Ensuring Your Electrical Work is Officially Approved

If your electrical work falls into the 'notifiable' category, you are legally required to ensure it is thoroughly checked and officially certified. This process confirms its safety and full compliance with Building Regulations. There are several principal methods you can choose from to achieve this:

1. Opting for an Electrician from a Competent Person Scheme

The most straightforward method to guarantee your work complies is to hire an electrician who is part of a recognised competent person self-certification scheme. Such professionals are authorised to certify their own installations, which means:

• You won't have to inform a Building Control Body directly.

• They will provide you with a certificate confirming compliance with Building Regulations within 30 days once the work is finished.

• Your local council will be informed by them about the project for their official records.

• Furthermore, you should also be given a full Electrical Installation Certificate, which verifies that the work has undergone safety testing.

Should you not receive these crucial documents, make sure to get in touch with the registration body that your electrician belongs to.

You can locate electricians who are officially registered through schemes like Electrical Competent Person.

2. Engaging with a Building Control Authority

If the person carrying out your installation isn't part of a competent person scheme, or if you're undertaking the 'notifiable' electrical work yourself, then you absolutely must bring in a Building Control Body (BCB). This body could be:

• Your local council's building control department, or

• An accredited private building control approver.

It's essential that you inform the BCB prior to beginning any work. They will then inspect the electrical installation to confirm its safety and adherence to Building Regulations. Once they are satisfied with the completed work, they will issue you a final certification.

3. Employing a Registered Third-Party Certifier (Applies Only in England)

From April 2014 onwards, specifically within England, you have the option to directly hire an electrician who is registered under an official third-party certification scheme. This professional can inspect and certify your 'notifiable' electrical work, meaning you won't need to involve a Building Control Body at all.

It's worth noting that Building Control Bodies typically already use qualified electricians to perform inspections of 'notifiable' electrical installations for them.

For additional details concerning competent person schemes, you can visit GOV.UK. To learn more about third-party certification schemes, head over to GOV.UK's specific guidance page.

Getting Approval for Non-Notifiable Electrical Projects

Even when your electrical work doesn't fall into the 'notifiable' category, professional electricians are still expected to issue you a Minor Works Certificate. This document serves as proof that they have thoroughly tested the installation to guarantee its safety.