Britain is one of the few countries where householders are allowed to carry out their own electrical and plumbing work, but this not mean you have a free hand to do what you want; you still have to follow some rules.
As far as work on your gas supply is concerned, any DIY work is completely out of the question; all work must always be carried out by a qualified gas fitter, and no one else.
Whenever you employ a professional electrician, choose one who is a member of the Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) or who is on the roll of the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC). Look out for the relevant logos on the electrician’s advertising or headed paper. If you carry out any electrical work yourself, note that your local electricity supply company has the right to inspect and test any electrical work that it thinks may be unsafe. It can also refuse to connect a supply of electricity to an unsafe installation, or one that does not meet the requirements of the Wiring Regulations.
Wiring Regulations
The Wiring Regulations are published by the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and their requirements are followed by all professional electricians. They were made into a British Standard ( BS7671 ) in 1992, and are extremely complex document for the lay reader to understand. At present they do not have the force of the law, except in Scotland where they form part of the Scottish Building Regulations, but from 1 January, 2005 the new part P of the Building Regulations comes into force in England and Wales, restricting the wiring jobs that a DIY-er can do.
Water Supply bye-laws
Each Water supply company in Britain is responsible for producing its own water supply bye-laws. However, apart from some local variations these are based on the Model Water Supply Bye-laws, so there is a degree of consistency right across the country. You can get a copy of the bye-laws from your water supplier. The aim of the bye laws is to ‘prevent waste, undue consumption, misuse or contamination of the water supply’. They apply to any new work you can carry out on your plumbing system , and also your heating system if this uses hot water to heat the radiators. A particular concern of the bye-laws is the need to prevent the contamination of the supply by used or stored water being drawn back into the mains- a problem known as back-siphonage. Many of the bye-laws require you to give your water supplier at least five working days’ if you need to install or alter (as opposed to repairing or replacing) a bidet, a flushing cistern, a tap to which a hose may be connected, or any other fitting through which back-siphonage could occur (such as a bath fitted with shower mixer taps, for example). In Scotland you must give notice if you propose to install or alter any water fitting.
Note that these bye laws apply only to water supply. Rules for the disposal of waste water are included in the Building Regulations.
Gas Safety Regulations
The Gas Safety ( Installation and Use) Regulations make it illegal for anyone to carry out work relating to gas supply and fittings who is not ‘competent’. Ensure your plumber is Gas Safe Registered.
You should always have major electric work done by a professional. Always check their qualifications before they touch your home.
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