when your COC is issued and it is not legal...due to the certificate not being filled in correctly or defects in the electrical installation which do no conform to sabs standards.

the proceedure is as follows:

you file a complaint with the DOL (department of labour)

They then appoint someone to carry out and investigation...at your cost

If the COC is illegal or the installation does not conform to the SABS standards then you will be issued will a document...ordering you to fix the electrical installation...at your cost.

Once the elctrical installtion is repaired then you will have to get the inspector back to recheck and verify it is legal...at your cost


now here a thing to take into consideration... before you rush out and report the illegal installation to the DOL...which you will end up paying the bill.

ECA Guarantee of Work scheme
A new brochure has been designed by the ECA to promote the R15 000 workmanship guarantee which the ECA underwrites on behalf of its members. This is a very useful marketing tool which members could use when quoting for small works. The guarantee applies to the standard of workmanship carried out by an ECA member in good standing. The guarantee does not apply to the repair of appliances and does not cover defective materials. The guarantee applies only where the member’s work has been completed and the member has been paid for such work.

If the person who did the COC is a registered member of the ECA...you can rather get a contractor like myself to verify that the installation is in fact illegal then claim against the ECA R15 000 guarentee work scheme...and it will only cost my visit which if it is found to be legit...you should be able claim for my time and get at least R15 000 worth of the repairs covered by this scheme.

i would look at this option rather than paying for the DOL and all the repairs yourself...just a thought...trying to get the ECA to part with this money could be an interesting challenge...but i cant comment on this because i am yet to get this right...

it would beinteresting to hear other people especially ECA members comments on this subject