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Which version of BS 7671 should I use?

AJJewsbury
I'm confused. Let's, for example, say I'm doing an upmarket domestic (complete with PV and EV) that's intended to be rented out and the work will be overseen by building control.


As I see it:
  • BS 7671 says I should use the latest version (subject to any transition periods when new versions are published) - so currently BS 7671:2018+A1:2020 (plus possibly a Corrigendum or so).

  • The ESQCR (as amended) demands that (because I have on-site generation operating in parallel with the mains) I comply with "British Standard Requirements" which it defines as BS 7671:2008 (17th Ed) (unamended).

  • AD P suggests that if I want a nice "deemed to comply" solution that BC will accept, I need to work to BS 7671:2008 incorporating Amendment No 1:2011.

  • As the property is going to be rented, the new "The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020" will have to be complied with, and that requires compliance with BS 7671:2018 (unamended).


So do I have to read four different versions of the Wiring Regs at once and try and come up with a design that simultaneously satisfies all four? (which I'm not sure would always be possible) and even if I did that which version should the certificate say it complies with?


  - Andy.
  • 0
    AJJewsbury:
    OlympusMons:

    Well if you are confused Andy, what chance do the rest of us have?


    Heres my take on it;

    115.1 (2018) says "For installations over which a licensing or other authority exercises a statutory control, the requirements of that authority shall be ascertained and complied with in the design and execution of the installation"

    The 2020 rented regs confer statutory duties on local housing authorities to enforce the regulations, they therefore have statutory control. And these reference BS7671:2018 unammended.

    BS7671:2008 also has 115.1 with exactly the same wording. So all roads lead to BS7671:2018 unammended. Simples


     


    But the equally legally demanding Electricity Safety Quality and Continuity Regulations demand BS 7671:2008 compliance.


       - Andy.




    As i said Andy BS7671:2008 reg 115.1 says the same as the most recent version of BS7671, roughly that the requirements of an authority with statutory control must be complied with, ie the requirements of the local housing authority with regard to rented properties, and these requirements are to "ensure that the electrical safety standards are met during any period when the residential premises are occupied under a specified tenancy" and “electrical safety standards” means the standards for electrical installations in the eighteenth edition of the Wiring Regulations.

    if ESQCR says follow BS7671:2008, and one of the first regs says ignore the rest if told to do so by an authority with statutory control, and that authority says follow BS7671:2018 to the letter, then surely that is what must be done.

     


  • 0
    Legally, any property which uses one of the new EV protection measures detailed in amendment 1 cannot be rented out.
  • 0
    if ESQCR says follow BS7671:2008, and one of the first regs says ignore the rest if told to do so by an authority with statutory control, and that authority says follow BS7671:2018 to the letter, then surely that is what must be done.

    I think the problem is that we have two (or more) authorities all asking for different things...

          - Andy.
  • 0
    If you are inspecting a tenanted property, you do it against BS 7671:2018. Amendments are not mentioned, so use the current one in line with normal practice.

    My understanding of the "non-ambulatory" intent was that as no amendments were mentioned, reference is to the non-amended version.


       - Andy.

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