Electrical Safety Laws
England & Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland
What is Part P of the Building Regulations?
In 2005 the Government introduced electrical safety rules into the Building Regulations for England and Wales. Because of this, most fixed electrical installation work carried out in homes must, by law, meet the Building Regulations.
Part P states that anyone carrying out electrical installation work in a home must make sure that the work is designed and installed to protect people from fire and electric shocks. Part P applies to newly-built homes and to any changes made to existing installations, including any parts that have been rewired.
You can find full details on Part P on the Communities and Local Government website, www.communities.gov.uk.
What electrical work is covered by this law?
All electrical installation work in a home, garden, conservatory or outbuilding must meet the Building Regulations. Apart from some types of minor work, all electrical work must either be reported to the local-authority building-control, or be carried out by an electrician who is registered with one of the Government-approved scheme providers.
Who is responsible for making sure that electrical work meets the requirements of Part P?
By law, all homeowners and landlords must be able to prove that all electrical installation work meets Part P, or they will be committing a criminal offence. Local authorities can make homeowners or landlords remove or alter any work that does not meet the Building Regulations.
What do I need to do before electrical installation work can be carried out in my home?
You must either:
- tell your local-authority building-control about the installation work before it starts; or
- employ an electrician who is registered with one of the Government-approved Part P schemes.
We recommend that you use a registered electrician to do the electrical installation work.
The advantages of using a registered electrician are:
- you will not have to pay any building-control charges;
- the electrician can deal with everything for you;
- the electrician will arrange for you to receive a certificate that confirms the work meets Building Regulations;
- you have access to a formal complaints procedure if the work doesn’t meet Building Regulations; and
- you can choose to take out an insurance-backed guarantee when you have the work done, and you can make a claim if the work is later found not to meet Building Regulations.
What does Part P of the Building Regulations mean for me?
If you use a registered electrician, you can expect to have safe electrical installation work done, as the work will meet the UK national standard, BS 7671 (Requirements for Electrical Installations). When the work is finished you will receive:
- an Electrical Installation Certificate or Minor Works Certificate that confirms that the work meets BS 7671; and
- a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate that confirms that the work meets the Building Regulations.
Is it important who carries out electrical installation work in my home?
Yes. Electrical installation work must be carried out only by people who have the knowledge, skill and experience needed to avoid danger to themselves and others. It’s easy to make an electrical circuit work – it’s far harder to make the circuit work safely.
We strongly recommend that you use a registered electrician to do any electrical installation work you need. They work to the UK national safety standard and will give you a safety certificate to confirm that their work has been designed, inspected and tested in line with that standard.
FAQs Part P
For more information, download the Department for Communities and Local Government's consumer leaflet: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_PTP_NEWRULESenglish.pdf
Electrical Safety Laws in Scotland:
In May 2005, a new system was brought in to enforce the Building Regulations in Scotland. It aims to improve the standard of building work. The new system includes rules for electrical installations, which has been controlled by the Building Regulations for many years. Under the new system, any electrical work carried out under a building warrant (the legal permission you need from the local authority to start building work) will either have to be approved by a registered installer (known formally as an ‘approved certifier’) or be checked by the local authority.
What electrical work is covered by the rules?
Any electrical work carried out under a building warrant. It is the responsibility of the person who orders the work (normally the person who owns the building), to find out if they need a building warrant. Your local authority will be able to give you advice about whether you need one for work you want to have done. However, it is likely that electrical work in new buildings, existing flats and in maisonettes and houses with more than two storeys, will have to meet the rules. You can get more information on this by visiting the Scottish Building Standard’s website at www.sbsa.gov.uk .
Who is responsible for making sure that new electrical work meets the rules of the building standards system in Scotland?
By law, homeowners and landlords have to be able to prove that all new electrical installations and any changes to existing electrical installations meet the rules. Your local authority has the power to force you to remove or alter work that does not meet the rules.
What should I do when I need electrical installation work carried out in my property?
There are two options. You can:
- employ an electrician that is registered with one of the government-approved scheme providers to carry out the work. These electricians are known as ‘registered installers’; or
- let your local authority check and approve the work when it has been done.
The Electrical Safety Council recommends that homeowners use a registered installer for all electrical installation work. See ‘How do I find a registered installer in Scotland’ for details of approved scheme operators.
The advantages of using a registered installer.
- The installer can deal with all the rules for you.
- The installer will provide you with certificates to confirm that the work they have carried out meets the rules and was carried out by a competent electrician (see ‘Does it matter who carries out electrical installation work in my property?’).
- You will get a refund on part of the fee for your building warrant.
- You will have access to a formal complaints procedure if the work doesn’t meet the rules.
How will I benefit from the new Building Standards system?
If you use a registered installer, you can expect to have safer, better-quality electrical installation work because they will work to the UK national standard BS 7671 (Requirements for Electrical Installations) and the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004. When the work is finished you will be given certificates confirming that the installation meets these legal standards.
The certificates will be:
- a Certificate of Construction (Electrical Installations to BS 7671) that confirms that the installation meets the rules; and
- an Electrical Installation Certificate or Minor Works Certificate, that confirms that the installation meets BS 7671.
Does it matter who carries out electrical installation work in my property?
Yes. It is important that electrical installation work is only carried out by people who are competent. This means people who have the knowledge, skill and experience needed to avoid dangers electricity can cause them and others. It’s easy to make an electrical circuit work but it’s far harder to make the circuit work safely.
Safety for you in your home is very important. So, we strongly recommend that you use a registered installer to carry out any electrical installation work you need. Registered installers will always work to the UK national standard BS 7671 (Requirements for Electrical Installations), and will issue a safety certificate for their electrical work to confirm that the installation has been designed, built, inspected and tested in line with that standard. This includes making any changes to an existing installation.
FAQs Scottish Building Regulations
Full details about the requirements of the new Scottish Building Standards can be found on the Scottish Building Standards (SBS) website www.sbsa.gov.uk
Electrical Safety Laws in Northern Ireland
There are currently no statutory requirements for domestic electrical installation work in Northern Ireland. However, there are organisations that register and assess electrical contractors in this area.
The Electrical Safety Council strongly recommends that householders engage a competent electrical contractor to carry out any electrical work required.
Source of statistics relating to accidental primary fires in domestic dwellings:
- Fire Statistics, United Kingdom, 2005, published by ODPM, UK
- Statistics Office, ODPM, UK
Sources of statistics relating to exposure to electric current:
- Office for National Statistics (England & Wales); General Register Office for Scotland; and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
- Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), UK
