New Metal Light Switches not Earthed!

2011

This is simple, cheif kaiser paid for some electrical work to be done. He has discovered that there is an issue with the work. The attitude of the person that carried out the work suggests that there may be far more serious breaches of the regulations. This work has been formally reported due to the complete lack of cooperation from the builder and "electrician". If cheif kaiser fiddles around with the electrical installation in any way the investigation may be invalidated. If on the other hand cheif kaiser allows the investigation to take its course then most likely this issue with be resolved quite rapidly. This will include everything that was paid for completed in compliance with the regulations.

Bushmanpm

At the very least, surely 'Best Practice' would dictate as soon as the Sparks realised the job wouldn't meet the relevant regs. he would have stopped the work and advised the customer about the missing CPC and what costs that would entail. To proceed regardless is blatant negligence/greed. I certainly wouldn't want that level of quality working for me.

cheif kaiser

Rang RECI today and unfortunately they were less than useless. They said they do not deal with builders, only the electrician and they need the details of the electrician from us before they can do anything, If we have no details, we can pay them €350 for a register of all their electrical contractors.

When asked if that's the case anyone can do dodgy electrical work in your home and walk away, they said, 'Yes, I'm afraid so'

2011

cheif kaiser wrote: »

Rang RECI today and unfortunately they were less than useless. They said they do not deal with builders, only the electrician and they need the details of the electrician from us before they can do anything, If we have no details, we can pay them ?350 for a register of all their electrical contractors.

When asked if that's the case anyone can do dodgy electrical work in your home and walk away, they said, 'Yes, I'm afraid so'

Ok, ring CER and tell them.
Also do not pay the builder until he provides the electricians details.
If that fails take the builder to the small claims court, this will cost €20 and the builder several grand!

Also express your extreme disappointment to RECI and explain that you intend on going legal and generating as much publicity as possible.

cheif kaiser

2011 wrote: »

Ok, ring CER and tell them.
Also do not pay the builder until he provides the electricians details.
If that fails take the builder to the small claims court, this will cost €20 and the builder several grand!

The builder was paid months ago unfortunately.

I put in a complaint with Safe Electric and I think they are run by CER?

Bigus

cheif kaiser wrote: »

Rang RECI today and unfortunately they were less than useless. They said they do not deal with builders, only the electrician and they need the details of the electrician from us before they can do anything, If we have no details, we can pay them ?350 for a register of all their electrical contractors.

When asked if that's the case anyone can do dodgy electrical work in your home and walk away, they said, 'Yes, I'm afraid so'

http://www.thejournal.ie/attic-conversion-electrical-work-jail-sentence-2600354-Feb2016/

Here a fella got jail time in wickla

2011

cheif kaiser wrote: »

The builder was paid months ago unfortunately.

But you can sue the builder for substandard electrical work as your contract was with him. It's up to him to sue the electrician to recover the costs. All you need to do is take the builder to the small claims court at a cost of €20. In this court you represent yourself. Provide the judge with written quotes to fix the work. Open and shut case I would think.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/courts_system/small_claims_court.html

Respondent disputes the claim
The respondent has 15 calendar days to reply and returns to the Registrar the Notice of Dispute within the 15 calendar day period. The Registrar sends the claimant a copy of the Notice of Dispute and tries to settle the dispute.

If no settlement can be reached, the matter is then set down for a hearing in the District Court.

2011

The Commission of Energy Regulation (CER) will take this very seriously. Email them the entire history of events.

EHP

cheif kaiser wrote:

Rang RECI today and unfortunately they were less than useless. They said they do not deal with builders, only the electrician and they need the details of the electrician from us before they can do anything, If we have no details, we can pay them €350 for a register of all their electrical contractors.

Any chance you know who you were talking to in RECI I'd love to follow this up with them as they should have immediately started an investigation or at the very least advised you on making a complaint on the safe electric website.

cheif kaiser wrote:

When asked if that's the case anyone can do dodgy electrical work in your home and walk away, they said, 'Yes, I'm afraid so'

This is not true as there has been people prosecuted for completing dodgy electrical work and for completing restricted electrical works without being registered.

cheif kaiser

EHP wrote: »

Any chance you know who you were talking to in RECI I'd love to follow this up with them as they should have immediately started an investigation or at the very least advised you on making a complaint on the safe electric website.



This is not true as there has been people prosecuted for completing dodgy electrical work and for completing restricted electrical works without being registered.

It was a woman but I didn't get her name. She wasn't very helpful at all, just kept repeating... We don't deal with builders, only the electrician and you must provide us with his details.

If there is anyway you can assist, I would really appreciate it!

2011

cheif kaiser wrote: »

It was a woman but I didn't get her name. She wasn't very helpful at all, just kept repeating... We don't deal with builders, only the electrician and you must provide us with his details.

If there is anyway you can assist, I would really appreciate it!

Ring RECI back and insist on talking to someone more senior.

+ 1 to EHP's post.

EHP

cheif kaiser wrote:

If there is anyway you can assist, I would really appreciate it!

