If the electrical wiring installation is old, or has been extensively altered or extended, or appears suspect, a Surveyor is likely to recommend that it is inspected and tested by an electrician.
The electrician should be registered or members of one of the following organisations:
BRE Certification Ltd
British Standards Institution
Elecsa Ltd
Napit Registration Ltd
NICEIC Group Ltd
Select (Scotland)
ECA - Electrical Contractors Association
Registered electricians will work to the UK National Standard BS7671 Requirements for Electrical Installation.
Very often a Periodic Inspection Report will be carried out for a prospective homebuyer. It is a very detailed report, often far too detailed for a homebuyer, and could be considered unintelligible to all but an electrician.
The Periodic Inspection Report must be presented on special forms. There are about seven different forms which must be used for each report. Each set of forms is provided with a unique reference at the top left corner - this allows the forms to be traced back to the registered electrical contractor to whom they were originally supplied.
The report identifies and classifies problems according to the scale:
Where repairs or remedial works are required, budget costs or a proper quotation are requested.