When and why should a consumer unit be upgraded?

  As of the 1st July 2020, Government regulations state that all new private tenancies in England will have to ensure that electrical installations are inspected and tested by a qualified person before the tenancy begins. The landlord will then have to ensure that all electrical installations are inspected and tested at least every five years – and more often if a safety report requires it.

For existing tenancies, an electrical safety test will need to be carried out by the 1st April 2021, with regular tests at least every five years or more often if required. This legislation offers protection for millions of tenants and helps private landlords protect their assets.

The inspection and testing required should only be carried out by a qualified electrician or an approved contractor with experience doing periodic inspection and testing following the BS7671:2018 18th Edition legal regulations and preferably be registered with either the NICEIC or a similar authorising scheme. Any further investigative or remedial work should also be conducted by a qualified electrician or an approved contractor to work in accordance with the electrical safety standards.

Regulations also state that landlords are required to obtain a report of the results of the inspection and testing and supply it to each tenant within 28 days. Both tenant and landlord should retain a copy until the next inspection is due.

Consumer Unit and its purpose:

A Consumer Unit (also known as a Fuse Board) distributes electricity around a building. It protects electrical circuits from surges in current by breaking the circuit when a surge occurs.  

It is essential that every property has their electrical installations safe and up to standard. Properties which use old consumer units that are not in line with current regulations put tenants in possible danger.

The change in the electrical wiring standards and regulations in 2008 requested that all circuits are either replaced to modern consumer units which contain an RCD (Residual Circuit Device) and mini circuit breakers (MCBs), rather than fuses or older models which are fitted with RCDs. RCDs and MCBs are more receptive to changes and can break an electrical circuit much more rapidly resulting in less risks of electric shocks or fires. 

Ideally, it is advisable to upgrade consumer units when buying or selling a house, or when carrying out electrical works within the property which require a fuse-board upgrade such as a new kitchen or adding additional circuits to the property.

For an upgrade to your current consumer unit, A.M.P ELECTRICAL recommends that you carry out an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) prior to a consumer unit upgrade. AMP Electrical will bring the safety of the electrical installation up to (and beyond) the legal standards as stipulated in the BS7671: 2018 18thEdition wiring regulations. 

We can ensure that all works will be carried out to the best standards by highly skilled electricians and for extra peace of mind, all our work will be fully insured and guaranteed.

For more information on EICR, please click the link below: