Frequently Asked Questions for RW Bell Building Services:

If you are the homeowner and it is not a rental property it is suggested every 10 years, however if you have any concerns seek professional advice.

Landlords or Holiday Home owners are required to get properties electrics tested every 5 years as standard. However if you are a landlord you are also required to carry out a visual inspection at the beginning of a new tenancy which does not have to be carried out by a qualified electrician.

Landlords are require to put a smoke detector on every storey and principal habitable room (i.e. kitchen and living room) of a rental property. A CO detector is required in any room where there is a working fireplace or solid fuel appliance.

PAT testing stands for Portable Appliance Testing it refers to anything electrical in your property which can be unplugged and moved. Eg. Fridge, hair dryer, printer, phone charger, juicer etc. It is suggested that PAT testing is carried out annually in all work places, holiday lets, residential lets, hotels, etc.

• An Electrical Installation Certificate is carried out for all new installations or an alteration or additions to an existing electrical installation.
• An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a report on the current condition of your fixed electrical installation as compared to the current IEE Wiring Regulations.

A standard bedroom should have a minimum of 3 sockets, although we would always suggest that the 3 sockets should be fitted as twin, giving the user more flexibility and preventing the likelihood of using dangerous extensions. In other parts of the house, socket numbers can vary depending on room size and function. If you have any further questions contact us.

Yes, under BS7671 IEE Wiring Regulations all circuits are recommended to be protected by a 30mA RCD in most domestic situations. Please contact us if you require any further information.

The simple answer if you have a commercial or industrial property, then yes. BS 5266 enforces the provision of emergency lighting for public buildings such as: Leisure centres, Theatres, Cinemas, Nightclubs/Pubs, Hotels/Restaurants, Retail stores There is also a legal requirement that every workplace should have suitable and sufficient emergency lighting and that suitable and sufficient emergency lighting shall be provided and maintained in any room in which persons at work are specifically exposed to danger in the event of failure of artificial lighting.

It is important to be compliant with health and safety regulations and make sure that any wiring or power device within a property meets with the most current regulations. By maintaining wiring, distribution boards etc. it also ensures peace of mind. By checking and maintaining power systems within our property we reduce the risk of overloading devices, fire risks, making sure wiring is safe and no items are obsolete or pose any risk.

An RCD is a Residual Current Device, designed to protect against electrocution and electrical fires by cutting off the supply of power when it senses a leakage of an electrical current from a circuit. An RCD monitors electric currents in one or more circuits or in an individual item by monitoring the live and neutral wires. These two wires normally have an equal value but if a fault occurs and the electricity it is monitoring changes to a different path this would trigger the RCD to switch off the electricity automatically. For example, cutting through a cable with a power tool, providing the power tool was plugged into a socket or a circuit which was RCD protected the power would switch off and eliminate the chances of injury from electrocution. RCD protection also offer protection against electrical fires.

The main form of RCD protection is in your consumer unit. The number of circuits being protected can vary and be altered to suit your needs when an installation is being carried out.

We can either suggest the right people for you to get in touch with to carry out an EPC at your home, alternatively we can organise this on your behalf.

If you suspect there may be asbestos present, it is strongly suggested that you have a suitably trained person carry out a survey of the premises. If you are planning any work to be done in your property such as wiring or installing pipework an asbestos survey should be carried out prior to works commencing. The severity of the asbestos will influence what action is required. If it is damaged it will most probably have to be removed. If it is in good condition it can be made safe and either sealed or enclosed to prevent any damage. This work should be carried out by a licensed contractor. Areas of asbestos should be clearly labelled and noted within your asbestos register. Any worker or contractors that you have are made aware of its presence. If you do not label asbestos you must still inform anyone who is carrying out maintenance work about asbestos being present prior to their start of work so that they can take the necessary precautions.

Yes, we offer a range of services. We can supply and install for you, we are also able to fit out your own client supplied furniture/kitchens etc. Alternatively we are happy to work with you to design bespoke items tailored to your requirements and needs.

Yes, all of our work is covered under our one year workmanship guarantee. All materials which we supply are also covered under manufacturers guarantees.

We feature examples of previous work on our website but we have access to a range of catalogues and samples you can look through to decide the right design for yourself. We can also work off your own drawings/photos/pictures or we can come up with something bespoke to suit your requirements.

Landlords who have gas heating or any gas appliances are required to get them checked annually, or at the beginning of a new tenancy.

We offer maintenance, repairs and servicing of LPG, natural gas and oil appliances – cookers, hobs, AGAs, Raeburns, gas fires, boilers. We also service commercial gas catering equipment and commercial boilers.

Open doors and windows, do not introduce any naked flames including matches, lighters, cigarettes and candles. Don't turn on or off any electrical appliances or switches. Turn off your gas at the meter control valve if safe to do so and exit the premises. Immediately call the Gas Emergency Freephone number 0800 111 999. Ensure any repairs or investigations are carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Yes, our engineers have experience with private supplies, hill supplies, bore holes as well as water from the mains.