COC/Test report a legal document

[Isetech]

Is a COC/test report a legal document?

Would it be treated as a criminal case if reported to the police?

[Isetech]

If your COC/test report is not filled in correctly, the visual inspection and test results are not completed correctly, would it not be fraud?

If it is fraud could the customer open a criminal case against the person who signed the COC document or would it be a civil case?

Considering there are a lot of non compliant COC's doing the rounds and to add fuel to the fire, people who had installation completed in the late 2022 and during 2023 paid as much as R50 - R100 000 more for installation than people are paying now in 2024, even though the exchange rate hasn't really dropped, yet the equipment prices are dropping by the day.

It has left a really sour taste in their mouth, the fact they they paid the highest rate ever for a solar installation and there is a good chance the COC is actually not worth the paper it is written on.

[Dave A]

If your COC/test report is not filled in correctly, the visual inspection and test results are not completed correctly, would it not be fraud?

Laying a charge of fraud has requirements far beyond just proving errors in a document.

[Isetech]

Surely if the document is not filled out correctly that should be regarded as fraud, what more do you need to prove?

Laying a charge of fraud has requirements far beyond just proving errors in a document.

[Isetech]

The definition of fraud

wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.
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[Thys LOW Elektries]

Doing a COC for R500, without an inspection and sucking a bunch of numbers out of your thumb is fraud and corruption in my eyes. Buildings can burn down, and people can lose their lives, in my eyes, it is a serious offense and the law must act to bring order and justice to those fraudulent COC operators

[Isetech]

The problem with COC's is not the level of competence, it's the fact that we all know that it is a numbers game that we play, the chances of getting is so small that it is worth the risk.

You can write anything on a COC/test report and get away with it, I dont know of 1 COC that has ever got to a point that a case number was even opened.

Which is good news for the elctrical industry, it has become a quick in and out way to make good money, if things are quiet you could just add to the fault list, who is going to know, I dare you to try it with one of my customers, chances are you will be back to fix "all " the non compliant items on the list.

This people is why I encourage the public to get a second opinion and not to sign the transfer documents until you are 100 % sure your COC is worth paper it is written on.

We busy with one right now, the contractor was back on site fixing all the... let me get this right... the regs that have changes since 04/2023.

Stuff like apparently wasn't code last year, DC fuse disconnect for the batteries, double pole isolators for the DC, indicator lights, earth spikes for the inverter supply, neutral earth bond to mention a few.

I have learnt just shake my head and smile.

the bonus is it is a even quicker way to make good money, because you can bill the customer a decent rate and they can claim it from the contractor

The last job the member of an associassion is still whining about the R5000 charged for 4 hours while I sat and watched them fix the non compliant stuff.

[Isetech]

The only way the electrical industry is going to come right, is when the people issuing COC's are held accountable for their actions.

Calling a contractor to ask them nicely to fix non compliant items is certainly not working in the best interest of public safety.

There should be hefty fines imposed for non compliant COC's, 3 strikes the person should have their license revoked and they should be required to redo the entire process.

[Dave A]

Surely if the document is not filled out correctly that should be regarded as fraud, what more do you need to prove?

To win a case of fraud, you have to prove intent to defraud at the level of beyond reasonable doubt - which is not as straight forward as many might think.

The only way the electrical industry is going to come right, is when the people issuing COC's are held accountable for their actions.

100%

Calling a contractor to ask them nicely to fix non compliant items is certainly not working in the best interest of public safety.

It is certainly more effective than trying to lay a charge that is not going to be prosecuted - and may actually put you at risk for laying a false criminal charge.

When you call FRAUD, the contest becomes whether it is fraud or not - and the plainly/easily provable problem of the errors that need to be addressed disappear into the background, and often times, disappear entirely as a result.
The Electrical Installation Regulations refers to offences - I suggest don't blow the winnable case by trying to upgrade the offences to criminal acts.

[Thys LOW Elektries]

Today I had a house with 4 lights not working. The house had a COC and the wiring was a mess. I phoned the contractor and he told me he did not do the wiring or the COC but somebody that worked for him did it. He will investigate the matter and get back to me. A few minutes later a couple of students showed up and after telling them what is wrong and how to fix it, they fixed it.
But the wiring is still a mess, the geyser is still not bonded and the steel structure of the house is not earthed. A legal COC, sloppy COC or faulty COC?!