From 1 January 2005 it has been a legal requirement for all work on fixed electrical installations in dwellings and associated buildings to comply with relevant standards.

Part P applies to:

• A dwelling
• In the common parts of buildings serving one or more dwellings, but excluding power supplies to lifts
• In a building that receives its electricity from a source located within or shared with a dwelling, and
• In a garden or in or on land associate with a building where the electricity supply is from a source located within or shared with a dwelling

In May 2003 the Government announced that it would introduce a new Part to the Building Regulations, Part P, which would bring domestic electrical installation work in England and Wales under the legal framework of the Building Regulations. It will, for the first time, place a legal requirement for safety upon electrical installation work in dwellings, although the sector is highly regarded for its high levels of conformity with its chief standard, BS 7671.

It was announced that Part P would only be introduced in law when self-certification schemes were in place to ensure competency of the work undertaken. Such schemes are now in place. Part P of the Building Regulations became a legal requirement on January 1st 2005.

Part P places two requirements

Design, installation, inspection and testing of electrical installations

Reasonable provision shall be made in the design, installation, inspection and testing of electrical installations in order to protect persons from fire or injury.

Provision of information

Sufficient information shall be provided so that persons wishing to operate, maintain or alter an electrical installation can do so with reasonable safety.

In addition, electrical installation work must comply with the Building Regulations in general.