The statutory requirements for electrical installations are different in England and Wales from those in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Electricians carrying out work in England and Wales have to comply with Part P of the Building Regulations whereas in Scotland it is the Building Standards system. At the present time Northern Ireland has no equivalent statutory requirement.
Changes to Part P
In January 2012, the Government launched a public consultation on Part P of the Building Regulations for England. This consultation closed on 27th April and changes came into force in April 2013. Any amendments with a regulatory impact take effect in April 2014.
The main changes, introduced in April are:
- The range of electrical installation work that is notifiable (where there is a requirement to certify compliance with the Building Regulations) has been reduced, removing some work carried out in kitchens and outdoors.
- An installer who is not a registered competent person may use a registered third party to certify notifiable electrical installation work as an alternative to using a building control body.
We are particularly concerned with the government's preferred course of removing electrical work in kitchens and outdoors from the scope of Part P and continue to campaign for these areas to be retained as notifiable, due to the increased risks to householders.
Electrical Safety First recommends that you use a registered electrician for installation work in the home.