If you are going to be selling your home, you will have to prove to the buyers that the property's electrical installations are up to the Building Regulations' standards. Otherwise, if you cannot, you may be committing an offence.
What is the standard required by Building Regulations?
For all alterations or additions made to the electrics in your home since the year 2005, they have to meet the requirements provided in Part P of the Building Regulations. Part P requires that all electrical work in residential properties is completed to a safe standard.
To ensure all electrical works have met this standard, the local authorities require that these works be certified using an electrical installation certificate (EIC) within 30 days of the work being completed.
What do you need an electrical completion certificate for?
You will need an EIC if any of the following apply:
- If you have installed a new circuit
- If you are replacing the fuse box
- If changes are made to an existing circuit in locations such as bathroom room or shower rooms.
Which documents would you have received?
- Electrical Installation Certificate or Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate.
- Building Regulations Compliance Certificate.
What affects will a missing electrical completion certificate have on the sale?
Lack of electrical completion certificate will be a significant concern for potential buyers. It not only means that the local authority can be taken enforcement action against you and require you to undo any work.
In addition to that, a missing EIC would mean that the work was not up to the standards and are hazardous. Therefore, chances of a quick sale are slim to none if you do not have an electrical completion certificate.
What can you do if you do not have EIC when selling your home?
- If the work was carried out before 2005, then there will be no completion certificate as the Building Regulations were only introduced in 2005.
- You cannot acquire an electrical completion certificate in retrospect.
- Indemnity Insurance Policy – If you get an indemnity insurance policy, it will cover the cost you incurred if the local authorities take enforcement action against you. For a one-off payment, you will be protected against the risk of local authorities taking action against you as well as the subsequent owners.
- However, you should note that if the authorities have ever been informed of the lack of EIC, then you cannot take out an indemnity insurance policy. Further, as local authorities have 12 months to issue you a notice for lack of building regulations, you can only take out an indemnity insurance policy 12 months after completion of the work.
- Redo the EIC – You can get another certified electrician to redo all of the work and give you a new EIC for it. However, this can be quite costly.