Choosing an electrician

man looking through yellow pages

The thought of having electrical work carried out in your home can be daunting, especially if you have to put your trust in an electrician you have never used before.

The Electrical Safety Council recommends that before you engage an electrician that you follow the below steps which should help to significantly reduce the chances of employing an incompetent electrician.

Finding an Electrician:

  1. Click on the 'Find an Electrician' section of the website and contact one or more of the organisations that registers electricians in your area. Ask for the details of at least 3 electricians who carry out the type of electrical work you need carried out.
  2. Contact the electricians and arrange for them to quote for the work, remember to be clear about what you want and always ask for a written specification and quotation. We recommend obtaining at least 3 quotations, unless the work is minor.
  3. Ask for references, a good electrician will not hesitate to provide them.
  4. Check that they are approved by a reputable body, if you've obtained their details from one of the organisations on our site you won't need to do this, however, if you've contacted the electrician independently then we would strongly recommend that you contact the organisation they claim to be a member/affiliated with.
  5. Ask the electricians to provide a copy of their Public Liability Insurance and enquire as to whether they have a complaints resolution process and if they offer an insurance- backed warranty*.
  6. If you are not employing the electrician directly but through a main contractor/builder, then we would still recommend that you check the electrician's credentials by following points 3 - 5 above. If you have to request the information via your main contractor/builder do not be afraid to ask for more than verbal assurances as these will not provide you with any recourse if the electrician turns out to be a rogue electrician.

*If you use an electrician registered with one of the government-approved organisations listed on our site they should have a complaints resolution process and if in England & Wales you should be offered the opportunity to take out an insurance-backed warranty to cover the work.

Before they start

So you've found an electrician and they are ready to start the work, what next:

  1. Agree a timetable of work and get confirmation of their expected completion date in writing. For larger jobs, request regular updates on their progress and ask that if they are not going to meet the completion date given, that they advise you immediately.
  2. Agree payment terms so that you can ensure that you have the funds available. Some electricians may ask for material costs up front and also want staged payments for a larger job.
  3. Avoid dealing in cash as it is easy to lose track of what you have paid. Pay by cheque and always ask for a receipt/statement of account.

During the work

  1. Try to avoid making changes/adding to the job half way through as it will usually cost more and cause delays. If you do need to make changes, confirm these with the electrician in writing.
  2. If you have any concerns/queries talk to the electrician straight away. If you are dealing with a larger company speak to the person in charge, usually a supervisor or manager. Make it clear exactly what you are concerned/unhappy about, explain what you want done and give the electrician a chance to put things right.
  3. If you are unable to resolve any issues with the electrician or the company who employ them, contact the organisation they are approved by, as they will be able to advise you and will work with both parties to try and reach a solution. If the electrician you employ does not appear to be approved by any organisation then contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or log onto www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

After the work is completed

The electrical work has been completed and the electrician has been paid, is there anything else to remember….yes,

  1. No matter how big or small the job, the electrician should provide you with an electrical installation certificate which will confirm that the work carried out meets the UK Technical Standard, BS 7671.
  2. If the electrical work carried out is covered under Building Regulations** you should receive a certificate to confirm that the work also complies with the applicable Building Regulations.
  3. Once you have received the certificate(s) relating to the electrical work ensure you put them in a safe place as you may need to provide them as proof that you have had electrical work carried out, especially if you decide to sell the property.

**For further information with regard to the Building Regulations, please refer to our Electrical Safety Laws section which you will find under 'Safety in the Home'.

10 rogue electrician warning signs

The rogue electrician:

  1. Avoids giving references
  2. Only supplies a mobile no. and there is no address on their letterhead/business card.
  3. Will do the job 'cheaper for cash' so as the customer avoids paying the VAT.
  4. Says they can start tomorrow - a registered electrician is usually booked up well in advance.
  5. Will not confirm anything in writing.
  6. Tells the customer they are approved by an organisation that has never heard of them.
  7. Tells the customer not to worry about the details of the job.
  8. Confuses the customer with jargon and complicated explanations.
  9. Cannot give a specific cost for materials or labour.
  10. Provides a quote that is surprisingly low - if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is!

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