Choosing a reputable electrical contractor

When hiring an electrician, always look for accreditation with the likes of NICEIC. These good folk ensure people like me are qualified, insured, assessed, inspected and comply with their procedures. Avoid those 'trused trader' style web directories which offer no protection should things so sour, only affiliation with a proper trade association offers real protection. For more information on NICEIC or to check if someone claiming to be a member really is such, you can visit their website at www.niceic.com

All reputable sparks will be affiliated with an association such as NICEIC. Before hiring someone to perform electrical work, ensure they appear on the Registered Competent Person (Electrical) register to find out which organisation your preferred electrician is affiliated with. From July 2014, this all encompassing register took over from the likes of Electricsafe of which membership was voluntary. If your chosen sparkie doesn't show up on this site then they may not be qualified, competent or insured to be working on your installation. For more information or to perform a look-up of an electrician, visit www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk

If a company claims to be a member of NICEIC, don't take their word for it. Look them up as described above. Those who have been caught out but continue to claim membership on their promotional materials can be found on the NICEIC Wall of Shame!

The Electrical Contractors' Association is an organisation that professional electricians may choose to join and that offers additional protection and warranty support for commercial electrical work. If your chosen contractor is displaying this logo, always verify their membership at www.eca.co.uk

Electrical & environmental safety

The Electrical Safety First charity (formerly the Electrical Safety Council) offer common sense advice and information including product recalls. They're well worth a visit at www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk

PlugSafe is a volunteer organisation working with other bodies to fight the threats to the safety of the humble BS1363 UK plug & socket due to abuses and illegal counterfeits. Take a peek at http://bs1363.fatallyflawed.org.uk/

A non-exhaustive list of the different types of electrical wiring you may come across domestically in the UK and what to watch out for with the older stuff. This might give you an indication of the kind of wiring in your home, but if you're concerned about the type, condition or suitability of your wiring then contact me for further investigation and advice. http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Historic_Mains_Cables

When tackling any project that involves disturbance to the fabric of the building you ought to be aware of the dangers of asbestos, particularly on older installations. In the UK only homes built after year 2000 can be considered as asbestos free with older properties potentially containing the stuff in walls, ceilings, artex finishes, downpipes, panels and goodness knows where else. Links to organisations offering information and support include, but aren't limited to, NHS Choices, Cancer Research UK and the HSE. 

Local services

Other businesses based in Whitnash, my neck o' the woods, can be found on the Whitnash Town Council's Business Directory. www.whitnashtowncouncil.gov.uk/directory/

Consumer advice from Warwickshire County Council with links to information on Trading Standards and the latest rogue trader scams known to be operating in this area. https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

Usually running the first Saturday of every month at the Sydni Centre, Cottage Square, Sydenham, is the Repair Cafe where you can take anything that's broken for attempted repair by one of our volunteers. While a repair cannot be guaranteed, we have a good success rate. It's open from 11:00 to 14:00, repairs are free (donations are welcomed if you're satisfied), and coffee is provided!

Suppliers, regulators & government boffins

Western Power Distribution are responsible for the grid here in Warwickshire. If you suspect a powercut, they have a postcode checker and live powercut map at  www.westernpower.co.uk/Power-outages/What-s-Happening.aspx

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (formerly the Department for Energy and Climate Change). https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy

Not sure who your energy provider is? Maybe you've bought or inherited a property, or perhaps an absent partner or spouse dealt with the utilities and they're no longer around. Whatever the reason, if you want to find who supplies the energy to a particular premises, Western Power Distribution have a look-up you can use here. https://t.co/RfRGg9PpiN

Other sources of information/resources for fellow electricians

Nothing says low, low production values and nowt of interest than my own YouTube channel, although it's still arguably better than anything on daytime ITV. Products I review or discuss on this channel may have been provided to me and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made via affiliate links in the video descriptions. My video content can also be found duplicated advert free on the LBRY video service.

For those after something more interesting and professional, John Ward's YouTube channel provides some excellent advice, reviews and teardowns relating to electrical installations and appliances. John also has a comprehensive website at Flameport.com

e5, GSH, eFixx and SparkyNinja are a fine collection of worthy fellows with weeks worth of technical content between them relevant to new starters or old hands.

Electronics boffins of note are Joe Robinson, Big Clive, Scott the Defpom and Steve at SDG. These guys have the knowledge I wish I posessed.

The website of Electrical Times magazine. I have written some product reviews for them which were published in the February 2017 edition (Nightsearcher worklights), May 2017 edition (Boddingtons VDE tools), September 2017 (Varilight dimmers) and October 2017 (CK Stubby VDE screwdrivers). http://www.electricaltimes.co.uk/

James D. Hooker's LampTech page contains information on the history of lamp technologies and their innovators. If, like me, you get a spring in your thing over the humble electric light bulb, then this is the place to point your pointer.

Affiliate links - click these; I get paid! Oh, and you might get some swag too.

If information on this site or my other media spewings has proven of use and you wish to show your appreciation by buying me a coffee, then I would be perfectly happy with that.

My shonky Amazon storefront contains shameful cash-in affiliate links to some of the items I rate when doing the job.

Following years of scoffing burgers & chips or supermarket meal deals on-the-go, Huel is now my luncheon of choice when out on the van, and you can get £10 off your first Huel order when you spend £40 or more.

For job tracking, estimates, invoicing and even customer card payments, I use YourTradeBase and I can offer you a 14-day free trial and £50 credit y' jammy buggers!

SumUp provide credit/debit card readers for tradespeople to take easy payments on the job. I get £20 if you sign up through this link, you get some sweeeet discounted hardware!

Saving *and* credit for switching your electricity/gas to a green energy provider with top ratings? What's not to like? Stop reading this and click here for goodness sake!

This site is now hosted by Krystal after years of being sat on a clockwork cardboard box with my previous hosts whose technical support team couldn't tell you the time on a digital watch. Krystal have been very helpful and if you're in the market for web services, you can get in on the act with a ten quid credit by using the referral code DSESELECTRIC at their checkout!

Kick your crusty broadband provider and their cack customer service out of bed for a Which? recommended ISP and get £40 credit into the bargain!

Please note, I don't accept requests to place third party commercial links on this page, especially from ambulance chasing no-win-no-fee outfits with '4U' or '2U' moronically inserted into their name, or SEO knobheads trying to boost the search rankings of cack websites to fulfill their shady promise of getting them onto page one of The Google. Still, that doesn't stop the weekly rubbish coming in from such idiots all "reaching out" to my head of Marcomms claiming to have a great resource they want to add here.

If that's you, be aware that I had a long chat with my head of Marcomms and he said you can print out your proposal, roll it into a tube and stick it up your arse.