Alan Moore was shaken and stirred when he found out that he had been living in a potentially dangerous house.
He was selling his home in Cape Town many years ago and not prepared for what the electrical wiring inspection would unearth.
“I was shocked,” Moore, now an award-winning Gqeberha estate agent under the Remax banner, admitted.
Although a compliance certificate could be costly, he said a quotation for the work to be done at least helps you understand what you’re in for.
“Before you accept an offer on your house, get it out of the way.”
As much as buying or selling a home can be exciting for the new beginnings it offers, the spark will quickly fade if it is discovered that the property’s electricals have gone haywire.
Particularly within South Africa’s tough economic climate, having to rectify outdated circuits and cables at the last minute can potentially break the bank.
In his 20 years in the industry, Moore has seen countless people being tripped up by not having budgeted for the requisite certificate of compliance.
“My message to my clients is that they need to have an electrical wiring inspection and quotation done before they put their house on the market and receive offers.”
The law states that the certificate must be signed off by a qualified electrician once the property is legally compliant.
Buyers and sellers often mistakenly believed that working switches and plugs meant the property was above board, Moore said.
“And then they are shocked when the inspection is done.”
The fact is that the wiring needs to meet safety standards, whether lighting and plug points work or not.
“Some of these old plugs might work but they don’t fit spec anymore,” Moore explained.
Furthermore, something may have happened to them in the interim or a previous inspection may have missed something.
And, just because a home might be fairly new, it did not necessarily mean it was compliant.
“For example, certain aspects of the law might have changed,” Moore noted.
He works closely with Service Master, a well-established Gqeberha business specialising in electrical and borer beetle certificates, to ensure his listed properties are compliant.
Owner Robert McAdam said the main safety point is earthing.
“Plug, geyser and stove points have to be earthed correctly to the main board. Similarly, the board must be properly earthed to the closest substation.”
Circuit breakers also had to be matched to cables, McAdam said.
“There is no point having a circuit breaker that will allow 40 or 50 amps through it when the cable is only rated for 10 or 15 amps.”
People often point out that inside fittings are in working order but fail to consider that, for example, the outdoor wiring is not waterproofed.
Open light fittings in bathrooms are also not compliant because of the steam that rise up around them.
“One of the things you see quite a lot is that people spend too much when they move into a house but don’t want to spend anything when they move out. But safety is the bottom line here,” McAdam said.
He also warned homeowners that builders were not permitted to issue certificates of compliance unless they have the necessary qualifications and licences.
Moore recommended an “arm’s length” approach.
“Using a buddy of a buddy might save money, but it can backfire when additional faults are found.
“If it’s a R10 000 quote, it means it’s R10 000 worth of work that needs to be done. You can get a second opinion, of course, but be prepared and know what you are in for because it is the law and you have to comply.”