this is not a trick question....

i buy a brand new house in an estate in 2005...in 2009 i have some alterations done and building inspector requests a COC...unfortunately the builders electrician is not registered...so i find an independent person to sign over the COC...while carrying out the tests it is found that the loop impedance test is more than 199 ohms...after further investigation it is found that there is no earth from the meter box on the road to the house...the original electricain (2005) who did the installation says he cannot be held responsible for the cable because he did the installation in 2005 and cannot be held responsible after all this time....so we start digging up the ourselves to see if we can see where the cable is damaged.

the plot just thickens...the cable runs into the neighbours property and to make it even more difficult it goes under his tarred driveway...and the cable ducts across the road to the meter cubicle are also under his driveway.

the building inspector has threatened with a fine for non compliance and eviction declaring the property unsafe... if the COC is not issued by the end of the month.

so now what do we do get hold of the developer?
do we dig up the driveway and pay for everything?
Who is responsible?


i would like to know what you think.