Face up to new electrical safety law or face fines

Homeowners who plan to carry out home improvement projects should be aware of tough new changes to building regulations, which if not complied with, could land you with a massive £5,000 fine and a property you can't sell.

The building regulation Part P, effective since 1st January 2005, requires most electrical work in the home to be carried out by a government-approved electrician, such as one registered with the NICEIC. Its aim is to stop the rising number of deaths from faulty electrics, much of which is undertaken by over ambitious DIY enthusiasts and cowboy electricians.

Under the law, homeowners are still able to replace accessories such as light switches and sockets to an existing circuit, although there are exceptions for locations such as kitchens and bathrooms. An electrician registered under a government-approved scheme must undertake all other work. The alternative, for DIY'ers, is to notify a local building control body before starting any work and pay the appropriate fee for an inspection and a certificate after work is completed.

Failure to comply could also make it difficult to sell your house in the future. The NICEIC advises that electrical installation certificates are likely to be included in the government's proposed home sellers' packs. These are designed to offer prospective buyers reassurance and peace of mind about the safety of homes being offered for sale.

Amazingly, electricians have never been regulated despite faulty electrics causing an average of 12,500 house fires, 750 serious injuries and 10 deaths each year.

The NICEIC welcomes the government's decision to finally clamp down on the cowboys who cause these deaths and is advising homeowners to make sure they only employ government-approved electricians.

UK homes are a minefield of electrical hazards...

As a new law comes into force to prevent serious injuries and even death from faulty home electrics, research from electrical safety body, the NICEIC, has found that the public are woefully unaware of the electrical dangers lurking in their homes. Every householder questioned had electrical hazards in their homes including exposed bare wires, loose cables, old wiring and overloaded sockets.

The research also shows a considerable level of ignorance about the condition of home electrics. The NICEIC found that 40% of people had no idea about the age of the wiring within their house and 1 in 5 said their wiring was as much as 30 years old. More than half of those questioned did not know how often house wiring should be checked by a qualified electrician.

Under the new law, Part P of the building regulations, which came into force on January 1st 2005, most electrical work in homes will need to be carried out by an electrician who is registered under a government approved scheme, such as the NICEIC.

Despite this tough new law over 70% of householders questioned still felt confident to tackle DIY electrical tasks. 17% of DIYers would tackle wiring in new plug sockets, nearly 10% would wire in an electric shower and 3% said they would even be happy re-wiring the whole house !

You've found your new home - but is it safe?

You've trawled round endless properties, found the house of your dreams, done your sums and made a decision. These are exciting times and it's all too easy to get caught up in the euphoria and forget about the basics. But before you sign on the dotted line, you need to ensure your investment is sound.

Homebuyers beware

Did you know that your homebuyer's survey does not cover your electrics? In order to protect yourself and your investment, it makes good sense to get a separate electrical survey carried out by an approved electrical contractor such as Bailey & Birch Ltd who meets with the requirements of the national safety standard and will complete the job safely.

If your electrical system needs attention it could be both dangerous and costly. Your property may need to be totally rewired and this could cost more than you bargained for, so it's important to get your electrics checked before you commit to buying it.

When a property is old or appears to have suspect wiring, many banks and building societies will ask for an electrical survey to be carried out before agreeing a mortgage. It's advisable to get an inspection if the property has...

• brown colour or timber framed fuse boards
• sockets on skirting boards
• absence of an RCD safety circuit breaker
• a haphazard mixture of circuit boxes
• old light switches, braided flex hanging from ceiling roses
• wall mounted light switches in bathrooms