What are you permitted to do in an electrical installation?
Some work may only be performed by registered installation companies, such as creating new installations or extending/modifying existing installations (installing/modifying permanent electrical equipment in or on walls and ceilings).
You are permitted to replace electrics such as cables, lamp holders, plugs (max. 25 A) and multi-sockets (max. 16 A) in portable appliances and lamps. Provided that you know how to do so safely. Incorrect installation can result in a risk of fire and risk to life.
What are you permitted to do in an electrical installation?
Even though installation equipment, such as heating cables, can be purchased freely, only registered companies are permitted to install the equipment. Retailers are required to inform buyers of this before the purchase is made. Nor is permitted to install the equipment yourself and then later ask an authorised installation company to connect the system to your home. This is in breach of regulations. However, no honest company would assume responsibility for work that they have no control over.
What are you permitted to do?
Unlicensed persons may only perform minor work in electrical installations in their own homes and holiday homes, if such work is carried out in a safe manner.
Minor work includes:
- Replacing junction box covers, switches and plugs, but not wall-mounted parts
- Install and replace heaters if they have a movable cord and plug
- Connect and replace two-pronged plugs on movable cords up to 25 A, earthed or unearthed.
- Connect and replace two-pronged multi-sockets and appliance plugs, and mount cord switches.
- Connect lights, desk lamps, etc. with movable cords and mount cord switches.
- Connect and replace light bulbs hanging from ceiling hooks or similar, connected via a plug, crown clamp or terminal block, unless the bulbs are part of a permanent installation. The cables/cords must be supported so that no physical load is placed on the cables/cords
Old installations
Equipment in an electrical installation has a limited service life. The refurbishment of a building should also include the electrical installations. Older buildings often have electrical installations that were designed for completely different uses and output requirements than today's standards.
Reporting obligation
If there is a suspected fault in and electrical installation, the owner is obligated to contact a registered company to inspect this and repair the fault. A fault in an electrical installation not only confers a higher risk to the electrical installation itself, but also to all other systems supplied by the same transformer. In some cases, faults in other electrical installations connected to the same transformer circuit have contributed to fatal accidents.