Notifiable Electrical Work: What Requires Building Control?

Not all electrical work in a home requires building control notification. Part P of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) distinguishes between notifiable work, which must be reported to building control, and non-notifiable work, which can be carried out without notification. Understanding which category your work falls into is essential for compliance and for avoiding potentially costly problems down the line.

This guide explains exactly which types of electrical work are notifiable, which are not, the two routes to compliance, and the penalties for getting it wrong. Whether you are a homeowner planning work on your property or an electrician advising customers, this guide provides the clarity you need.

Part P of the Building Regulations was introduced on 1 January 2005 in England and Wales. Its full title is "Electrical Safety -- Dwellings." The regulation was introduced following concerns about the number of electrical fires and electrocutions in homes, many of which were caused by DIY or unqualified electrical work.

Part P requires that electrical installation work in dwellings is designed and installed to protect people from fire and electric shock, in compliance with the 18th Edition wiring regulations. It does this by requiring certain types of work to be either carried out by a member of a competent person scheme (who can self-certify compliance) or notified to the local authority building control department before work begins.

Part P applies to dwellings including houses, flats, maisonettes, and parts of mixed-use buildings that are used as dwellings. It covers the electrical installation in the dwelling itself as well as gardens, outbuildings, and shared areas of blocks of flats. It does not apply to commercial or industrial premises, which are covered by the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

The following types of electrical work in dwellings are notifiable under Part P and must be either self-certified by a competent person scheme member or notified to building control:

Always Notifiable (Anywhere in the Dwelling)

• ✓Installation of a new circuit from the consumer unit or distribution board
• ✓Replacement of a consumer unit (see our consumer unit guide for details)

These two types of work are notifiable regardless of where in the dwelling they take place. A new circuit is any cable run from the consumer unit to a new point of use that did not previously exist. A consumer unit replacement is notifiable because it is the central safety device for the entire installation.

Notifiable in Special Locations

Any electrical installation work (including additions and alterations, not just new circuits) is notifiable if it takes place in the following special locations:

• ✓Bathrooms and shower rooms: any electrical work within these rooms or within 3 metres of a bath or shower
• ✓Kitchens: electrical work in proximity to sinks and water sources (the exact extent is subject to interpretation, but work near sinks is generally considered notifiable)
• ✓Outdoors: any electrical work outside the dwelling including garden lighting, outside sockets, pond pumps, and shed/garage supplies
• ✓Swimming pools, saunas, and hot tub areas: all electrical work in these locations

The reason these locations are treated differently is the increased risk from the combination of water and electricity (bathrooms, kitchens, outdoors, pools) or the particular hazards of the environment. Even a simple addition like an extra socket in a bathroom is notifiable.

The following types of electrical work are generally not notifiable, provided they are not carried out in the special locations listed above:

Non-Notifiable Work

• ✓Like-for-like replacement of sockets, switches, ceiling roses, and light fittings
• ✓Like-for-like replacement of a damaged cable for a single circuit
• ✓Re-fixing or replacing enclosures of existing accessories
• ✓Adding a fused spur to an existing circuit (not in a special location)
• ✓Adding a socket outlet by means of a spur from an existing circuit (not in a special location)
• ✓Adding a new lighting point to an existing lighting circuit (not in a special location)
• ✓Installing or upgrading main or supplementary bonding

Important Clarification

The key distinction is between adding to an existing circuit (generally not notifiable if outside special locations) and installing a new circuit from the consumer unit (always notifiable). For example, adding a double socket in a bedroom by running a spur from the existing ring circuit is not notifiable. But running a new dedicated circuit from the consumer unit to supply a home office is notifiable, even though the work is in the same room.

Even when work is not notifiable, it must still comply with BS 7671 and should be accompanied by appropriate documentation (see our electrical certificates guide for the different certificate types). The fact that work does not need building control notification does not mean it can be done to a lower standard.

