What is 'Part P'?

Part P of the Building Regulations imposes the requirement that:

"Reasonable provision shall be made in the design and installation of electrical installations in order to protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the installations from fire or injury."

Why has Part P been introduced?

Part P has been introduced in order to:

• reduce the number of deaths, injuries and fires caused by faulty electrical installations
• make life harder for 'cowboys' to leave electrical installations in an unsafe condition

Does it apply to me?

Work on fixed electrical installations in dwellings and associated areas (in England and Wales) should comply with the following requirements:

Reasonable provision shall be made in the design and installation of electrical installations in order to protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the installations from fire or injury.

These requirements apply in England and Wales, without exception, to anyone who carries out electrical work in or attached to buildings or parts of buildings such as:

Dwellings; dwellings and business premises that have a common supply; common access areas in blocks of flats such as corridors and staircases; shared amenities of blocks of flats such as laundries and gymnasiums.

Part P also applies to parts of the above installations:

In or on land associated with the buildings, e.g. to fixed lighting and pond pumps in gardens; in outbuildings such as sheds, detached garages and greenhouses.

Work that is subject to the Building Regulations must be notified to a building control body before it is carried out and is subject to inspection by that body on completion unless:

• Certain defined minor work is not notifiable (see, Approved Document P, p7-9  - NB You will need Adobe Reader version 6.0 or higher to access this document);
• Work is carried out by a Competent Person, i.e. a firm registered with a government-approved Part P Competent Persons Scheme.

What should Electrical Contractors do?

Electrical contractors that want to avoid the complications and costs of using Building Control should consider becoming a 'Competent Person'.

What is a 'Competent Person'?

A Competent Person is a firm that has been independently assessed and certificated by an approved Competent Person Scheme as competent to self-certify that its work complies with the Building Regulations.

What are the benefits of becoming a Competent Person?

Competent Persons save on the time and trouble associated with the submitting of building notices to, and having their work inspected by, Building Control and, as a consequence, do not incur building notice and inspection fees.

What are the costs of becoming a Competent Person?

To become a Competent Person for Part P, a firm is assessed for its competence to work in compliance with BS7671 and the Building Regulations. On becoming a Competent Person, the work of the firm is monitored by means of annual surveillance visits.
Fees are chargeable both for the initial assessment and the subsequent, shorter surveillance inspections.

How can I become a Competent Person?

Please complete and return the application form provided. Applying online will save you £10 plus VAT over a manual application.