There are several schemes for checking that electricians and other people carrying out skilled work are qualified and safe to do the job. While there are certainly people who have good skills and may well be able to do a good job even if they don’t have the official qualifications, electrical work is too important to take risks with – faulty wiring, for example, can cause serious accidents and even death – and even if a friend or relative recommends someone who has worked for them, you would be strongly advised to make sure the electrician is qualified and not to employ them otherwise.
There are two main bodies which electricians need to join. One of these is ELECSA, an organisation which carries out inspections, gives certificates of competence etc, to people working in all parts of the building industry including, importantly, electricians. There are different certificates and schemes for those installing electricity in private homes, working with energy saving schemes etc, so the assessments are very detailed and careful.
The other body is NICEIC – the national inspection council for electrical installation contracting. If you are thinking of employing an electrician but want to check his/her credentials first, or are looking for a reliable one in your area, you can find out about any electrician’s membership of either of these two bodies by going to the Electrical Safety Register. You simply put your postcode in the box provided and a list of all suitable people near you will come up. It is especially important to make sure you get the work carried out by someone in your own country if, for example, you live near a border, because the regulations are different in England and Wales from the rules in Northern Ireland and Scotland. If someone you were thinking of employing doesn’t appear on this list, you would be advised to make some very careful enquiries (you could also try the Electric Safe website which works in a similar way) and if necessary to look for a different electrician. Your Yellow Pages phone book will also have a list of qualified people, and you can check any names you find on one or both of these registers before contacting them.
Once you have confirmed that any electrician you are thinking of contacting is properly trained and registered, it is still very important to get someone who has been personally recommended if you possibly can, since ‘trained’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘the best’. If the work is not urgent it’s a very good idea to do some asking around – so many people will recently have had work done, and everyone is happy to pass on the name of a good electrician. You may also find that if you put the name of a specific contractor or company in a search engine that you come across some reviews or further information. These should be treated with caution of course, and are no substitute for endorsements from official bodies, but they could be helpful.
Once you have found two or three people or companies , you should contact them and ask for quotes so you can compare them. You should ask for these in writing and also ask for a copy of their insurance policy (they should have Public Liability Insurance). It is also a good idea to check what procedures they have for dealing with complaints, as this is expected of electricians registered with government-backed schemes.
Finally, before any work is started you need to be quite clear about how and when you will be paying, and exactly what work you want done.