When electrical work is notifiable, there are two ways to comply with Part P:

Route 1: Competent Person Scheme (Self-Certification)

The most common and practical route is to use an electrician who is a member of a competent person scheme. The main schemes recognised by the government are:

• ✓NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting): the largest and most widely recognised scheme
• ✓NAPIT (National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers): the second largest scheme
• ✓ELECSA: a scheme operated by the ECA (Electrical Contractors Association)
• ✓Stroma: a multi-discipline scheme covering electrical and other building trades

When a competent person scheme member completes notifiable work, they self-certify it as compliant with building regulations. The scheme notifies building control on behalf of the electrician, and the homeowner receives a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate (sometimes called a BS Certificate). This process is included in the electrician membership fee and does not cost the homeowner anything extra.

Route 2: Building Control Notification

If the electrician is not a member of a competent person scheme, or if the homeowner is carrying out the work themselves, the work must be notified to the local authority building control department before it starts. Building control will charge a fee (typically 200 to 300 pounds) and a building control officer will inspect the completed work before issuing a completion certificate.

This route is more expensive and less convenient than using a competent person scheme member. It also requires planning ahead, as building control must be notified before work commences. For these reasons, most professional electricians join a competent person scheme, and most homeowners choose registered electricians.

Carrying out notifiable electrical work without proper notification or certification can have serious consequences for both the homeowner and the person who did the work.

Enforcement Action

The local authority has the power to issue an enforcement notice requiring the homeowner to have the work inspected and, if necessary, brought up to standard. The cost of this falls on the homeowner, not the electrician (unless the homeowner takes separate legal action against the electrician). If the homeowner fails to comply with an enforcement notice, the local authority can arrange for the work to be done and recover the cost.

Property Sale Problems

One of the most common consequences of non-notified work is problems when selling the property. During conveyancing, solicitors check for building control completion certificates. If notifiable electrical work was done without certification, the solicitor will flag it as an issue. This can delay the sale, reduce the sale price, or in some cases prevent the sale from completing until the work is inspected and certified.

Some sellers attempt to resolve this by purchasing indemnity insurance, which covers the buyer against the risk of enforcement action. However, this does not resolve the underlying issue (the work may not be safe), and some buyers and mortgage lenders will not accept indemnity insurance as an alternative to proper certification.

Insurance Implications

If an electrical fire or injury occurs and the installation work was not carried out in compliance with building regulations, the homeowner insurance company may refuse to pay the claim. This applies to both buildings insurance and contents insurance. The insurer may argue that the homeowner failed to maintain the property in compliance with relevant regulations, voiding the policy.

Prosecution

In the most serious cases, where non-compliant electrical work causes death or serious injury, the person who carried out the work could face criminal prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This applies to both professional electricians and DIY homeowners. While prosecution is rare for building regulation breaches alone, it is a real possibility where serious harm results from negligent work.

Here are some common domestic electrical jobs and whether they are notifiable under Part P:

• ✓Consumer unit replacement: NOTIFIABLE (always)
• ✓New circuit for an electric cooker: NOTIFIABLE (new circuit)
• ✓New circuit for an EV charger: NOTIFIABLE (new circuit, usually outdoors too)
• ✓New circuit for a garden shed: NOTIFIABLE (new circuit + outdoors)
• ✓Adding a socket in a bedroom (spur from existing ring): NOT NOTIFIABLE
• ✓Adding a socket in a kitchen: NOTIFIABLE (special location)
• ✓Adding a socket in a bathroom: NOTIFIABLE (special location)
• ✓Adding an outside socket: NOTIFIABLE (outdoors)
• ✓Installing garden lighting: NOTIFIABLE (outdoors)
• ✓Replacing a like-for-like socket anywhere: NOT NOTIFIABLE
• ✓Replacing a light fitting in a bathroom: NOT NOTIFIABLE (like-for-like replacement)
• ✓Adding a new light fitting in a bathroom: NOTIFIABLE (special location, addition)
• ✓Rewiring a house: NOTIFIABLE (multiple new circuits)
• ✓Replacing a damaged cable: NOT NOTIFIABLE (like-for-like repair)