Keynston Services

How often should periodic electrical inspections be carried out?

For a domestic property the guideline is <10 years ***. For rental property this may be less as per the shorter gas safe guidelines. But an electrician may set a lower recommendation depending upon the nature of the property, its use and the age of the installation. Scotland, Wales and NI already have additional requirements for rentals. From 2020 onwards rented properties in England will require an electrical safety certificate, once the new legidlation is passed ( The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020). *** but rarely observed!!!!!

Do I need to undertake an electrical safety check before buying a house?

No you do not, but compare the money measured in hundreds of thousands you are investing in the purchase with a few hundred pounds on having the electrical installation checked. It is too late after you have bought and moved in to discover blowing fuses, DIY bodged extensions, missing earthing and broken accessories (switches, sockets etc). Knowing in advance that the installation is sound provides peace of mind and will inform you about possibly adding sockets or lights. If your inspection report highlights expensive i3sues, dangerous wiring, or serious shortfalls in the installation then you are informed enough to either cost repairs (and challenge the seller over the price) or walk away before you buy a nightmare house. If you are buying to rent (in England) the new legislation coming into law this summer will require an electrical inspection certificate before you can even adveryise a property to rent and on change of occupancy (The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020)

How much does it cost to install an electric car charging station at home?

The total cost can be reduced by up to £500 if you have an OLEV approved SMART charger installed, with the work done by an OLEV approved installer (approved to install your specific device) who claims back the OLEV grant and reduces your invoice by the grant. OLEV do not pay grants to the end user, to ensure that approved installers complete the necessary but tedious papereork. Grants are paid to installers 2-3 months in arrears and the electrician bears the purchase costs for that petiod. The costs will comprise (for a domstic install): The cost of the charger you choose (or are offered by your car sales team or electrician). These vary from around £400 to over £1000. The cost of armoured cable from your consumer unit to your charger point and data cable or wireless connections to your home internet hub and possible your meter box. The cost of changes to or upgrades to your consumer unit, as part of adding a new circuit to your installation. The cost of inspection, testing and certification on completion of installation. Installing a new circuit is a notifiable event under Building Regulations (Part P): a registered electrician who installs the charger will notify the Local Authority Building Inspectors (cheaper than submitting a planning notice application yourself). Overall, budget for £800 to £1000 unless you opt for a more expensive unit and then look to reduce the cost by upto £500 grant. But if your property has any unusual electrical challenges, distances to cover or old consumer unit lacking expansion slots, the work required may increase.