Another option all though you'll probably have to pay for it is get another REC to look at the work, if it's not to standard and he is made aware that someone completed restricted works or dangerous works he should contact the local RECI inspector to report the issue's. I know of a current case where a builder completed restricted works and it was a REC who was in the house after reported the work, RECI inspector was out to the house within 24hrs. What part of the country are you in cheif I can give you the details of the RECI inspector for your area.

cheif kaiser

EHP wrote: »

Another option all though you'll probably have to pay for it is get another REC to look at the work, if it's not to standard and he is made aware that someone completed restricted works or dangerous works he should contact the local RECI inspector to report the issue's. I know of a current case where a builder completed restricted works and it was a REC who was in the house after reported the work, RECI inspector was out to the house within 24hrs. What part of the country are you in cheif I can give you the details of the RECI inspector for your area.

I'm in D12. Thanks.

cheif kaiser

Just wanted to update everyone on this. So... After I was onto RECI who told me they do not deal with builders only the electrician, I then decided to ring CER to ask them what to do and their answer was to ring RECI. I then told they guy in CER what RECI had said and he seemed a little surprised by that, told me he would check it out his end to see what the process is and would ring me back and surprise, surprise he never got back to me.

So that's a complaint I put in with Safe Electric, Rang RECI, Rang CER and not one of them will do anything to help!

ellobee

Yep! typical of this country, plenty of regulations but no enforcement, looks like you are just going to have to live with plastic switches

2011

cheif kaiser wrote: »

So that's a complaint I put in with Safe Electric, Rang RECI, Rang CER and not one of them will do anything to help!

I have to say I am very surprised and disappointed.

The only thing that I can suggest is to put your complaint in writing to RECI, CER and Safe Electric (an email would do). It is much easier to forget about / not deal with a verbal message. In the past when emailing CER they responded quite quickly.

DublinDilbert

I'm not surprised at all. Made a complaint to rgi (based in the same building as reci) about a gas boiler being installed and not certified. They told me first it was certified, then they said it wasn't, but "sure the installer just hung it on the wall".

Chuchote

cheif kaiser wrote: »

Rang RECI today… If we have no details, we can pay them €350 for a register of all their electrical contractors.

Surely this is a list that should be public and available online to everyone who wants to check that he's hiring a registered electrician? Worth "talking to Joe" about this and asking why. I'd say ask for a Dail question, but what faith have we in that any more…

Incidentally, if you were going for a contemporary look, 1930s houses (not sure about 1940s) had black Bakelite switches. I think (but I'm not sure) that these Australian ones are modern versions - you'd have to find out if the Australian standard cited is up to Irish electrical wiring standards http://www.restorationonline.com.au/light-switches/art-deco-bakelite-light-switches

gctest50

cheif kaiser wrote: »

Rang RECI today and unfortunately they were less than useless.........'

Don't ring - email them

2011

Chuchote wrote: »

Surely this is a list that should be public and available online to everyone who wants to check that he's hiring a registered electrician?

There is a list:

http://www.reci.ie/ConsumerServices/FindanElectrician.aspx

cheif kaiser

gctest50 wrote: »

Don't ring - email them

Emailing Safe Electric is emailing RECI. If you go to the Safe Electric site and click Contact Us, the RECI address and phone number comes up.

2011

cheif kaiser wrote: »

Emailing Safe Electric is emailing RECI. If you go to the Safe Electric site and click Contact Us, the RECI address and phone number comes up.

Email CER.

Emailing RECI and Safe Electric means that two different people will get the email, so twice the chance.

cheif kaiser

Chuchote wrote: »

Incidentally, if you were going for a contemporary look, 1930s houses (not sure about 1940s) had black Bakelite switches. I think (but I'm not sure) that these Australian ones are modern versions - you'd have to find out if the Australian standard cited is up to Irish electrical wiring standards http://www.restorationonline.com.au/light-switches/art-deco-bakelite-light-switches

I did finally find some black plastic switches https://www.ukelectricalsupplies.com/hamilton-hartland-cfx-colours.htm Strangely it says they must be earthed so I ordered one and the whole thing is completely plastic except for the earth connector

2011

Also, back to the electrician. There must be some way to identify him. Do you know his first name? Other jobs he has worked on? His phone number? Other jobs the builder has done? Other people that know the builder or electrician? The area the electrician lives?

2011

Chuchote wrote: »

Maybe email both, with the electrician's details and details of the job

Yes, email both. The OP doesn't have the electrician's details, that is the issue.

cheif kaiser

2011 wrote: »

Also, back to the electrician. There must be some way to identify him. Do you know his first name? Other jobs he has worked on? His phone number? Other jobs the builder has done? Other people that know the builder or electrician? The area the electrician lives?

I know his first name and did have his phone number but when I changed to a new phone, it didn't transfer That's all I got unfortunately!

2011

cheif kaiser wrote: »

I know his first name and did have his phone number but when I changed to a new phone, it didn't transfer That's all I got unfortunately!

So if you got a copy of your phone bill (easy to do) you might be able to identify his number.

cheif kaiser

2011 wrote: »

So if you got a copy of your phone bill (easy to do) you might be able to identify his number.

I never rang him. I just got his number because I actually wanted him to come back and do some other work. Seemed like a good guy at the time!

2011

cheif kaiser wrote: »

I know his first name and did have his phone number but when I changed to a new phone, it didn't transfer That's all I got unfortunately!

....and what about other people on the job? The painter, plumber, kitchen fitter? Can you contact any of them? Perhaps they would have his name or number?

Sleeper12

If you paid the builder for the electric work then report him as the electrician. Don't mention him as a builder. He'll have to name the electrician to get himself off the hook. If he gave a receipt it'll say electrical work