dishonnest COC

**AliceD** · 22-Sep-20, 11:49 AM

Hello!
I have a COC issue, I hope you can help! I read the very good post from Sparks on COC and I already found some answers but I would need a bit of guidance on the next steps...

My husband and I purchased a house from the 60s that needs a lot of renovation, leaking roof, old kitchen falling appart, old bathroom etc. The transfer was effective in March 2020. We moved in 5 days before lockdown and lived in until 1st of September 2020. We started our renovation 3 weeks ago and an electrician came in to give us a quote. He was shocked by the low quality and high risk of the installation and said that with a leaking roof it was a miracle that there was no accident yet...
I then noticed that the conveyancer did not send us the elecrical COC when I requested it on April 1st, (we did have the plumbing and borehole beetles ones) so I requested it and received it on September 21st
The wiring is poorly patched the system can barely handle pool, motor gate and lights and plugs are outdated, the elctrician gave more details on what is wrong and I can get the list here but my question is what recourse can I have?
The original quote is now 4x more expensive as we want to make it compliant...

At the moment I am :
verifying the electrician on the website eaiasa.co.za
I have put on hold the renovation of the house and taken pictures of the current installation

I understand that litigation must be dealt with the seller of the house but I am not sure how?

Please let me know your thoughts !

Many thanks !!

**Leecatt** · 22-Sep-20, 01:05 PM

I would also like to know the answer to this. There was a time when a person in your position could pay the inspectorate authority to validate the CoC and recourse would normally be done during a meeting with the electrician and the IA or, failing that, in court.
Nowadays that system appears to have fallen away.

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**GCE** · 22-Sep-20, 04:31 PM

Hi
The Department of Labour is the custodian of the act and the will of the DOL to get involved and prosecute is lacking.
The AIA's are active and a possible solution if you are prepared to pay for the inspection.

If the member is an ECA member you could also go that route and report to your local ECA office

**ians** · 25-Sep-20, 08:33 AM

Before we all jump to conclusions ...lets see the COC ... post a copy of it.

I would be interested to see what is written on the COC ... is the house reasonably safe ?

What ar ethe issues with the house ... exposed bare copper wire?

incorrectly sized circuit breakers ?

Outdated motors ... lights and plugs doesnt mean the COC is not valid.

The bottom line ... if the transfer has already gone through ...you are responsible for the entire investgation ...repairs and costs to sue the previous owner.

**AliceD** · 26-Sep-20, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by ians

Before we all jump to conclusions ...lets see the COC ... post a copy of it.

I would be interested to see what is written on the COC ... is the house reasonably safe ?

What ar ethe issues with the house ... exposed bare copper wire?

incorrectly sized circuit breakers ?

Outdated motors ... lights and plugs doesnt mean the COC is not valid.

The bottom line ... if the transfer has already gone through ...you are responsible for the entire investgation ...repairs and costs to sue the previous owner.

Thanks Ians,
COC3p.pdf
Apparently the biggest expenses and issue is that the geyser was not earth.

Thanks for your help and opinion

**GCE** · 26-Sep-20, 07:32 PM

Looking at the copy you supplied - It is not a valid certificate and not worth the paper that it is written on unless the person that signed the COC actually owned the house and was doing it in his own capacity as owner of the house.

I don't recognize the signature so it does not look like one of the usual culprits , but that changes all the time

**AliceD** · 27-Sep-20, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by GCE

Looking at the copy you supplied - It is not a valid certificate and not worth the paper that it is written on unless the person that signed the COC actually owned the house and was doing it in his own capacity as owner of the house.

I don't recognize the signature so it does not look like one of the usual culprits , but that changes all the time

Thanks GCE, no it was not the owner but I think it was one of his friend... What makes you say that it is not valid please?

Many thanks,

**JustJohann** · 27-Sep-20, 05:34 PM

I only see 3 pages and the last page is turned sideways ? The most important part which is the test report is not attached/visible.

**JustJohann** · 27-Sep-20, 05:40 PM

One fault I can see is that who ever did it ticked the wrong box here. Should be the one below that as its an existing installation.

**GCE** · 28-Sep-20, 05:50 AM

Originally Posted by AliceD

Thanks GCE, no it was not the owner but I think it was one of his friend... What makes you say that it is not valid please?

Many thanks,

On Page 1 the section for Electrical contractor is not completed - He would be allowed to leave it out if it was for himself but under the OHSA he may not do work for others unless he is a registered electrical contractor

I have pasted the 2 relevant clauses form the Electrical Installation Regulations below

6. (1) No person may do electrical installation work as an electrical contractor unless that person has been registered as an electrical contractor in terms of these Regulations

"installation work" means(
a)
the installation, extension, modification or repair of an electrical installation;
(b)
the connection of machinery at the supply terminals of such machinery; or
(e)
the inspection, testing and verification of electrical installations for the purpose of issuing a certificate of compliance