Approved Electrical Inspector for Local Authority Building Control (LABC)

Part P Building Regulations (for Guidance only)

For full legal requirements see approved Document P Electrical Safety in Dwellings

Select Electrical Services is authorised for all electrical systems for Part P certification. Member Number: 4485


What is Part P?
Part P was brought in by Government and is just one part of a number of building regulations, but which from the home owner and electrician’s point of view is a legal requirement, with regards to electrical installations in and outside of domestic dwellings.

As usual with any government scheme, the regulations are not well explained, have no continuity of reason for why some areas require part P certification and others do not.

The schemes being run by various approved bodies seem to be able to approve trades of what ever electrical experience or not, whether plumbers, kitchen fitters, bathroom fitters, gardeners, builders even so called electricians on the basis of a few hours visit, or a 3 or 4 day course for part P status as a full scope or defined scope electrical installer.

However, it exists and must for the moment be complied with, and if you require building regulations approval to sign off works to your house you must obtain a part P certificate for the electrical works if they came within those requirements, and similarly when you come to sell your house you will be asked for certification for any electrical works carried out which would have been subject to the regulations in force since January 2000.

So what areas of electrical works require Part P certification?

Basically they are electrical works as follows:
  1. Any new circuit to anywhere in or outside the house (i.e. wiring run from a separate fuse-way or mcb at the distribution board to the power or lighting point/s)
  2. Any additional points, power or lighting added to an existing circuit in any one of the following (kitchen, bathroom, shower rooms, saunas, swimming pools or paddling pools, outside, or out-building and conservatories)
  3. Any recessed light anywhere in the house
  4. Replacement distribution/ fuse-board
  5. Any electrical works to outside the house, gardens, ponds or outbuildings other than repair works
  6. Electric floor or ceiling heating systems
  7. Solar voltaic (PV) power supply systems
  8. Small scale generators such as microCHP units
  9. Erta low voltage lighting installations, other than pre-assembled, CE-marked lighting sets
Electrical works not requiring part P certification
  1. Any existing power point or lighting point anywhere in or outside the house maybe replaced if broken or faulty
  2. Any additional power or lighting points anywhere, but not (kitchen, bathroom outside, or out building)
What are the requirements for a Part P Certificate?
  1. All cables to be routed within the building structure within specific Safe Zones, or be at a greater depth than 50mm below the surface, or be within an earthed conduit or earthed sheathed cable.
  2. Holes and notches cut into floor joists to be again within specific zones dependant on span and depth of joists
  3. All holes cut into ceilings etc that are part of the fire barrier between floors to be sealed, and sealed with a fire retardant material, this includes holes cut for light fittings, and cables etc
  4. In new premises there are also specific height requirements for instalment of switches, sockets and distribution boards etc.
  5. All electrical works must conform to current edition of the IET (IEE) Wiring Regulations, which includes Installation certification.
  6. There will also be smoke/fire alarm systems and ventilation requirements for some type of installations.
Who can issue the Certification?
Dependant on areas of work, anybody self certified Part P by a Government approved certifying body (I.e. full scope A certification via NAPIT, NICEIC, ELECSA, BSI and BREC/ECA) Or (Defined scope B certification via any full scope plus CORGI and OFTEC)

For any electrical works a full scope approved self certifying Part P (competent person/business)

For specific areas defined scope (i.e. bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools, saunas and any other areas where works maybe carried out by other trades, defined scope approved Part P (competent person/business) maybe sufficient. You will need to check if they are certified for the exact works involved. OR If you do not employ the services of a part P approved person, it is still possible for electrical works requiring part P certification to be carried out. This is achieved by providing 3 weeks notice to the local building regulation authority for your dwelling, that you wish to commence such works. They will make a charge and should provide an inspector to check that all the works from installing the wiring to finished test and inspection, prior to energising conforms. The exact process will be advised by your local authority.

Tel: 01483 535372

Mobile: 07774 272606

Fax: 01483 535382

Email: info@selectelectricalservices.com

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