Propriétaires

If you came via our main page then you'll know that absolutely anyone in the UK can call themselves a plumber. The same is also true for those people doing domestic electrical maintenance - all they have to do is call themselves 'competent'.

This situation is bad enough for those people who want work done in their own homes, but for landlords who don't live in or close to the properties they rent, the situation is even worse. At least a home owner is 'on site' and can physically check the quality of the work being done and also make sure that what's been charged for has actually been completed.

Plumbing
Did you know that you're just as legally responsible for making sure your plumbing conforms to the Water Regulations (The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999) as the person who works on your water supply? That means you can have legal action brought against you in the event of a problem, even though you didn't do the work that's in contravention of the Water Regulations.

In the event of an insurance claim, one has to remember that an insurer is going to take into account any work that doesn't comply with the regulations and adjust the amount they are prepared to pay out accordingly.

Put simply, if you're going to have work done on your plumbing, make sure you choose a qualified plumber, who understands the legal requirements of the work they perform (and who preferably has a copy of the regulations in their van for reference).

Electrical Maintenance
The law regarding who can and cannot work on domestic electrical systems states that the person must either be qualified or 'competent'. At first glace this seems perfectly straight forward and logical. However, what does 'competent' mean and who decides? This is where the problems start.

Obviously a qualified electrician is 'competent' as is someone who is Part P qualified - they have, after all, official certificates proving their training and competency. But what about someone who says they're 'competent' but who doesn't have legitimate electrical qualifications? Who decides that they're 'competent'? Unbelievably, the unqualified person does. But how does this person know they're 'competent' if they have no qualifications? If they have never had to prove their competency to an official examiner?

Unfortunately there are too many cases in the UK, that have ended up in court, where someone who has classified themselves as 'competent' has been proven to be anything but.

Don't take chances with your livelihood - only use qualified people to do your electrical maintenance and always make sure you have that work certificated by the person who performs the tasks.