On Sat, 04 Oct 2003 10:31:04 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:

I think that the reality is that most people will carry on as before
and in the event that they sell the property, pay for an inspection,
which they would have to do anyway.

The possible issue with this could that if the work carried out was
not up to certification standards and material or life was lost before
it was eventually certified, the person carrying out the work would
most likely be sued and their professional indemnity insurance would
most likely not cover them. That could happen now without the new
regs, but with the new regs the certification should be carried out at
the point of installation, not some indeterminate time later.

And what about a situation where some work was carried out and not
certified, and someone else comes along and bodges a change from which
loss results? If the initial changes weren't certified then the
practitioner may well find himself facing a charge due to someone
elses poor work. Again, could happen now.

I see some good in these new requirements in so far that if the
standard 16th edition tests are carried out then the likelihood is
that the installation is safe, and certificated as such.

The bit I do not like about these new regulations (and which I
continue to badger government about) is the notion that you have to be
NICEIC registered in order to prove you can write certificates. I'm
going to college in the new year to do the C&G2391 course which will
provide me with the knowledge to perform the tests. From that (and
using the approved test equipment) I could most likely write valid
certificates. But those certificates would be meaningless unless I
were an NICEIC member.

This is like saying to someone that they have just passed their
driving test but they aren't allowed on the road until they have
gained their AA membership. The bit that government can't grasp is
that NICEIC membership does not equate to improved safety.

PoP