Electrical Compliance Certificates: Originals?

**Dave A** · 30-Oct-06, 10:26 AM

The actual regulations are here.

Responsibility for electrical installations

2. (1) The user or lessor of an electrical installation, as the case may be, shall be responsible for the safety, safe use and maintenance of the electrical installation he uses or leases.
(2) The user or lessor of an electrical installation, as the case may be, shall be responsible for the safety of the conductors connecting the electrical installation to the point of supply in the case where the point of supply is not the point of control.

So the short answer is it goes to the purchaser.

This raises a side issue. When the Department of Labour checks an industrial/commercial premises for a COC. It is the user (commonly the lessee) that is squeezed to produce COCs!

**duncan drennan** · 30-Oct-06, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by Dave A

So the short answer is it goes to the purchaser.

Which takes preference, user or lessor? They can definitely be different people.

**Dave A** · 30-Oct-06, 02:05 PM

What makes it particularly interesting is the operative "or".

It seems you can't lease a building incorporating electrical machinery without the COC. This places the onus on the lessor.

However, the lessee in this instance would be responsible for the COC for electrical machinery that is his/her own property, ie. not leased from a lessor.

Getting confused yet

I suspect the best way to understand it is to think lessor first, user second. If there is no "lessor", then "user" applies. I guess this is why we need lawyers.

**duncan drennan** · 30-Oct-06, 02:15 PM

Maybe best practice would be to keep either the original or a certified copy on the premises? The owner/lessor can then keep the original.

Question: So in the case of a tenant installing their own electrical equipment (let's say a baker is leasing a building and installs ovens etc.) then a new COC would have to be obtained...correct? Obviously another COC would have to be obtained if the tenant moved out (with their equipment).

**Dave A** · 30-Oct-06, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by dsd

Question: So in the case of a tenant installing their own electrical equipment (let's say a baker is leasing a building and installs ovens etc.) then a new COC would have to be obtained...correct?

A seperate COC can be issued on the addition to the electrical installation. This would effectively be supplemental to the existing COC on the existing installation.

In theory, every addition or alteration to the electrical installation requires a COC. In practice, this rarely happens, particularly as most "electricians" carrying out this work are not certified wireman as required to issue the COC.

**duncan drennan** · 30-Oct-07, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Dave A

In theory, every addition or alteration to the electrical installation requires a COC. In practice, this rarely happens, particularly as most "electricians" carrying out this work are not certified wireman as required to issue the COC.

So, in theory, I can expect a registered electrician to issue me with a COC after they have completed alterations to my property's electrical installation?