The Heating Engineers & Allied Trades Federation explains why it is concerned by the recent government changes to Part P legislation.

The Heating Engineers Allied Trades Federation (HEATFED) is somewhat concerned by the government statement which effectively encourages DIYers to carry out electrical works in their own homes.

What doesn’t seem to have been taken into account is the financial impact that Part P notification has had on heating engineers, kitchen fitters, and many other tradesmen, who found it necessary to become registered Competent Persons to carry out notifiable electrical works in addition to their own specific trade and industry requirements. Training and registration costs and fees are not to be laughed at.

Does the Minister now plan to compensate all of the heating and allied trades operatives and employers who now find themselves in a position which means that taking a supply from an existing circuit to a new location, for example the relocation of a boiler, relocation of electrical heating controls to or from an airing cupboard, to move a fixed unit such as a cooker and its supply or take a supply from an existing circuit for a garage door, has now been a complete waste of time effort and money?

Having read the new Part P which comes into effect for England on 6 April, a clear concern is raised where perversely a DIYer will be effectively encouraged to take a new supply from an existing circuit even where that circuit may not be sufficiently sized or appropriate for use (how will a DIYer know that what he has connected to is safe?) so as to be able to negate notification and not have to use a competent tradesman. This will take the work, income and benefit of being registered as a competent person away from them.

Deregulation can be a good thing and save industry money, but here we clearly have a situation where the government department for Communities & Local Government (CLG) created the problem in the first place by mishandling Part P from start to finish, which has cost the good guys dearly. 

To put matters right the Federation challenges CLG to admit its mistakes and reimburse the trades for costs now shown to have been unecessarily incurred.

The Heating Engineers & Allied Trades Federation is a not-for-profit body established to protect the interest of heating engineers and tradespeople.