Electrical Safety - coming into Force 1st July 2020

The Government has this recently published The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 which has finally outlined their intentions to formalise mandatory electrical installation inspection and testing in the Private Rented Sector.

The legislation has been in consultation for a number of years but has received cross party support and it is anticipated that there will be no issues with the draft statutory instrument progressing through both Houses of Parliament on its passage to becoming law.

Key points that landlords need to note are:

• Requirement to carry out electrical installation inspection and testing report on all new tenancies from …

There are two types of OLEV grants for charge points:

• Home charge point grant (EVHS)
• Workplace charge point grant (WCS)

Update 13th March 2020: OLEV has changed the grant for home and workplace charge points to £350 per socket, down from £500 to enable more individuals and businesses to benefit. This is effective for installations from 1st April 2020.

1. The OLEV grant for home charge points

Save £350 on purchase and installation of an electric vehicle charge point for your home

The UK government set up a scheme to support the wider use of electric and hybrid cars through the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). The grant for home charge points, also known as the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS), provides 75% off the c…

The BS 7671 Wiring Regulations written by the IET (The Institution of Engineering and Technology) set out the standards for electrical installations in the UK and many other countries. The IET plays a key role in electrical installation standards and safety, and is known for its independent and trusted voice. It manages the national committee JPEL/64 and publishes the IET Wiring Regulations BS 7671.

The 18th Edition of BS 7671 Wiring Regulations will be released on 1st July 2018, with the aim of being implemented on 1st January 2019.

Significant Changes due in BS 7671:2018

BS 7671 Wiring Regulations are mostly based on the IEC (International Electrotechnical Committee) and CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical standard…

What is LOT 20?

Lot 20 is the name given to a certain subdivision of items covered by the European Ecodesign Directive (2009/125/EC).

Lot 20 states that all local space heaters manufactured for sale after 1st January 2018 which use electricity must comply with a minimum efficiency standard.

The aim of the legislation is to rule out inefficient technologies and reduce the energy used by products that heat our homes, helping to achieve our overall carbon reduction targets.

This includes:

• Storage heaters
• Direct acting heaters
• Portable heaters
• Radiant heaters
• Electric fires

This does not include:

• Local space heaters using a vapour compression cycle (heat pumps)
• Local space heaters that are specified for outdoor use…

Choosing the right electrician can be a challenge.

You have probably heard the common complaints of your friends and family about the poor quality of work and the general lack of professionalism of electricians, leaving behind a trail of headaches. Electrical problems that are not yet solved and structural problems that appear that were not there before.

Then you have the "rogue traders". Although they are justly demonised in the media, the Ombudsman Services report that six out of ten owners still can not verify their credentials before approving any work.

So what can you do?

Usually, getting the personal recommendation of a friend or relative is the most reliable way to find a trusted tradesperson. But if this fails, what will…