Fixed Wire & Electrical Equipment Testing in Stockport

The “Health and Safety at Work Act 1974” places legal responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of anyone on their business premises firmly in the hands of employers, who must also comply with the “Electricity at Work Regulations 1989”, mandating that all electrical systems must be properly maintained. The best way to do this is to regularly undertake commercial fixed wire testing.

For domestic landlords, the rules have changed recently. It used to be the case that only a landlords fixed firing test was only required for a House in Multiple Occupancy (HMO). However the “Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020” now mean that landlords in England must now maintain their rented properties to all applicable electrical safety standards. Should they need to demonstrate that this has been done an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) would be required. To obtain an EICR Stockport landlords can rely on us.

Both employers and landlords should conduct fixed wire periodic testing every five years. Landlords should also undertake testing and obtain a new Electrical Safety Certificate at the start of every new tenancy. Failure to do so could put you at risk of prosecution and invalidate your insurance policies should an electrical accident occur.

As a leading provider of electrical inspection and testing in Stockport, we are often asked this question. Fixed wire testing is the physical process of testing an electrical system to ensure its safety and compliance with electrical safety regulations. The Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a document which demonstrates that the testing has been carried out, explains what the tests have shown and states that the applicable legal safety standards have been met.

Fixed wire testing in Stockport, and indeed anywhere else in the UK must, by law be undertaken not less than every five years. A new, updated EICR should also be obtained at the beginning of any new tenancy, no matter how recently the previous Electrical Safety Certificate was issued. An EICR issued more than five years ago is not a valid document.

No. Domestic or commercial fixed wire testing checks the safety of the wires and sockets that portable appliances are plugged into. PAT testing focuses on the appliances themselves.

As you will imagine, fixed wire testing services take variable amounts of time depending on the size, complexity and accessibility of the system to be tested. Because of this we assess each job and then give clients as accurate a timescale as possible.

UK law is clear. Employers and landlords are responsible for electrical safety. It is therefore either an employer or the owner of any domestic or commercial premises who must ensure that a fixed wire test and inspection is carried out, and that any necessary maintenance required to pass these tests is undertaken.

Yes. It is also a requirement that landlords obtain a new EICR at the commencement of any new tenancy, even if one was given more recently. For electrical testing in Stockport, Electric Call is the company to contact.

In a fixed wire test and inspection, we first conduct a visual inspection of the system which identifies any obvious issues. Then every fixed circuit connected to the distribution board or boards is tested to ensure the integrity and functionality of all cables, accessories and devices, socket outlets, lighting, air conditioning and other fixed electrical equipment.

Fixed wire testing services must only be undertaken by properly qualified and licenced electrical professionals. If testing is conducted by unqualified persons, any electrical safety certificate will not be valid. For electrical inspection and testing in Stockport, just call us.

Electrical testing in Stockport, or anywhere takes “as long as it takes”. Clearly every electrical installation is different so we will assess the size and complexity of the installation in question before providing a timescale to the client.

Just as with timescales, the variable nature of electrical installations mean cost of our fixed wire testing in Stockport will vary. We will however always provide a detailed quote for all the fixed electrical testing in Stockport that we undertake.

If you are a landlord or an employer the law requires that you ensure all the electrical systems connected to your premises are safe. In the event of an issue you will need to be able to submit proof that you have had the appropriate tests conducted. Your EICR is that proof, so if they do not have a Electrical Installation Condition Report in Stockport landlords and business owners should call us urgently.

You are not legally required to provide any kind of certificate of electrical safety when you sell a house. However, many prospective buyers will ask for one, so you may find that having an electrical certificate ready to produce on demand will enable you to sell the property more easily.

Unless you would need to alter sections of a listed building to complete the rewiring, planning permission would not generally be required.

When we conduct fixed wire testing we endeavour to minimise any disruption. However, sometimes particular sections of a system will need to be isolated to facilitate safe working. If disruption is necessary, we will always work closely with the client to find the best way forward.

In legal the law makes both landlords and employers responsible for electrical safety. Who pays for the work is something that should be included into the lease, but if the appropriate tests are not done and an incident occurs both parties could be liable.

If you are lucky, nothing. If there no incident occurs and nobody experiences harm from your electrical system then there will be no consequences. However if there is a problem and you are unable to show that appropriate testing was undertaken a preventable accident may result in your business, or even you personally being subject to prosecution. Certainly any insurance would be invalidated. The risk is simply not worth taking.

The Electricity at Work regulations are applicable to all businesses, regardless of size. This means that all portable electrical appliances should be tested to ensure safety.

Electrical installations should be tested on at least a five-yearly basis. Landlords should also ensure that their electrical installations are tested at the start of every new lease, even if the previous inspection was conducted less than five years ago.

Electrical regulations do not specify the frequency with which portable appliances should be tested. They state only that ensuring appliances are save is your responsibility. In order to ensure that you are compliant with that requirement we recommend that portable appliances are tested annually.