The thought of having any electrical work carried out in your home can be daunting, especially if you have to put your trust in an electrician you have never used before.

The Electrical Safety Council recommends that before you engage an electrician you follow the steps below which should help to significantly reduce the chances of employing an incompetent or rogue electrician.

• Remember to be clear about what you want and always ask for a written quotation.
• Ask for references, a good electrician will not hesitate to provide them.
• Check that they are registered with a reputable body, don’t just take their word for it.
• Ask the electricians to provide a copy of their Public Liability Insurance and enquire as to whether they have a complaints resolution process
• Ask if they offer an insurance- backed warranty.

If you are not employing the electrician directly but through a main contractor/builder, then we would still recommend that you check the electrician’s credentials by following points 3 – 5 above. If you have to request the information via your main contractor/builder do not be afraid to ask for more than verbal assurances as these will not provide you with any recourse if the electrician turns out to be a rogue electrician.

During the work

• If you do need to make changes, confirm these with the electrician in writing.
• If you have any concerns/queries talk to the electrician straight away. Make it clear exactly what you are concerned/unhappy about.
• If you are unable to resolve any issues with the electrician or the company who employ them, contact the organisation they are registered with, as they will be able to advise you and will work with both parties to try and reach a solution.
• If the electrician you employ does not appear to be approved by any organisation then contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or log onto www.consumerdirect.gov.uk 
  After the work is completed

 After the work is completed

• Where required, the electrician should provide you with an electrical installation certificate which will confirm that the work carried out meets the UK Technical Standard, BS 7671. (this should be issued relatively quickly
• If the electrical work carried out is covered under Building Regulations, you should receive a certificate to confirm that the work also complies with the applicable Building Regulations. (this can take some time to arrive)
• Once you have received the certificate(s) relating to the electrical work ensure you put them in a safe place as you may need to provide them as proof that you have had electrical work carried out, especially if you decide to sell the property in the future.

10 warning signs to spot a rogue electrician

The rogue electrician:

• Avoids giving references
• Only supplies a mobile no. and there is no address on their letterhead/business card.
• Will always offer to the job ‘cheaper for cash’
• Says they can start tomorrow – a registered electrician is usually booked up well in advance.
• Will not provide a written quote or confirm anything in writing.
• Tells the customer they are approved by an organisation that has never heard of them.
• Tells the customer not to worry about the details of the job.
• Confuses the customer with jargon and complicated explanations.
• Cannot give a specific cost for materials or labour.
• Provides a quote that is surprisingly low – if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is!

With JC Electricals you get the following:-

• Qualified Electrician who cares about your project and your Home
• An Electrician that is registered with NAPIT and ELECTRIC SAFE and has TRUSTMARK.
• An Electrician that is Fully insured.
• An Electrician that is CRB Checked 
• An Electrician that undergoes continual training
• Past and Current Clients that are happy to talk about their experience with me
• An Electrician that will issue the relevant paperwork on completion of your project
• An Electrician who when things go wrong take responsibility and put things right
• An Electrician who sticks to the quoted price as long as the job hasn’t changed
• An Electrician that offers a Six Year Insurance Backed Warrantee on all installation work
• An Electrician that is only too happy to answer your queries and concerns

I hope this information has been of some help to you, when your quotation arrives I would appreciate it if you could confirm by email that you have received it.

I look forward to being of assistance to you.

Regards,

John