Part P is an amendment to the Building Regulations designed to cover the different aspects of electrical safety for dwellings. (Places of employment fall outside the scope of Part P, but have their own legislation and PAT Testing requirements). Its introduction is designed to reduce the risks of fire and injury, whether caused by faulty electrical work or by an electrical installation from a 'cowboy' builder.
Locations that are covered by the Part P legislation:
- Dwelling houses and flats
- Common access areas within a block of flats, e.g. hallways or stairs
- Shared areas within a block of flats, e.g. laundries
- Buildings that share a supply with a dwelling, e.g. a shop with a flat above
- Detached sheds, garages or greenhouses
- In or on land associated with the buildings, e.g. outdoor lighting or power
As of 1st January 2005 anyone (in England and Wales) carrying out fixed electrical installation work in one of these locations must comply with Part P. Such work is termed as 'notifiable' because the local Building Control body must be informed. As a guide to the sort of electrical work covered by this term, see the table here.
For information on how to comply with the new regulations, we have more details here. For more information on electrical regulations in general (including the Part P document itself) please see the navigation bar to the right.
