB is rated too high for the size of the cable - C2
basic insulation is exposed at all spotlight terminations that were checked - C2
there is no surge protection device to the installation - C3 (it doesn't state which device)

We are buying the property, which is 10 years old, and the previous owners have shared the report that has just been completed.
I've read about the PVC consumer unit and think I'll just leave this. I am however unsure of the severity of the other defects listed. Could somebody please advise?
Thank you

PVC consumer unit I wouldn't be worrying about.
AC RCDs would be a bone of contention and the most likely way to rectify this is a replacement consumer unit. I would not be losing sleep over it, most people would Code 3 this.
The alarm mcb being too high should be rectified but the likelihood of it causing a major problem is remote, probably an easy cheap fix.
Spotlight terminations need rectifying, cost wise dependant on quantity and if they possibly need replacing to resolve.
Surge protection device, these are generally now fitted to protect any electrical equipment from unforseen surges. Although separate surge protection devices can be fitted a new consumer unit is probably the best option (only one is required). I would not be losing sleep over it.
If you are buying the property these issues shouldn't be of a concern.