thinking about ditching the NIC and heading over to the ECA

[andysparkfree]

Hi

after being with the NICEIC for last 22 years, i thinking of ditching them for the Eca
has anyone done this , are they just the same? and is there online certification system any better?

also , i understand for domestic work you go via a third party, is this simple and is it a house hold name ???

thanks for any responders

 

[Leesparkykent]

Hi

after being with the NICEIC for last 22 years, i thinking of ditching them for the Eca
has anyone done this , are they just the same? and is there online certification system any better?

also , i understand for domestic work you go via a third party, is this simple and is it a house hold name ???

thanks for any responders

They own the ECA.....Or The ECA and the electrical safety first "charity" formed certsure which own the NICEIC and Elecsa.

 

[camerabloke]

STroma my choice

 

[Bob Geldoff1234]

Why are you thinking of leaving? Come on spill the beans

 

[Leesparkykent]

STroma my choice

Who's STROMA?

 

[Pete999]

All tarred with with the same brush imo, takes yer cash and does SFA

 

[Pete999]

Who's STROMA?

Only cus they are the cheapest.

 

[andysparkfree]

thinking of leaving because of the wasted time spent trying to complete certificates on there web site thats down more then up , and they dont even have the curtesy to send a email or post it on social media etc

we get charged if we mess with there time .... doesn't seem to work the other way round lol

 

[Pete999]

thinking of leaving because of the wasted time spent trying to complete certificates on there web site thats down more then up , and they dont even have the curtesy to send a email or post it on social media etc

we get charged if we mess with there time .... doesn't seem to work the other way round lol

You have paid so end of they aint interested.

 

[Octopus]

Just buy a 3rd party certificate package ..................... and join Stroma.........

The total will be less than the the NICEIC charge per year

PS : Stroma have their own "free" software - its not ideal!

 

[Leesparkykent]

I get an email and twitter notification when the sites down for maintenance. Maybe give them a call to see why you aren't receiving the emails.

 

[andysparkfree]

after the site deleted a 36 way db i just typed up , i got straight on the phone , and was told its down and they hoped it would be back properly by the morning
i asked if they planned to let anyone know and she said they don't think they will

obviously a couple of weeks ago when it was down for a few days they sent emails out every 15 and half mins lol

but i have this 28 pay cert thats should be presented by Friday, and at this rate it will be the following Friday if the site carries on the way it is.

and we pay for the privilege of being part of them(blood starts boiling)

was hoping the ESA would be like an oasis compared , but maybe not

 

[Leesparkykent]

I would look at third party software like easycert etc.

 

[rolyberkin]

I lost my first job today from a double glazing company as I wasn't NICEIC, was either that or it was due to asking him if I would actually be paid on completion of works!?

 

[sparksfly]

As mentioned above go with 3rd party software or do your own if poss and use another elec organisation. I use bog standard MS Excel and make my own certs based on BS7671 to avoid subscription charges or network issues....however, each time IET update the regs I brace myself just in case I have to do any major amendments to cert layouts. Took me ages initially, using free printer OCR software and self learning how to fill in a master/template Excel sheet that duplicates data to other sheets. I type the customers info once(incl my own job number) into a master invoice which populates 14 and 30 day Invoices, MWC, EIC,smokes cert and populates another workbook for EICRs by default. Now use macros via "print buttons" which prints job number and cust details in one cell... copy/paste as filename saved as a pdf file. phew...A work in progress still ...can't carry my tool boxes though !!
BTW could you input all of the info in word or excel first and copy/paste later into the program you are using just in case it crashes or is it not that user friendly?

 

[sparksfly]

Example attached blanked out some details

 

[Midwest]

Have to say I've been using the Certsure on-line certification since it came out, with very few problems, until they did their software upgrade, and its all gone Pete Tong. Had more apologetic emails from them in the last few weeks, than I've bills from them.

Thought it was almost resolved now?

 

[Dave OCD]

I'm still doing all my certs and invoices hand written - nice and neatly though.

 

[Doomed]

We stick with NIC because more and more of our clients demand a NIC registrared electrician, and we occasionally pick up work via the NIC recommended electrician part of thier web site.
We still use thier offline electronic software, works for use and we can customise it.

 

[Dave OCD]

Example attached blanked out some details

Circuit 6 looks decidedly iffy mate, quite a few sockets & garage supply on 1.5 with a B20 ? Do you do I.R tests with neutrals and CPCs connected ?