What is Part P?

Part P is a part of the Building Regulations which has been introduced by government and affects all electrical work carried out in dwellings.

People carrying out electrical work in homes and gardens in England and Wales should follow the rules set out in Part P of the Building Regulations to ensure that they are complying with the law.

These rules are designed to ensure that electrical work is safe.

Why has Part P been introduced?

Part P has been introduced in order to:

  1. - reduce the number of deaths, injuries and fires caused by faulty electrical installations;
  2. - make life harder for 'cowboys' to leave electrical installations in an unsafe condition.

What is a Competent Person?

A 'Competent Person' is a firm that has been approved by N.I.C.E.I.C. as sufficiently competent to self-certify that its work complies with the Building Regulations.

A registered firm is NOT required to notify a building control body of its proposals to carry out electrical installation work before it begins, or to have the work inspected on completion. This reduces costs for the customer as the additional charges for calling out a building control body can be avoided.

Why should I use a Competent Person?

A firm registered as a ‘competent person’:

  1. - Can deal with all the new rules for you;
  2. - Is qualified to carry out electrical work to BS 7671, the national safety standard;
  3. - Will give you a certificate to confirm their work follows the new rules.

Using a ‘competent person’ ensures that:

  1. - You do not have to pay Building Control charges;
  2. - You have the option of taking out an insurance-backed guarantee for the work;
  3. - You have access to a formal complaints procedure if you are not happy with the work.
  4. - You will easily obtain Home Insurance after being issued with valid N.I.C.E.I.C. Electrical Inspection ant Testing Certificates.

Part P of the building regulations has been introduced to protect the consumer:

  1. - To reduce the number of deaths, injuries and fires caused by faulty electrical installations and
  2. - To make it harder for ‘cowboys’ to leave electrical installations in an unsafe condition.

If you decide against using a registered firm to carry out any work for you, bear in mind the following points:

  1. - There is no guarantee that the electrical installation is safe;
  2. - You will have no official record of the work you’ve had carried out;
  3. - You may have difficulty selling your home if you do not have the right electrical safety certificates;
  4. - Your local authority’s Building Control Department may insist that you put right any faulty work.

Does Part P Apply To Me?

Part P applies to all electrical installation work carried out in dwellings. However, you do not need to tell your local authority's Building Control Department about:

  1. - repairs and maintenance work or
  2. - extra power points or lighting points or other alterations to existing circuits (except in specially defined areas such as a kitchen, bathroom or outdoors)

If you are unsure you should contact your local authority's Building Control Department or, if you are already dealing with a Competent Person, he/she should be able to advise you.

Can I Carry Out DIY?

Yes. Anyone is entitled to carry out electrical installation work in dwellings. However, when carrying out electrical work, there are two points to consider:

  1. - All work - however minor - must, by law, comply with Part P requirements
  2. - Work of the type listed below must be notified to your local authority's Building Control department

The list below describes the types of electrical installation work and locations that require advance notification to your local authority's Building Control department.

Type of work Location
New installation, rewire or partial rewire

New consumer unit

One or more new circuits

Extension to circuit (in kitchen, special location*/installation**)

Main/supplementary equipotential bonding

Ring/radial power

Lighting circuit

Heating (central heating/room heating/hot water/boiler/controls

Air conditioning/ventilation system/extractor fan

Shower (electrically heated or pumped)

Cooker

Fire/security/environmental control system

Vertical lift or stair lift (within dwelling)

Special installation*

 Building sharing supply with dwelling

Building extension or conservatory

Common area of block of flats

Flat

Dwelling house

Detached shed, garage or greenhouse

Kitchen

Garden

Special location**

* Special installation: electric floor/ceiling heating; garden lighting/power; ELV lighting; generator.

** Special location: a room containing bath or shower, swimming pool, sauna.