What should you check when choosing an electrician?

Making sure that you choose the right domestic electricianhas a big impact on your familys safety as well as ensuring that work on your house is completed to a high standard. When electrical repairs are not done properly there can be a risk to life from both electric shock and fire. These simple rules will help you to find a reliable electrician for any electrical repairs:

1) Dont let anyone undertake electrical work on your home without checking they are licensed to do so. A electrician with a licence needed to go through an approved training programme so you can be confident they are safe to undertake work on your home. Ask to see evidence of these qualifications. If you dont check, you risk allowing someone who may know a bit about electrics, but who is not properly trained to undertake potentially dangerous work in your home.

2) Ensure your electrician is registered with the NICEIC.  To be registered an electrician is regularly assessed to ensure that their work meets the required safety standards and that they are competent.

3) Ask to see proof of your electricians public liability insurance. These documents will be easy to produce for a trustworthy electrician.

4) Its a good idea to ask your electrician for references before you hand over any money. Make sure you actually contact them to ensure that previous customers are happy with his work.

It is sad that a handful of bad apples can have a negative effect on the reputation of the whole building industry. There are too many stories of builders from hell which are reported in the news and on TV. Like any other group in the building trade, the majority of electricians are skilled guys but there are a few that are cowboys.  The priority should always be safety, but there are many other unpleasant implications of choosing the wrong electrician. Homeowners tell stories of tradesmen who cant be relied upon and dont arrive to do work at agreed times or who disappear after starting a job leaving behind mess.

Any decent electrician will have the documentation we have discussed and will be happy to let you look at it. References arent a problem either for any electrician who does good work. These rules are the easy secret of finding the right domestic electrician.