Written submission from Astute Technical Services Ltd

I watched the on line video of your recent select committee interview of the operators of the electrical  safety schemes with some concern.

For your information I am an electrical engineer not an electrician who inspects and tests electrical installation both domestic and commercial. I  am the appointed inspector for two local authorities carrying out inspections of domestic installations for Part P compliance. I also carry out inspections of electrical installations as an expert witness for Trading Standards and appear in the criminal court to prosecute offenders in addition to appearing in the County Court in civil matters. I am also a part time lecturer at a college teaching the regulations, inspection and test and the design of electrical installations. I am registered with the NICEIC as an Approved Contractor and I am also a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. I am not an electrician and I do not engage in electrical installation work in order I can be unbiased and independent.

Having watched the video and listened to the questions and answers I believe that your committee may not be aware of some of the issues concerning Part P of the Building Regulations.

  1.               The electrical Competent Person Scheme is a “Competent Person Scheme” in name only. The schemes register companies where one person in the company has undergone an assessment of competence. That assessment in a lot of cases is at best very minimal.
  2.               These registered companies can, and do, then send unqualified and incompetent persons to people’s houses to carry out the installation work. On competition the work should be inspected and tested by a competent person. This is not always done.
  3.               I  think if a householder knows about part P and takes the time and trouble to select a Competent Person scheme operator they no doubt have a reasonable belief a competent person will turn up on the doorstep to do the work. In many cases they stand as much chance of getting a competent person as asking a bloke down the pub to do the job.
  4.               If Part P has had any impact on public safety it is minimal and not measurable. If you examine the DCLGs published statistics on fires in premises the considerable decline in fires in both commercial premises and dwellings started before the implementation of Part P.
  5.               The honest decent electrician was already working to a reasonable standard without Part P. Those persons probably have joined a competent person scheme and are paying effectively a tax on their business to work. They have to compete in a very comparative  market place with non-competent contractors sporting the competent person scheme logos, un-registered electricians and cowboys. Most householders choose their electricians on price and have little knowledge of competent person schemes.
  6.               It was not mentioned at your meeting by anyone but there is already a central on line register of competent persons here http://www.competentperson.co.uk/. I think this is maintained by DCLG but I am not sure.
  7.               Mr Bruno unfortunately did not mention that the NAPIT ElectricSafe register permits a member of any of competent person schemes to register. It is an inclusive register. The Certsure register in not inclusive and only has companies registered with one of their companies.
  8.               I thought Mr Bruno was unfairly outnumbered at the meeting as the single representative from NAPIT. The Electrical Safety Council, NICEIC, ECA, Elecsa, Ascertiva are all part of one organisation Certsure who fielded 3 persons at the meeting. For your information and for the avoidance of doubt I am not a member of NAPIT and I have no financial interest in that company.

Should you require any more information in connection with Part P I would be happy to give you an unbiased honest answer rather than the smoke and mirrors you have been hearing. Although it would be professional suicide for me, as I would be treated as a whistle blower, I would be prepared to appear before your select committee and answer any questions they may have. I would however be happier and more comfortable to meet you in private and answer your questions.

September 2013