Over0view of Part "P" of the Building Regulations

On January 1st 2005 the Government introduced a new Part P to Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations for England & Wales and although there has been quite a lot of press coverage there is still a lot of confusion as to the implications of this new regulation.

To clarify; all electrical installations whether in domestic, commercial or industrial premises must installed in accordance with BS-7671 (up until 1992 known as The IEE Regulations), this has not changed.  BS-7671 is mandatory and deals with everything that makes up a safe electrical installation such as cable and fuse sizes, earth bonding, selection of equipment, method of installation, special locations like bathrooms and caravan sites and it also covers inspection and testing. Up to now, the electrical industry has maintained relatively high safety standards, aided by voluntary controls such as those practiced by NICEIC Approved Contractors. The NICEIC logo is the industries mark for guaranteed standards over all electrical installations and without it most electrical contractors would not be considered for works within the commercial or industrial sectors of commerce.

However, this is not the case within the domestic sector as for years electrical installations have been done by all sorts of non qualified people including DIY'ers, kitchen fitters, general builders and handy men.  In fact according to Government statistics, every year 5 deaths and over 500 injuries are caused by faulty electrical installations in the home.  Added to this, 12,500 fires are caused by electrical faults, resulting in 25 deaths and 590 injuries every year, so it is not difficult to see why an electrical safety law needs to be enforced.

So with this in mind, in addition to the other electrical regulations, Part P of the Building Regulations now applies to electrical installations in the following:

• Dwellings, houses and flats

• Dwellings and business premises that have a common supply - for example shops and public houses with a flat above

• Common access areas in blocks of flats such as corridors and staircase

• Shared amenities of blocks of flats such as laundries and gymnasiums

• Part P also applies to parts of the above electrical installations for example

• In or on land associated with the building for fixed lights and pond pumps in garden

• In outbuildings such as sheds, detached garages and greenhouses

This new regulation affect every homeowner and landlord in England and Wales because with very few exceptions its has made electrical installations within domestic premises a "Controlled Service" which means Building Control has to be notified.

Click here to view  Part P