There seem to be another problem in the industry, understanding the difference between and inspection report and a certificate of compliance. We have discussed this in the past but everyday I faced with the same problem.

An "electrical inspector" will be called to a property to carry out:

AN INSPECTION REPORT : This report will include all his test results and visual findings. Which SHOULD BE RECORDED. If the property doesn't pass the test, a fee is charged for the INSPECTION REPORT, if it passes and you have quoted to issue the COC then all good and well. You bill the customer for the test including the COC and all or good and we move on to the next job.

This is the part where all systems seem to fail, when the property fails the test or visual inspection that's when the wheels seem to fall off. Because many of the inspectors do the tests and repairs, the inspection report is "generally" incomplete, what I mean by this is I am handed a piece of paper which states that it is private and confidential with pieces cut off the pages because it includes the quote to repair. 99 % of these INSEPCTION REPORTS are incomplete. The inspection report will have a list of fault which look like this...

1/ no earth on light
2/ plug faulty
3/ labels incomplete
4/ switch faulty

price to repair xyz

This price would normally include the extra couple of hours required to complete the inspection report correctly and fix whatever else they find. People wonder why these amounts are over the top expensive.

If I come across an inspection report like this, I instruct my assistant to get out the ladders, all the test equipment and torches clipboard. I then go through the property taking note of every little thing and make up a real inspection list, detailing every single fault or defect, show it to the customer and instruct them not to pay for the incomplete job the previous inspector did and advise them to tell the inspector he is welcome to take us to court for his incomplete inspection report. Unless your inspection report is FREE, you need to make sure that it is done in a manner that the poor sucker who has to come in after you and fix the list of faults. if I am the sucker who is going to come in after you and only be paid for the repairs and not re-inspect then your inspection report is going to be attached to the COC with all your details. If it is incomplete then the inspection report will be done correctly and you will not get paid for wasting everyone's time and money.

People need to understand something about these inspection report/ certificate of compliance, you may get away with it today but when it is your turn to sell or suddenly things start going wrong and you get a real electrician in to do work, that's when you gona feel it and it is going to burn a hole in your pocket.

As I have said on many occasion, IF YOU ARE LIKELY TO MAKE ONE OF THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN LIFE, make sure it is done right. If you are stupid enough to trust the seller to do the inspection, then you must pay the price.

The reason I started this thread is because in the past 3 weeks I have been exposed to 3 electrical installations which all have COC issued and not one of the them are worth the paper they are written on.

The most recent one in Durban north was issued 2 years ago and the switch is wired with twin flex, but that isn't the problem because it has been working for 2 as long as it has been wired like that, it is not the A/C unit which is wired to the same twin flex circuit... but the twisted joint without any insulation tape nothing, in the steel pipe which is cut off from the rest of the installation so the earth continuity was removed, which means ever time you switch on the light the pipe is live. Then I had to climb in the roof to pull new cables in and that when the real fun started. Geysers connected with a red and black house wire and no earth open in the roof space, the geyser was bonded believe it or not but not earthed. There is about R60 000 worth of repairs required to get this house up to standard. Maybe the sellers got a mate to sign over the property and now the new owner is in for a nasty surprise. There is nothing the new owner can do, unless they have huge amounts of money to sue and pay and pay and pay and hope they can recover some of the costs which is highly unlikely the way the industry is protected at this point in time and the laws which are not upheld because the DOL are even more incompetent than the inspectors carrying out the tests.

I know I am wasting my time even typing this thread but at least I have had my rant for the morning.