Residential FAQs

Do I have to wait all day for your electrician?

No, we provide 2 hour time slots for our electrician to arrive. The vast majority of call-out work can be completed in less than an hour.

Do you provide free quotations?

For larger projects such as lighting design, house rewires etc. we will provide you with a free quotation. Obviously, it is not cost effective for us to send someone to quote for a repair. In that instance we charge per hour + VAT, with a 1 hour minimum charge and then increments of 15 minutes .

Are your electricians qualified?

Yes, all our electricians are NAPIT or NICEIC qualified.

Is Morton Fairview Services insured?

Yes, we carry £5 Million worth of insurance.

Is your work guaranteed?

All our work carries a one year no quibble warranty on defective parts. The NICEIC insurance backed warranty covers work undertaken by contractors registered to the NICEIC Installer Scheme.

Will you have the electrical part for my repair?

Our electricians carry a lot of electrical parts – fuses, spare lights, switches, wire, cables etc. We certainly hope to carry a wide range of parts to enable us to fix and replace faulty parts and get your electrical system working as quickly as possible. However, with the diversity of electrical systems and RCD units, it is just not possible to carry every part that you might come across.

What’s involved in rewiring a house?

A rewire is the most disruptive and invasive work that a property can undergo. Every room will need to have the following carried out:

• Furniture to be moved out
• Floor covering to be taken up
• Floor boards to be lifted to gain access to the floor voids
• Walls to be chased out for switches/sockets where necessary
• Dust and mess during the period of the work (although we always clean up as much as possible at the end of the day)

In addition, to rewire the lighting upstairs, this requires the loft to be cleared to gain access to the lighting points and to each switch drop. We are experienced at making the rewire as hassle and mess free as is possible.

What is an RCD (Residual Current Device)?

RCD stands for Residual Current Device. They used to be called ELCB’s (Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers). They are usually fitted as standard to most domestic consumer units in houses built after around 1980. They tend to only protect certain parts of the distribution panel wiring (e.g. the kitchen or utility ring main), in a so-called “split-load” consumer unit. They are designed to quickly trip and interrupt the supply to the circuit they are protecting when an imbalance is detected between the neutral and live (in the case of an RCD) or when there is a current in the earth wire of the protected circuit, above a pre-set limit (usually 30mA), in the true ELCB. You can also purchase “plug-in” RCDs, ideal for mowers, vacuums, and hairdryers, and an RCD plug, for things like shower pumps. Although the primary protection is the fuse in the plug, these do not blow for some fault conditions and they are there mainly to protect the wiring and the appliance from overloads. The RCD is ideal to protect the user from electric shocks and earth leakage faults.

My RCD on the consumer unit trips out, what do I do?

If this is a solid fault (i.e. it won’t reset), it is most likely due to a faulty appliance that is plugged in but which has developed a fault. The most likely culprit is the washing machine, dishwasher or tumble dryer. Try unplugging each one in turn until the RCD remains latched in the “ON” state. If it is not one of those items and your freezer is also on the same circuit then try unplugging that too. If the problem remains use an extension lead and plug it into a plug in another room as a temporary measure (on a circuit not affected) until you locate the faulty appliance. Other likely culprits are the kettle, a steam iron, (usually anything that comes into contact with water!). However, don’t forget that even small things like radio alarm clocks, phone chargers and mains adaptors can cause the RCD to trip out so check all your items. If you still cannot find the problem, call in a professional electrician.

Why do I need a Landlord’s Electrical Safety Certificate?

As a Landlord, it is important to ensure that all electrical appliances and fittings within the property you rent out are safe.

However, unlike gas regulations, there is no legislation that demands you must have a landlord electrical safety certificate. That said, should any electrical fittings or appliances with your rental property cause actual harm to the tenant, you could be held liable.

In the worst case scenario, your tenant could sue you for damages or you might be brought before a court for negligence under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994.

Why would I want a Visual Electrical Inspection?

If you are purchasing a new flat or house, you may find a Visual Electrical Inspection helpful. This report can give you a reasonable indication of the state of the electrical system in the property.

This may help you make an informed decision on whether to purchase the property or whether to negotiate for a discount!

It can save the expense of a full electrical safety certificate and inspection, which is a far more expensive and time consuming process.

What is a Periodic inspection?

A Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) is an electrical test on the condition of the electrical wiring, installations and electrical connections such as accessories, light switches and electric sockets within a property.

The electrical installation – such as the wiring in a house – is tested against current electrical safety standards. The report lists any faults, possible concerns, and potential problems that need further investigation. The PIR report also provides a timescale of urgency on which action should be taken. The electrical test itself does not attempt to repair any of problems that may be highlighted. The report can be used to decide whether to budget for any remedial works or additional investigation.

What is Part ‘P’ of the building regulations?

Since 2005, if you’re doing work to your home that involves electricity, it needs to be covered by ‘Part P’ of the Building Regulations. That’s the law. It means whoever is carrying out the work needs to follow rules that make sure the work protects you and your family from fire or electric shock. It’s designed to keep you and your family as safe as possible. This applies if you’re putting electricity into a new house or extension, or if you’re having an existing system adapted or rewired. You can find full details on Part P on the Communities and Local Government website, www.communities.gov.uk.

Morton Fairview is a registered Part P installer. The advantages of this are:

• You will not have to pay any building control charges;
• We can deal with everything for you;
• We will arrange for you to receive a certificate confirming the work meets the Building Regulations;
• You have access to a formal complaints procedure if the work doesn’t meet the Building Regulations;
• You can choose to take out an insurance-backed guarantee when you have the work done, and you can make a claim if the work is later found not to meet the Building Regulations.

What does Part P of the Building Regulations mean to me?

If you use Morton Fairview Services, you can expect to have safe electrical work done, as the work will meet the UK national standard, BS 7671 (Requirements for Electrical Installations). When the work is finished you will receive:

• An Electrical Installation Certificate or Minor Works Certificate that confirms that the work meets BS 7671;
• A Building Regulations Compliance Certificate that confirms that the work meets the Building Regulations.

What should I do if I’m unsure about electrical safety?

You should contact a fully qualified electrician, such as Morton Fairview Services who will be happy to reassure you and visit your premises if needs be.

All the views and opinions expressed on this page are given for guidance only and are our interpretation of hypothetical circumstances; we cannot accept any liability for any actions taken as a result of this guidance. We strongly recommend that all electrical work is designed, installed maintained and tested by a suitably qualified electrician.

As always with electrical installation work you should consult a suitably qualified person.