Light hanging from electrical terminal

[GregH101]

I have just had a professional firm redo my ceiling under an insurance claim and this is how they refitted the light (I removed the covers to reveal the terminal)
I don't know much about building regs and electrical compliance. Can someone tell me if this is OK? My instinct says no F*ing way can this be OK and I would never do this as an amateur DIYer, so I was a little surprised that an electrician did this.

I will be contacting the project manager first thing on Monday but would like to have my facts right.

 

[dmxtothemax]

If that light is NOT supported by screws or a hook ?
And is just hanging from the cables ?
Then this is most certainly NOT up to code !

 

[Pete999]

Completely unacceptable.

 

[mhar]

I fitted two of those exact same lights last week, they are from Ikea. There is a hook which has push connectors attached which is missing plus a plastic cage type thing that slots into the three slots visible in the bottom picture.
However, even with all the correct parts I wasn't happy. I drilled a 70mm hole in ceiling so that I could insert a 2 x 1" batten in it. On the batten I screwed an enclosure (in which I used the supplied push connectors removed from the plastic hook) for my terminations and attached the hook to the batten. I discarded the plastic cage type thing as well.
To answer the OP, what you have is not acceptable. However my opinion is that what Ikea supplied would not be accaptable either but for under £1 extra in bits it is relatively straight foward to make it compliant

 

[Richard Burns]

A terminal block enclosed within the lamp base is acceptable, but could be enclosed.
Supporting the light on this connection is not acceptable.

 

[GregH101]

Thanks for the responses, that is as I thought. I imagined most qualified electricians would be horrified at this.
I have had issues with the company, more specifically with the Project management than the skilled tradesmen, but this does make me angry because if the light comes down and leave the (supporting) live wire bare, that is just plain dangerous on multiple levels. If I wanted to take this further, I should probably ask questions about the qualifications of an electrician who leaves this in place. Who is the ombudsman that I should report this sort of dangerous work to?

Thanks again,
Greg

 

[Andy78]

Agreed, not acceptable at all. Fit a pendant base to support the flex.

 

[GregH101]

I fitted two of those exact same lights last week, they are from Ikea. There is a hook which has push connectors attached which is missing plus a plastic cage type thing that slots into the three slots visible in the bottom picture.

Thanks, yes we got this fitting from Ikea when our kitchen was first fitted. I was not around when they removed the fitting and I have no idea what was there or not, but because this job has been so poorly managed there is little continuity and the electrician who removed the light was not the same one who re-fitted it, so maybe parts have gone missing in the meantime, but ultimately there must be standard pendant supports available even if all of the right parts were not there; and leaving this and walking away as if the job was complete rather than either a) getting the required parts, or b) letting me know that parts are missing, is still a big issue for me.

 

[westward10]

You say the electrician who removed the light was not the same one that fitted it. The one that fitted it may call himself an electrician but I would call him something else.

 

[Midwest]

If you up to it, turn off the power & unscrew the wires form each connector (leave connectors on exposed wires) before Monday morning, just in case it falls on someone's head!

 

[westward10]

If you up to it, turn off the power & unscrew the wires form each connector (leave connectors on exposed wires) before Monday morning, just in case it falls on someone's head!

Good idea, this sort of thing outrages me where the householder is relying on so called professionals to carry out safe work.

 

[GregH101]

If you up to it, turn off the power & unscrew the wires form each connector (leave connectors on exposed wires) before Monday morning, just in case it falls on someone's head!

I got in touch with the Insurer and they agreed that this is not acceptable and that if I get an electrician in on the weekend to make it safe they will cover "reasonable costs" whatever that means. I am quite keen to follow that route so that the contractor is made to pick up the cost- they should feel the consequences in their pocket or they simply won't care.

I'm in Walton-On-Thames in Surrey if anyone wants to PM me.

 

[Midwest]

I got in touch with the Insurer and they agreed that this is not acceptable and that if I get an electrician in on the weekend to make it safe they will cover "reasonable costs" whatever that means. I am quite keen to follow that route so that the contractor is made to pick up the cost- they should feel the consequences in their pocket or they simply won't care.

I'm in Walton-On-Thames in Surrey if anyone wants to PM me.

Quite right too.

 

[Dan]

I'm in Walton-On-Thames in Surrey if anyone wants to PM me.

Looking for Domestic Electricians? - http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk/forums/looking-for-domestic-electricians.85/

Make a thread of its own in this forum category and I'm sure somebody will be able to help you out.

 

[GregH101]

Thanks to all for the responses. I got a local electrician via Check-a-trade. Took him no time at all to install a ceiling rose and he charged a reasonable rate, especially considering it was a Sunday call-out.

Thanks all.

Cheers,
Greg

 

[Midwest]

Thanks to all for the responses. I got a local electrician via Check-a-trade. Took him no time at all to install a ceiling rose and he charged a reasonable rate, especially considering it was a Sunday call-out.

Thanks all.

Cheers,
Greg

How much as a matter of interest?

 

[GregH101]

£55 labour + 2.50 parts + vat