Proposals for new national Electrical Installation Regulations have been published for comment



Proposals for new national Electrical Installation Regulations have been published for comment and, if approved, will bring about some significant changes to the current electrical compliance certificate system. Under the present regulations, the owner of a property obtains an electrical compliance certificate when he takes ownership of the property, and passes it on to the next owner when he sells. If he doesn't have a certificate at the time of sale, he obtains one by means of an inspection as part of the after-sale administrative process that precedes transfer. However, notes Bill Rawson, Western Cape regional chairman of the Institute of Estate Agents, what the Department of Labour is now proposing means many property owners would have to have a certificate at all times, and be able to produce it on demand by an inspector. Only those people who have owned their properties since before October 23, 1992 and have not altered or added to the electrical installations since then would be exempt. Quoted in the Property Professional Online, Rawson says the proposed regulations would also make it compulsory for a property seller to produce an electrical compliance certificate before putting the property on the market for sale or to let - and make the estate agent responsible for ensuring that a seller or landlord has a valid certificate before finalising a sale or lease agreement. Banks would also be required to ensure that a valid certificate existed before approving a home loan. If passed, the new regulations could also be linked to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, making it an offence to sell a property unless its electrical installation complies with government safety standards. Also proposed is an Electrical Safety Board for Installations that would register electrical contractors, set minimum qualifications and a code of ethics, and control the issue of certificates through a serial-numbering system. Article: 09/05/2002 For the latest real estate news, visit http://www.property24.co.za/