Re: New Electrical Regs - Again

I've heard of that reason before.

I can see it from his angle. If he did fit a gas fire with one in place and some idiot managed to gas themselves to death through CO poisoning.

When he'd finished doing a stretch for involuntary manslaughter, the idiots next of kin would bankrupt him using some no win no fee ambulance chaser.

greg

Suppose a neighbour decides on some DIY gas work, and hasn't a clue about how to do it correctly. And blows up your house. Or doesn't follow plumbing regs and poisons your water. Or takes a load bearing wall down which effects the integrity of your structure?

Or perhaps likes noisy parties every night? Or wants to run a brothel?

All these with in the confines of his own house, and perfectly ok in your ideal world where the state leaves everyone to do their own thing regardless.

Anyone care to speculate as to the reason? An *extractor* fan I can understand.

How many lives will these new regulations save?

I suspect the answer is very close to "none".

why is bartering VAT fraud?

It reduces the strength of the draw on the chimney allegedly.

greg

A requirement for this would make sense: it would pick up the fact that the lighting had not been rewired since the 1920's and was now lethal; the current proposals do nothing about existing substandard installations.

Uh? I can see why you can't have an extractor fan and gas fire but a ceiling fan only stirs up the air in the room, without changing anything. Any gas experts care to comment?

So I sue his arse off. No state intervention or rules required. Does his activity materially affect my life in my home ? Yes ? Pay me.

Steve

"Steve" wrote

Sue him for what, exactly?

"Steve" wrote

And what value do you think should be placed on that? Couple of shillings & threppence??

Infirnging my right to peace and freedom, unencumbered by the turkey next door.

Steve

Think I'd rather put up with some government interference which has no chance of being rigorously enforced rather than resort to suing someone - where only the lawyers would win.

I guess you need to find a 'cowboy' who'll ignore such bureaucratic rules, or DIY again. :)

This is a new one on me. It is certinaly not in GSIUR 1998 or AFAIK any BS normative document.

In fact you could have an extractor in the room (implausible) or in an adjoining open plan kitchen (plausible) with the open flue fire. However the likelihood is that aditional permanent ventilation would have to be provided.

Surely if you use a powerful enough extractor fan with an open flue fire, it will draw the exhaust gasses into the room?

Exactly this happened to a pal who had a 'normal' open 'coal' fire and a kitchen with breakfast bar through to the living area after he fitted a powerful fan in the kitchen. The idea was to stop kitchen smells reaching the living area, when what happened was smoke in the kitchen.

No, the GSI&U regulations do not forbid DIY gas work and do not make use of CORGI registered operatives mandatory unless the house is being rented or the operative is paid.

Agreed (with the emphasis on "ish"!).

I think poisoning the water will be an amazingly unusual result of DIY gas work while not following plumbing regs.

Just had my old P60's out to check.

It seems overall I am probably paying 51% of my takings to the government. My marginal rate could be around 55% or so. Company car benefit (which is tax & NI on money I haven't had) at the new rates would be the equivalent of about another 5%.

Intuitively, being taxed at 17.5% vat + 40% +11% +11% + sundries one would expect to pay more than 55%. I suppose the error lies in the fact that once money has gone to the gov. in tax it doesn't attract tax at the other levels, not yet anyway, something to be thankful for!

DG

For which you've got the car. For me the change in CC tax rules was an absolute winner. My new Honda Jazz cost me (technically my company of course) £11,200, 25% of this (reducing) each year set against corporation tax, along with road tax, insurance and servicing. I pay 15% x £11.2K x 40% in tax = £13p.w. for the benefit of having a brand new car, all expenses paid except petrol. If the company decided to allocate £3,000 to me instead of to car expenses I'd end up with £25p.w. net + £13 less tax £38p.w. to run a car - finance, depreciation, servicing, tax and insurance. Actual costs as before say £60. So having the company car is equivalent (in my case) to several percent off tax not on.