Take care when selecting an electrician to work in your home

With Christmas and the New Year well and truly behind us, life is returning back to normal. Many people have with renewed goals on living a better life in 2014. One of the most popular New Year resolutions aside from eating a better diet and getting fit is to do up the home.

Of course it is not possible to do up an entire home without using some outside help from qualified tradespeople and using an electrical contractor in London for your home electrics is an absolute must. When looking for a domestic electrician in London, ensure they are qualified and registered electricians.

Don't assume that just because someone has told you that they're an electrician that they really are!

It sounds awful to say but you mustn’t make the common error of taking what people say at face value. Just because they have an advert in the local paper saying they're an electrician or they drive around in a van with the NICEIC logo on it, it doesn't mean for certain that is the case.

Always check credentials

Are they really an niceic electrician in London?

Before proceeding with any work in your home always ask to see your electricians qualifications – in particular check when they qualified as this will give you some idea of their level of experience.

Equally as importantly, ensure they are registered with an electrical registration scheme such as the NICEIC, NAPIT or ELECSA. You can search on the electrical safety register or the electric safe register or contact the registration schemes directly – you will find all the information easily on the internet. Always check the registration number given to you by the electrician is still valid.

Why are we telling you this?

Last month the Electrical Safety Council said there were 20,000 unregistered electricians working in peoples homes. In many cases house holders have unwittingly used someone whom they believed was a bona-fide electrician. Unregistered electricians can come in many guises so it is important to know what to be aware of so you don't end up being caught out.

Don't:

• Use an electrician based solely on someone else’s recommendation. They may have done a great job elsewhere but have they really? Electrical accidents account for over 50% of house fires and one person dies every week as a result of an electrical accident. Always check qualifications and registration to ensure the job is carried out safely

• Agree to use someone as they know a bit about electrics. Well meaning friends and people willing to help out may seem like a good turn at the time. Never compromise your property or your family for a cheap job. You get what you pay for, never take the risk. What can seem like a simple job can quickly turn into a nightmare with the cost

• Allow other tradespeople to choose an electrician for you. If a tradesman claims to be a 'one stop shop' and can do every trade then this should be a concern. Equally if a trades person offers to get their own men in to do certain aspects such as electrics, do not automatically accept. As a householder you should have freedom of choice over who works in your home – always carry out your checks first. A third of electricians have seen an increase in dangerous or sub-standard work carried out by one stop tradespeople and unregistered electricians carrying out work for them.

Conclusion

Opting for a cheap trades person is never the right answer. Remember your safety depends on the person doing the work. A genuine electrician will always be happy to show you qualifications and registration details.